Give to our Trees for Tomorrow campaign April 19-May 2!

Your donation will help us establish a more climate-resilient tree canopy across the UC Davis campus and provide support for the student environmental leaders central to the work. Learn more and give today!

Nature Rx on Campus

Nature Rx on Campus

Our campus is filled with inspiring opportunities to take advantage of the mental health and well-being benefits of Nature Rx. Below you will find links to some of our most popular resources for getting outside and enjoying our gorgeous landscapes.

UC Davis Central Campus Tree Tour

This tour highlights 21 trees and several notable landscaping locations on the UC Davis central campus. It is approximately a 1.5 mile loop where you’ll learn about some of our most common trees as well as some exceptional and unique specimens on our campus!

 

Four girl scouts kneel under a tree, identifying leaves, near Lake Spafford

Healthy Outside with Girl Scouts

Spend time surrounded by nature, exploring the Arboretum while completing activities that will connect you with nature, all while earning a patch through the Healthy Outside partnership with the Girl Scouts Heart of Central California.
Chair Share - Lake Spafford Aboretum

Seeing Red?

  • by Sara Amid
Chair Share – a program that aims to encourage our community to spend more time outside. Studies show that even a short time outdoors can reduce stress and improve mood, among a variety of other social and well-being benefits.
a couple walks in the Arboretum

Places to See

There are so many places to get outside, enjoy nature and learn at the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. Have you seen them all? This page provides 20+ places you may not know about yet, let alone visited.
A portion of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden visitor map.

UC Davis Arboretum Visitor Map

Learn more about the location of our gardens and collections, parking information and our suggestions for what to see on three different walking loops. Each loop is approximately 1 mile and will introduce you to the work we do to inspire human potential to help people and environments thrive!
Image of cormorant sunning its wings on the UC Davis Arboretum Waterway.

Wildlife

The Arboretum is home to at least 31 species of mammals, 7 species of fish, 3 species of amphibians, 19 species of reptiles, 45 species of butterflies, 18 species of ants, and hundreds of species of other insects and invertebrates (confirmed and expected). More than 135 species of birds have been observed nesting or roosting in the Arboretum.
Image of California poppies in bloom in the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.

Bloom Calendar

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden offers a quiet refuge and a refreshing setting for recreation at any time of the year. It also provides an opportunity to experience the turning of the seasons through changing displays of flowers, fruits, seeds, bark and foliage. Populations of birds, mammals, insects, and other fauna vary rhythmically through the year. Look for these especially showy or prominent features in each season.
Image of sheep grazing on the UC Davis campus.

Sheepmowers

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is collaborating with Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture Haven Kiers in her research project designed to help determine if sheep, which intermittently graze a lawn on central campus, can eat weeds and grass, fertilize and control pests as well as or better than using conventional landscaping methods.
Image of class being taught outside at UC Davis.

Nature's Classroom

Faculty and academics from across the disciplines use the "green classrooms" of the UC Davis Arboretum to teach in creative and engaging ways that provide students with real-world applications to their scholarship. Over 100 courses utilize the Arboretum’s gardens and scientific collections each year.
Image of visitor at the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve.

Putah Creek Riparian Reserve

The UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve is a 640-acre natural riparian and grassland ecosystem that runs along the southern edge of the UC Davis campus. The Reserve is utilized for teaching and research purposes, wildlife and habitat protection, and community engagement.
Image of UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden volunteers gardening in the Arboretum.

Volunteer

We rely on volunteer support in every area of operations. As a volunteer, you can learn new skills, meet other people who share your interests, and feel wonderful about supporting our environment. Whatever your skills or interests, the Arboretum and Public Garden welcomes you.
Subscribe to Nature Rx on Campus Content