MYTH #1: Since admission is free, the Arboretum must not need money.
FACT: The Arboretum is a self-support unit within Cal State Fullerton which means that all of the funds necessary to operate the Arboretum must be raised through donations, memberships, plant sales, facility rentals, events, and classes.
MYTH #2: The Arboretum has a large staff to care for the 26 acres.
FACT: There is a staff of just 4 horticulturalists and each horticulturist is responsible for about 6 acres! Volunteers are a valued source of support for the horticulture team and help in many ways.
“We really couldn’t do this without all our volunteers,” said horticulturist Amy Bulone. She went on to explain that there’s a wide variety of opportunities at the Arboretum, and not just for gardening. “We have indoor volunteers, event coordinating volunteers, etc. It definitely takes all sorts of people.”
MYTH #3: Becoming a member only has benefits at Fullerton Arboretum.
FACT: Every member receives reciprocal admissions to more than 300 public gardens throughout the US. Upper-level memberships have additional reciprocity to over 800 museums across the US, Canada, Bermuda, El Salvador and Mexico.
MYTH #4: The Arboretum is a public park.
FACT: Fullerton Arboretum is not a park and more like a zoo or aquarium – with many rare, threatened and endangered plants, specimens collected from the wild and cultivars of historical significance, including a nationally recognized citrus collection. The Arboretum Nursery propagates many of these plants to make them available to other institutions around the world and to the public as well through plant sales.
MYTH #5: Fullerton Arboretum must use a lot of water to maintain 26 acres.
FACT: Fullerton Arboretum has taken steps to reduce water use while continuing to maintain the health of the garden collections. This includes lawn reduction, irrigation, drought-tolerant plant collections and recirculated hydrological systems.
The success of Fullerton Arboretum is made possible through donations, sales, memberships, and the hard work of staff and volunteers.
To learn more about ways that you can support Fullerton Arboretum, visit https://fullertonarboretum.org/ways-to-give.aspx