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Bureau of Land Management Elko Field Office, 3900 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801, 775-753-0200 Elko, Elko County, Nevada
Arboretum: a place where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes
This arboretum is a work in progress. It is a labor of both love and dedication by Mr. Skip Ritter, Forester for the Bureau of Land Management. Skip, in addition to his regular duties, serves as the project lead for the arboretum. From memory, the garden is supported mostly by grants and donations of both money and labor (HINT). This nature walk was started about 5 years ago. It has progressed to the point that it is turning really, really nice. According to Mr. Ritter, there is far to go. I think it is great for many reasons, including: (a) it provides a very enjoyable hour or so looking at nature's beauty (b) when you see a tree or plant you can actually learn the name and something about it (c) you can actually compare plants to see the difference between a spruce and a pine (d) you can take the tour at your own pace and time (e) you can visit the garden in all four seasons to see when the various flowers bloom and see the fruit or seed pods they produce (f) you can let the kids burn off some energy as you sit at the picnic table as they go round and round the garden - hopefully on the sidewalks (please - as there are many young plants that might be trampled to death and never get their chance to bloom) (g) if you are traveling the I-80 freeway through Elko it makes a nice stop in the evening instead of hanging around the motel, and (h) in the July, 2002 article in "Outdoors Now" it discusses "Waterwise" Gardens and the increasing need to conserve water in the west - much can be learned about landscaping your yard from the plantings here. I'm sure there are many more great reasons but let's go see it instead. The photos below are not meant to be a comprehensive list of plants. Just the highlights we saw last Sunday when my boy and I toured the garden. Thanks Skip!
USGS Topographic Map of Elko (1975) USGS Aerial Photograph of Elko (1994)
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BLM Arboretum ~ click on photos to enlarge ~
~~~ Trees ~~~
Fir, Pine, and Spruce Bristlecone Pine, Douglas Fir, Engelmann Spruce, Jeffry Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Singleleaf Pinyon Pine, Western White Pine, and White Fir
Juniper Rocky Mountain Juniper and Utah Juniper
Mountain Mahogany Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany
Deciduous Trees Aspen, Common Chokecherry, Narrow Leaf Cottonwood, Pacific Willow, Redtwig or Red Osier Dogwood, and Rocky Mountain Maple
Shrubs Elderberry, Cliffrose, and Goldfinger Potentilla
Wildflowers ~ in progress ~ ~ click to enlarge ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ References: National Audubon Society, Field Guide to North American Wildflowers - Western Region, Richard Spellenberg, 2001, Alfred A. Knoph, New York. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Comment: This web page is about the BLM Arboretum. I believe they have given to the Elko community something that is both useful and beautiful. Thank you for this garden. This web page was created, written and up-dated by the non-profit Elko County Rose Garden Association, with the verbal permission of the Arboretum project lead. The disclaimers are: (1) if you see a goof on this page it might be ours and (2) in no way do we speak for or represent the BLM. If you wish to add or correct something on this page please let us know or add it to the guest book. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please come back soon - as the seasons change we will add new photographs.
Additional Information: Northeastern Nevada Museum
Feel free to use any of the photos for your own personal use. A link would be most kind. Commercial usage requires permission from the applicable photographer and the ERG Association. A donation to the BLM Arboretum would be most kind.
Recent Photos by Dan Turner, 9/8/02
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