Students on the Engaging Environmental Experiences fruit team, also known as the E3 team, serve as caretakers for the rare fruit grove and other fruit tree collections covering 1.5 acres in the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton.
“The student interns use the orchards as an outdoor laboratory,” said Justin Villasenor, academic and environmental program coordinator. “They not only care for the trees, but provide programming and content to help others learn more about the care and different types of fruit trees.”
Interns’ responsibilities include caring for the trees and harvesting their fruit, planning events centered around the trees, collecting and recording data on the harvest, organizing volunteer work days, and developing interpretative signage and other content.
The fruit is harvested weekly and is available for sale at the entrance to the Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Surplus fruit is donated to the Associated Students Inc. campus-based food pantry, so students experiencing food insecurity can add fresh fruits and vegetables to their diets. Read more about the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton and ASI food pantry collaboration in the Titan magazine story, “From Farm to Food Pantry.”