Sustainability

We believe in sustainable practices and limiting our impact on the environment. We understand that as a place to celebrate the beauty of nature, we should also be leaders and teachers of sustainable practices. Below are some of the ways that we're doing our part to help the environment.

• We create our own compost using organic materials found on the Arboretum grounds. This compost is placed in garden beds and creates a natural fertilizer.
• We engage in energy-saving practices such as keeping enclosed spaces at lower temperatures, unplugging electronics and appliances that are not in use, and limiting electricity usage and water consumption.
• We use limited amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers on plants.
• We plant a variety of flora to attract pollinators. We have a 4-acre butterfly garden as well as 3 acres of natural Iowa prairie grass mix.
• Hawkeye Community College and the Cedar Valley Bee Club use the Arboretum as a home for four of their hives. Honey from the hives is sold at the Arboretum and prepared by local bee-keepers.
• When possible we use recycled materials. The shade structures in our campus mall are made from recycled plastic bottles.
• We limit paper consumption by using digital forms, online sign-ups, and record-keeping applications. This saves hundreds of pages from being printed.

We are always looking for other ways to increase our sustainability. If you or your company would like to help us reduce our impact, please call our office.