Can you identify these "R"'s? The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter. A printable version of the quiz is available here: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/February_2018/printable_quiz_letter_r_Feb_2018.pdf

Thank you for taking the time to subscribe and read our monthly e-newsletter. We have decided to make some changes to the format of our newsletter.

You will still receive a newsletter in your inbox each month however the format will be slightly different. We will be producing a full expanded version of the newsletter with articles, updates and news about The Arboretum on a quarterly basis. The first version of this newsletter will be in March.

The other 8 months of the year the newsletter will be shorter but will still include information on what to see and do at The Arboretum and three of them will be the special workshop edition highlighting the workshops in the coming months.

If you aren't already following us on social media than please check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Flickr. These are great ways in addition to our newsletter to check out what we are doing and receive awesome information.

Wild Goose Woods has been teeming with wildlife. On a recent hike with a small group of students from the Integrative Biology program we saw two Red-tailed Hawks, four porcupines and an Eastern Screech-owl having a snooze in a tree cavity! A Pileated Woodpecker and a Great Horned Owl were also spotted recently in this area. Lots of birds can be spotted at our feeders, including the occasional visit from a Cooper’s Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk looking for a snack. Fresh snow on the icy trails revealed that even squirrels wipe-out at times.


Eastern Screech Owl snoozing
Photo by Chris Earley


Porcupine bottom
Photo by Natalie Mason


Red Squirrel wipe-out
Photo by Rachel Irwin

The Arboretum’s grounds are the perfect setting for group tours. Our knowledgeable docents (trained volunteer guides) give pre-arranged 1 ½ hour tours of The Arboretum’s grounds, gardens, collections and other points of interest. The tours can be focused on the areas that are seasonally appropriate and / or that are of interest to you and your group. Tours should be booked a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. Tours provide an excellent break for a meeting group. For further information on tours or to make a reservation please contact Dawn Ann Webster at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110.

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day! If you or someone you know is lucky enough to have given or received that special ring and proposal and are beginning to plan for that exciting day please be sure to check The Arboretum out for the ceremony and reception. For further information please contact Dawn Ann Webster at 519-824-4120 ext. 54110 or [log in to unmask]. Further information on our unique reception facilities and outdoor ceremony sites can be found on our website.
  

  

Join Rachel Wednesdays at 12:15 for the Wednesday walk as she explores the grounds on a 50 minute hike. It is a wonderful way to explore the winter wonderland that The Arboretum grounds has been transformed into. The walk is free and you should meet at the kiosk at the end of the promenade closest to campus if you are interested in participating.

Winter Tree Identification, Planets, Stars, Galaxies and the Universe, Pruning and Winter Invertebrates workshops are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs… please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if there are enough people registered to run the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early?

Registration is available on-line, which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access, registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: http://uofg.convio.net/arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Amy Atkinson
Senior Development Manager, Ontario Agricultural College
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 58652 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]