Visit http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/wpa.shtml for additional news.
Updated August 6, 2010
Arboretum Foundation Celebrates 75th Anniversary!
The Arboretum Foundation was founded in 1935, one year after the Washington Park Arboretum was officially established. This year marks the 75th year that the Foundation has provided vital support to Seattle's beloved Arboretum. Help us celebrate our anniversary by volunteering at the Arboretum, attending one of our plant sales or events, making a donation, or becoming a member. Arboretum Foundation members enjoy world-class publications and other special benefits, including exclusive preview access to our legendary annual plants sales, discounts at the Arboretum Shop, and more.
Foundation Hires Andrea Myers as Development Director
The Arboretum Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Andrea
Myers as its new, full-time Director of Development. Following the departure of our part-time Director of Major Gifts, Julia Maywald, last month, we have restructured the Development Department in order to create a full-time director’s position. Starting August 2nd, Andrea will take the helm of both our capital campaign and operations fundraising.
Andrea has a very impressive resume. Her most recent position has been as Assistant Dean of Nursing for Advancement & External Relations at the University of Washington, where she worked both with the Dean of the Nursing School and the UW Advancement Office. Prior to this, Andrea was Director of Development for 3½ years at Harborview and UW Medical Centers and was part of a team that helped raise more than $1 billion for the UW Medicine departments. Before that, she was Director of Development for the Swedish Medical Center Foundation for nearly 10 years.
“As we work to accomplish the goal in our strategic plan to find ways to work more closely with our partners at UW Botanic Gardens, Andrea’s relationships at the University and her insights about how to work with their staff will be invaluable,” says Arboretum Foundation Executive Director Paige Miller. “And, of course, I fully expect that she will provide a great boost to our efforts to meet the fundraising goals set forth in the plan.”
Our Annual Report is also a celebration of our 75th Anniversary!
AF Annual Report: Read All About Our Very Special Year!
The Arboretum Foundation has recently printed its 2009-10 Annual Report. Along with providing financial statements and a summary of Foundation activities for the 2009 fiscal year, it celebrates our organization's 75-year history and record of achievement. The publication has been mailed to Arboretum Foundation members and donors. You can download a pdf of the report from our website.
Barring the Way! A red oak temporarily blocked off
Azalea Way in late June. It was one of two large red oaks
that Arboretum staff witnessed fall that month.
Wet Weather Takes Toll on Arboretum Oaks
In late June, Arboretum staff watched with a mix of awe and sadness as two large red oaks (Quercus rubra)—one near the Visitors Center along Azalea Way and the other by the lagoon at Duck Bay—came toppling down within days of each other. A shared combination of factors contributed to the demise of the two trees, including shallow soil, root girdling, and significant lean. The wet spring weather also played a significant part by making the trees very top heavy.
"The exceptional spring flush and heavy wet foliage were the straws that broke the camel's back," explains UWBG Grounds Supervisor David Zuckerman. "The oak by the lagoon was a significant loss, because it was a wild-collected specimen sourced from upstate New York and acquired from the Morton Arboretum in 1958." It's not all sad news, however. "The root wad of the Morton tree is impressively big!" adds David. "We're hoping to be able to make it safe and preserve it in the Arboretum for educational purposes."
Work Begins on Gateway to Chile
If you’ve been on Lake Washington Boulevard recently, you may have noticed that changes are underway at the south end of the Arboretum. In April, Seattle Parks & Recreation began site preparation for restoration of the now overgrown Holmdahl Rockery and the creation of the Gateway to Chile Garden. The work includes the removal of thirty-four mature trees, including some bigleaf maples. Seventy-three Chilean trees will be planted in their place to create a stunning new display. These include monkey puzzle (Araucaria aurucana), winter’s bark (Drimys winteri var. andina), Chilean fire bush (Embothrium coccineum), Austrocedrus chilensis (a beautiful conifer that can grow more than 1,500 years old), and Pilgerodendron uviferum (an endangered species). We anticipate that the new garden will be completed in early fall. Come watch the transformation!
The Gateway to Chile garden
(Rendering by Mike Kowalski. Image courtesy The Berger Partnership)
520 Bridge Advocacy Yields Major Results
The Arboretum Foundation has been advocating strongly on behalf of Arboretum interests in the debate over the design of the new 520 Bridge. The Washington State Department of Transportation’s most recent bridge design is evidence that our work—which is part of a collaborative effort by numerous organizations, public officials, and interest groups—is bearing fruit. The updated design:
• removes all current ramps from the Arboretum and obviates the need to build new ones;
• eliminates general purpose on-ramps from Lake Washington Boulevard to the 520, reducing traffic impacts on the Arboretum;
• includes a traffic management plan to reduce traffic flow on Lake Washington Boulevard below current levels (this may include tolling);
• calls for the use of “quieter” pavement on the bridge’s main line going across the Arboretum to reduce noise levels;
• creates good pedestrian and bicycle connections among the Arboretum, the 520, and the Montlake and University neighborhoods.
For more details on the design, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr520bridge/. The Arboretum and Botanical Garden Committee will be working with the state on the fine details of the plan as it moves forward. Thanks to all of you who have supported us in our efforts thus far to protect this special place!
Garden Competition on Hold
Due to the transition of ownership of the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and all the complexities involved in such a process, there will be no Pacific Northwest Gardens Competition again this year. However, the Foundation is hoping that the popular amateur gardening contest will be resurrected for the 2011 season. We will be meeting with our competition co-sponsors—the Garden Show and the Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine—to discuss plans for next year. Stay tuned!
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