ARBORETUM
It sounds like the last
few minutes of a
made-for-television movie,
but Tom LoCascio insists
that the story is true.
Story by Stephanie Sisson
Photos by Anthony Forney
Native and
imported
species are
clearly labeled
so visitors
can identity
them, There
are hundreds
of species of
native plants
throughout
the arbore
tum There are
also many
Imported from
other areas ot
the United
States and
other coun
tries, provid
ing a well
rounded expe
rience.
A young boy abused by his parents, now stay
ing with toster parents, refuses to get along with
them One day he >s sent to the Mount Pisgah
Arboretum near tugene, wnere ne
spends the day raking and blowing
leaves That night, getting into his
foster mother's car to go home, he
apologizes for his behavior and
says that he will try to change
LoCascio. caretaker for the
Arboretum, calls this phenomeno,
the "healing quality of the out
doors."
"It (working at the arboretum)
really does make a difference in
these kids," he said "It really does
turn them around These kids, al
nsk or troubled youth, have a
sense of accomplishment. They
can come back and say. 'Hey. I did
this I built this bridge “
The Mount Pisgah Arboretum,
located in the Howard Buford
Recreation Area off of Seavey
Loop Road, occupies 118 acres of
native Willamette Valley trees,
shrubs and wildflowers The park is
open every day from sunrise to sunset No admis
sion is charged, but donations are welcome
Although the Friends of the Mount Pisgah
Arboretum consult with Lane County Parks and
Recreation before making development and main
tenance decisions, the arboretum is funded
entirely through private donations and volunteer
effort
An arboretum visitor in search of the colorful
splendor of the Portland Rose Gardens might be
disappointed The beauty of the Mount Pisgah
Arboretum is in its peaceful scenery, featuring
trees that are allowed to thrive
naturally. The only visible con
cessions to its 35,000 to 40,000
visitors each year are sawdust
trails and occasional "You Are
Here" maps
Although volunteer work at the
arboretum has been tremen
dously successful at helping at
risk youth, the naturalistic land
scape design and horticulture
also allows the arboretum to
serve an educational purpose
Last year, ?,500 Lane County
students visited the arboretum
With the help of the arbore
tum's educational coordinator
and some University students
who give guided tours, students
can learn about things like the
names of trees, the origin of
mistletoe and where rainwater
goes when it disappears into the
ground
LoCascio said the arboretum
was not |ust a Friends of Mount
Pisgah Arboretum project, but a
Lane County project.
"The people of the community
have made this happen," he
said. "So often you read in the
newspapers about the timber
industry, and how it's bad, or it's
aood. and it's either black or
white In the arboretum we have many timber
companies like Weyerhauser, which have been
incredibly supportive. They've donated timber lor
trails. We have Boy Scouts who come out and
construct bridges for badges. There are so many
kids, businessmen, and people in the community
who can come out and say. 'I built this bridge
Many trails weave In
and out of tho trees
at the Mount Plagah
Arboretum, Includ
ing this one (above)
that leads to the
wetergardens. All
trails are clearly
marked, which
makes getting
around easy. Joan
Mazo, Vice
President of Friends
of Ml Plagah, (left)
shows there Is a
visible difference
between pines,
which have needles,
and cedars, which
have broad flat
leaves, even though
both are considered
‘evergreens". One
of the most com
mon mistakes by
visitors Is to call
cedars pine trees.
One of the biggest events at the arboretum is
the Wildflower Festival, on the third Sunday of
May. Sponsored by the Native Plant Society, the
festival features cut, identified wildflowers and
guided tours of the Arboretum
Other annual events at the arboretum include
Arbor Week in April, an Outdoor Education
Program that begins in April, a garage sale
every September and a mushroom festival and
scarecrow contest in October
For more information about the Mount Pisgah
Arboretum or to volunteer money or services,
call 747-3817.