Shoreline Community College Arboretum is a multi-year and interdisciplinary college initiative to document, map, and celebrate the incredible diversity of flora planted on the campus. With over 200 species, Shoreline Community College is an arboreal paradise that deserves to be recognized for its beauty. As the project develops, it will have something to offer to every department on campus and to the surrounding community. We understand our trees as an opportunity to learn and engage through the EEE paradigm of sustainability, recognizing their Ecological, Economic, and Equity/Cultural values. Check out our beautiful page on Douglas Fir to see the huge potential of this learning guide. The project is always looking for volunteers and new ideas of all abilities and levels of interest!
In prior years this initiative was organized under the "Tree Campus" label, which is still present on signs labeling trees and plants. As our campus has changed with development, the construction of new buildings, and larger-scale landscaping projects, the name of our method of grounds documentation has shifted to reflect a new broader focus. While all of the plants that grace our college enrich the soils and beautify the grounds, at this stage focus is placed on plants native to the Pacific Northwest and Puget Sound region due to their ability to facilitate native biodiversity, general low maintenance, and ability to weather the temperate climate of Western Washington. Check out the Land Acknowledgement and the Indigenous Library Project at Ray Howard Library to find more out about how indigenous land tending methods and philosophies shaped the ecological and cultural landscapes of the region we call home.
Please see our “Get Involved” page if you would like to contribute ideas or work to this project! We will be excited to have you with us.
