Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens was started in 1996 as a place to learn about the wonders of the natural world and connect the community with nature. Over the past nearly thirty years, it's grown into a place where visitors can disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature.
There are more than 20 gardens within the 40 acres of the arboretum and botanic gardens. There is something for everyone to explore there. The leadership team works throughout the year to plan events, engage in development efforts and promote the mission of the arboretum. Their season runs from May to October, during which they add part-time staff and student interns from local colleges.
They seek to enrich life by nourishing and sharing the beauty of the natural world, the joy of gardening, knowledge of plants, and the diversity of our world. The vision of Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is to serve as a compelling public resource for the study of plants, a leader in environmental stewardship, a cultural center for the community, and a showcase of Iowa’s rich heritage with the land.
There are many ways to get involved at the Arboretum! From volunteering, working as staff, assisting with events, becoming a part of the Cedar Valley Monarch Zones, or joining as a member of their board. They would love for you to get involved and share your time and talents with them.
The mission of Cedar Valley Arboretum is to enhance the quality of life for all individuals through horticulture.
Cedar Valley Arboretum’s Work
The following are a couple highlights of the impactful work of Cedar Valley Arboretum
Community Impact
Cedar Valley Arboretum has two main community impact programs: providing fresh food to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank and bringing back the monarch population.
In 2014, with the help of the Iowa State Master Gardener's Program, they completed the installation of a 1-acre orchard on the Arboretum grounds. The orchard is split into four sections of fruit trees all of which were native to Iowa when the first settlers came. The fruit from the orchard is harvested by members of the Master Gardener's Program and donated to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. As the trees in the orchard continue to reach maturity and start producing fruit, they will be able to donate 10,000 pounds of fresh apples, cherries, pears, and plums to the food bank in the coming years.
In 2019, they began a new project funded by the Young Family Foundation, to create the Cedar Valley Monarch Zones (CVMZ). The CVMZ works with community leaders, environmentally based organizations, and individuals to help plant pollinator plants and increase the number of habitat areas for Monarch Butterflies, as well as provide education about Monarch Butterflies. They've assisted with the planting of over 50 acres of pollinator habitat in the Cedar Valley.
At Cedar Valley Arboretum they believe in sustainable practices and limiting their impact on the environment. They understand that as a place to celebrate the beauty of nature, they should also be leaders and teachers of sustainable practices. Below are some of the ways that they’re doing their part to help the environment:
- They create their own compost using organic materials found on the Arboretum grounds. This compost is placed in garden beds and creates a natural fertilizer.
- They engage in energy-saving practices such as keeping enclosed spaces at lower temperatures, unplugging electronics and appliances that are not in use, and limiting electricity usage and water consumption.
- Cedar Valley Arboretum uses limited amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers on plants.
- They plant a variety of flora to attract pollinators including a 4-acre butterfly garden and 3 acres of natural Iowa prairie grass mix.
- Hawkeye Community College and the Cedar Valley Bee Club use the Arboretum as a home for four of their hives. Honey from the hives is sold at the Arboretum and prepared by local bee-keepers.
- When possible they use recycled materials. The shade structures in the campus mall are made from recycled plastic bottles.
- They limit paper consumption by using digital forms, online sign-ups, and record-keeping applications. This saves hundreds of pages from being printed.
Sustainability
Adult Education
Cedar Valley Arboretum hosts educational classes for adults. Whether its teaching adults about planting gardens for pollinators or how to take care of succulents, they are always helping to connect adults with nature. Their cultivating wellness series helps to reconnect the mind, body, and soul with the natural world.
Building a love and appreciation for nature can be fostered at a young age. Cedar Valley Arboretum hosts weekly story time in the arboretum during the summer. Different organizations will come in to read to the children for about thirty minutes of reading. They also have a plethora of resources for educators and parents to use with children as part of their “Fun at Home” content.
Youth Education
Join us in supporting Cedar Valley Arboretum
75% of this month's donations will go towards this month's partner
This month and every month, Wild Boyz Photography will be partnering with one nonprofit. 75% of any donations that we receive during the month will go to the nonprofit. Help Cedar Valley Arboretum to enhance the quality of life for all individuals through horticulture.