FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nestled in the northernmost part of the University of Arkansas campus, the Horticulture Club is planting roots of environmental consciousness they plan to grow far beyond the walls of its greenhouse.
The club maintains one of the few greenhouses on campus, taking on the responsibilities of watering, fertilizing, repotting and performing maintenance work on the greenhouse. Being resourceful plays a major role in balancing the club’s time and finances, even in the smallest of ways.
Vice President Emma Black said the club makes sure to use its resources as sustainably as possible.
“We reuse our pots,” Black said. “We’ll keep using them until they won’t work. A lot of it is old and well used, but taken care of. Why buy new if you can reuse it?”
To reduce costs and waste further, Abigail Jennings, the assistant greenhouse manager, has been reaching out to local nurseries and gardening businesses to accept donations. From tables to soil, the club accepts whatever it can to prevent usable resources from going to waste.
“We’re just trying to reduce the waste, so instead of them throwing out their old pots or equipment that they have, we take it,” Jennings said.
The club’s concerns over environmental consciousness spread beyond just the greenhouse, however. For club members, the plant life of the Fayetteville campus and the city beyond is just as important as any other place in the Natural State.
“If you watch one of the football games, you come by afterwards and there’s trash,” club member Andy Brown-Miller said. “It’s bad for the environment, having all that stuff gather up.”
While research suggests Generation Z is more emotionally engaged with the climate crisis, especially on the topics of melting ice caps and ozone layer degradation, club members have taken it upon themselves to go beyond cleaning up after their own waste.
Club President Jackson Ball has been reaching out to local schools to present on environmental consciousness to elementary school students and plans to apply for the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program.
“I just got the email last week for the Adopt-A-Highway,” Ball said. “We’re gonna sign up for that, I’ve been wanting to do something like a highway cleanup. I want the club to be heavily involved in the community, in things similar to the Adopt A Trail and Adopt a Highway.”
Club attendance is integral to the Horticulture Club’s maintenance and development of its greenhouse, and the value of participation for members goes beyond having an extracurricular to put on a resume. Despite the stress of busy college schedules and other outside commitments, the club members said making time for nature is one of the best parts of their week.
“Working around plants… it’s made me appreciate so much of the beauty that comes from it,” Jennings said. “You’re very quickly aware of all the issues surrounding the environment. The community aspect really helps bring down the nerves about things happening.”
Along with Jenning’s concerns, Black cited concerns about national parks and formerly protected wildlife sanctuaries as their biggest concern, along with habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity. Members of the club said being active in the greenhouse and taking care of species native to Arkansas gave them a feeling of taking part in the action to protect the Earth.
Community is not the only benefit the Horticulture Club offers.
Social Media Manager Doug Albert has been working to build career connections for members planning to pursue careers in horticulture or agriculture.
“I spent most of the summer talking to different landscape product companies and horticultural product companies to try to find connections for future jobs, internships,” Albert said.
Beyond jobs in agricultural product creation, the club has guided members to career goals in public service and environmental care, such as Ball, who plans to pursue a career in community gardening. Members are encouraged to explore all different careers involving the environment.
While the Horticulture Club is doing their part in the greenhouse, members said it is up to everyone on campus to keep the environment strong.
“There are recycling containers everywhere,” Brown-Miller said. “You’re not changing the world, but you’re going to make a difference just taking those two extra steps.”
The Horticulture Club is planning a trip to the Baker Seed Company Sept. 27 to visit the National Heirloom Emporium Expo. Ball said the trip is open to people who want to learn more about the ecosystem.
The club will also host a poinsettia sale at the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food
Greenhouse Dec. 2-4. Proceeds will fund the club’s budget and greenhouse repairs.
For more information about getting involved with the Horticulture Club or its activities, email horticultureclubuniversityofar@gmail.com or contact the club members through the organization’s HogSync profile.
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