Newsletter of the Foundation of the State Arboretum                 Summer 2020
Grounds reopen after two months
Even with restrictions, we're glad you're back
The Arboretum grounds re-opened to the public at sunrise Saturday, June 6. Public restrooms are open and available at Peetwood Pavilion only. Some normally public areas around buildings and offices remain closed. Signs will be posted encouraging social distancing and use of masks around other people. For everyone's safety, please do not approach staff, students, volunteers and other visitors you may encounter.  Please park at least six feet from other cars. Leashed dogs are welcome! Thank you for your patience and understanding, and stay safe.

Jolly de Give, 
FOSA's new president
FOSA Enthusiastically Welcomes New Officers, Directors
At the Annual Meeting of the Foundation of the State Arboretum in June, the Board elected officers for FY21, and the FOSA membership unanimously elected five new directors to the Board and reappointed three Board members for additional terms.

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Familiar face joins Blandy staff
Blandy names Director of Scientific Engagement
Blandy is proud to introduce our new Director of Scientific Engagement, Dr. Ariel Firebaugh. Blandy's Director of Public Programs, Dr. Steve Carroll, retired last October. We decided to reimagine the position, and the name change reflects the evolution of public programming that occurred during Steve's tenure.  
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Two welcome-back walks at Blandy
Join us for two of our favorite pastimes: discovering unique birds and watching the moon rise over the trees at Blandy.

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Resilience in the face of challenges
Innovations for the 2020-21 school year
This spring the education team has been working hard to make the most out of the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.  
Read more
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Nature Nurtures showcases healthy living
First it was goat yoga. Last year it was she sheds. 
What's in store this year? See you Oct. 3!
Mark your calendars for October 3 and join us at Blandy for the
 third annual Nature Nurtures festival, a unique one-day event that will feature a variety of farm-to-table and plant vendors and artisans, as well as walks, talks, and demonstrations that highlight uses of the natural world. 


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Kerry Wexted via Flickr
Root Beer, Anyone?
State Arboretum names Sassafras 
as the 2020 Tree of the Year!
No time was more fitting than Arbor Day, April 24, for the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm to announce its second Tree of the Year: the sassafras ( Sassafras albidum ).


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New GPS adventure at Blandy offers 
tour of wild spaces, lessons on ecology
Go farther afield without getting lost
If you've found yourself wishing for the path less traveled, Blandy's newest attraction may be just the solution: a GPS guided tour of Blandy's wild spaces. Part hike and part digital scavenger hunt, this adventure will take you through our vast sunny meadows full of wildflowers and shrubs, into forests that are home to giant trees and abundant wildlife, and past unique landmarks that highlight Blandy's ecological history.

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A Legacy of Giving: 
Honoring FOSA's Outgoing President 
with the J. Stephen Bauserman Transportation Fund
Thanks to an anonymous donor at the close of the year, Steve Bauserman's commitment to Blandy Experimental Farm and the State Arboretum will be forever celebrated through the J. Stephen Bauserman Back-to-Nature Transportation Fund.
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Looking forward and looking back
Outgoing FOSA President Steve Bauserman shares some of the accomplishments and changes the Foundation of the State Arboretum made during his time on the board and as president for the past three years.

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