This month we head over to the Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH) to meet horticulturist Kristen Johnson!

Meet our spring intern, Amanda Fairbanks, as she learns and grows with the horticulture staff at the Arboretum!

Sit in on one of the horticulture staff’s check-in meetings and you’ll quickly notice Kathleen Glasman because she’s game for everything: another team member needs some help running a volunteer opportunity in the Arboretum? She raises her hand. Someone else needs help clearing brush out of their area? She’s available and ready to help. She’s been in the horticulture game for more than 30 years, and her expertise shines through whenever you talk to her. 

Lincoln Erbeck’s humor and joy contrast with the technical and often dangerous nature of his work. As a climbing arborist and horticulturist at the UW Botanic Gardens, Lincoln is not just responsible for the health of trees in the Washington Park Arboretum — he plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of the people who visit. And he does this all with a big smile on his face. 

Meet Kevin Rusch, a horticulturalist at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and part of the team of folks who care for the collections at the Arboretum!

Meet Roy Farrow, the Washington Park Arboretum Grounds Supervisor

Meet our August Staff Feature – Ron Schmaltz! Ron is the horticulturalist in charge of one of the Washington Park Arboretum’s signature collections: Rhododendron Glen. Ron spent almost 30 years as an IT software developer before pivoting to horticulture. After returning to school at the Edmonds College, Ron started as an intern at the Arboretum in 2017 and, before too long, was working as an official gardener and caring for the 4 acres that make up the Glen. 

Chrina Munn started September 1, 2022 as the farm’s new AmeriCorps Volunteer. She takes over from Dannette Lombert, who completed their 10-month contract in July.

Looking Back on my AmeriCorps Service Term
Many of you have seen me running around the farm, managing volunteers, or maybe delivering produce to the UW Food Pantry. This was all due to my serving as an AmeriCorps member with the UW Farm. I began this full-time position in September 2021 and recently my term of service ended in June 2022. 

Hello! My name is Sean, and I’m a second year undergraduate student majoring in general biology and an intern at the UW Farm.
Before my Spring internship I was a regular volunteer at the Farm. I first decided to volunteer in Fall 2021 and have been coming back ever since. Prior to the UW Farm, I helped clean up and maintain some community P-Patch gardens in the Seattle area.