Talk: Whither the Arboretum?

• Event Date: Thursday, October 17, 2019
• Time: 4:00 pm (CDT)
• Location: Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
• Cost: Free Admission

• Talk

The Arboretum's gardens, collections, and habitats are transforming 160 acres of the University's south campus into an exceptional "living laboratory" for students in plant sciences and fine and applied arts, as well as an oasis of natural beauty open to the public.

This talk by Arboretum Director Kevin McSweeney covers a brief history of the development of the Arboretum, as well as and its current activities. Emerging aspirations towards a more student-engaged and campus/community-centered Arboretum will also be discussed.

Dr. McSweeney is a soil scientist and PhD graduate of UIUC. He spent 30 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on the faculty and in several administrative roles, including Director of the Arboretum. His research and teaching interests are in soil and earth history and repurposing degraded land.

This talk is part of the Spurlock Museum’s Third Thursday series highlighting people, places, and events in University of Illinois history.