Arbor Day: As a designated “Tree Campus USA,” Rice University observes Arbor Day, which in Texas takes place in the fall. Celebrating Arbor Day is a golden opportunity to educate the campus community on the benefits of urban trees on our campus and in the community. The Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum supports Arbor Day by organizing events, including plantings on campus where faculty, staff, students and community can volunteer. To volunteer or to inquire about other forms of support, email arboretum@rice.edu or call 713.348.4913
Weekly bird walks in collaboration with the Houston Audubon: The Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum is a fantastic refuge for urban birds and is an important stop-over point for migrating birds! Individual interested in learning about our urban birds and wanting to help document bird life on campus are welcome to meet us weekly on Tuesdays at 7:30 AM by the Owl Deck. The Owl Deck is located adjacent to Intramural Field 6 behind the Social Sciences building (the field is between Tudor field house and Wiess college). Everyone, including novice bird watchers, are welcome to join! For more information, please contact Dr. Cin-Ty Lee at ctlee@rice.edu.
Rice student involvement: Rice students can get involved with the Arboretum through university clubs or research. Several student clubs, including the Rice Wildlife Conservation Club (RWCC) and the Texas Ecological Restoration and Rehabilitation Association (TERRA), utilize the Arboretum as the focus of their club activities.
Students can also get involved with the work of the Arboretum through their coursework. Classes including Plant Diversity lab (BIOS 339), Conservation Biology (BIOS 334), Insect Biology lab (BIOS 330), Introduction to Ecology lab (BIOS 213), Conservation Biology lab (BIOS 332), and Teaching in Restoration, Ecological, and Environmental STEM (TreeSTEM; BIOS 127) and more utilize the Arbor and the Harris Gully Natural Area as the focus of their coursework.
The Arboretum Committee also periodically hosts an undergraduate intern to assist with the management and study of the Arboretum. For more information about internship opportunities, please email arboretum@rice.edu.
Research opportunities: The Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum is available for research opportunities to Rice faculty and the faculty members of other institutions. For more information regarding research opportunities, please email arboretum@rice.edu.