Nature is dynamic.
Ecosystems across the globe are defined by their disturbance regimes — disturbances that can be caused by storms, floods, fire and species interactions. On September 1, an EF2 tornado spawned by Hurricane Ida proved to be a massive and devastating disturbance to Temple University Ambler.
"Disturbances can reset an entire ecosystem. Understanding resilience to disturbance is a cornerstone of contemporary ecology," said Dr. Amy Freestone, Director of the Temple Ambler Field Station. "As climate change alters the frequency and severity of...
As a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), recipient of the Bradford Williams Medal and recipient of the Award of Distinction from the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, Dr. Lolly Tai is no stranger to accolades.Monday, November 22, however, was something altogether different. During the ASLA's annual conference in Nashville, TN, Dr. Tai, a Professor of Landscape Architecture in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, was presented with the 2021 Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal, recognizing her sustained and significant contribution to...
If you put Christmas trees up as part of your winter holiday celebration, the Arboretum is asking you to consider using a living Christmas tree and then donating it to the Ambler Arboretum.
Living Christmas trees are those that have a root ball or are grown in a container. If you have always wanted to have a living Christmas tree but didn't know where to plant it, now you can contribute to the replanting of the Ambler Arboretum. If you use one every year, consider donating it to the Arboretum this year.
Living Christmas trees require more care than the average cut live...
By Baldev Lamba, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Tyler School of Art and Architecture
"Trees exhale for us so that we can inhale them to stay alive. Can we ever forget that? Let us love trees with every breath we take until we perish." — Munia Khan
"Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky." — Kahlil Gebran
The tornado on Wednesday, September 1, brought its full fury to Ambler Campus and in a matter of minutes, wiped out many of the canopy trees and their poetry — the heart and soul of the campus landscape.
The tragic loss left us with...
The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania led a Healing Ceremony at Temple Ambler, which was hit by an EF2 tornado on Sept. 1.
The calming rhythm of a drumming circle. Tribal stories as relevant today as the first time they were told. An emotional blessing in the Lenape-Unami dialect. The cleansing scent of burning sage. A dance of friendship and community.
The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania visited Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum to help the campus and the surrounding community heal and re-connect with the land that has been irrevocably scarred by an EF2 tornado...
During the month of November, cadets from Temple's Law Enforcement Training Center, located at the Ambler Campus, will forego their razors to show support for cancer patients bravely undertaking chemotherapy treatments.
"No Shave November," which began in 2009, has become an important tradition with many law enforcement agencies throughout the country, according to Chris Willard, Assistant Director of the Temple Law Enforcement Training Center, Assistant Director of the Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy and Director of the Temple University Police Academy. Temple's...
Words by: Stephen OrbanekPhotography by: Betsy Manning and Joseph V. LabolitoProduced by: Edirin OputuView the story with images at: https://news.temple.edu/news/2021-09-22/road-recovery-beginsIt's the late afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 1, and Benjamin Snyder, manager of the Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Greenhouse Education and Research Complex at Temple University's Ambler Campus, is about to head home for the evening.The skies have started to open up, and the wind has picked up, too. Despite it just being 5:30 p.m., the entire area has been blanketed with an eerie...
It goes without saying that some things in nature are simply frightening. Coming across a snake in the wild will definitely overheat your fight or flight (mostly flight) response in no time!
Just because something seems scary, however, doesn't mean that it is harmful! Celebrate the fall season in a different way by learning about the science behind the things in nature that may scare you but are essential to their environment.
Temple University Ambler EarthFest: The Science of Scary will go live online beginning Monday, October 25, providing a treasure trove of...
As COVID-19 cases alarmingly continue to rise again throughout the country, Temple University is undertaking a comprehensive community initiative designed to address vaccine hesitancy in underserved populations across Pennsylvania.Temple's COVID-19 Trauma-Informed Workforce Initiative Fund is focused on improving health outcomes among racial and ethnic minority groups, English language learners, and vulnerable populations, including older adults, adults with intellectual and other disabilities or chronic conditions in communities throughout Pennsylvania. The fund is supported...
When students begin classes for the fall 2021 semester at Temple University Ambler, they will be met with a special week-long celebration.
Temple University has planned University-wide Temple Together Weeks of Welcome for students to help them start the year off right by meeting new friends, having fun safely, and acclimating to their campus environments.
"The Week of Welcome is a way for the campus to welcome all of the new and returning students. It gives them a period of spirit and fun as they begin their academic year," said Meg Cranney, Assistant Director of Student...
Tamika Peay has spent her professional career in the service of helping others achieve their dreams and goals."I spent some years after college doing social work investigating child abuse for Delaware County and that was kind of emotionally and mentally exhausting. I knew I wanted to change careers," said Peay, the new Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations for University College. "At the time, I relocated to South Florida, which provided me an opportunity to explore some other career paths where I would still be able to help others."Prior to moving, Peay said, "I...
You may not know his face (yet), but if you've visited Temple University Ambler's YouTube channel or social media pages in recent years, you know his work.Samuel Vargas, who recently completed his degree in Film from Temple's Klein College of Media and Communication, has been capturing Temple University Ambler — the people, the places, the research, the creativity, the unique experiences — for more than two years, becoming an integral part of the campus community while doing so."Once I started at Temple, the first thing that I wanted to do was get an internship that...
By Kathy SalisburyDirector, Ambler ArboretumDuring a recent weekend, Ambler Arboretum volunteers participated in a Garlic Mustard Weed and Eat. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive plant, meaning that it causes ecological harm by outcompeting native plants and changing the ecosystem it invades. In this case, Garlic Mustard can actually change the soil, making it inhospitable for native plants and it releases natural growth-regulating chemicals to stop plants around it from competing. While this plant has evolved with natural checks and balances where it is native...
Years of dedication to her craft have gained Abigail Long national recognition by the Landscape Architecture Foundation.
Long, who recently graduated from the Temple University Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Landscape Architecture program, was named the undergraduate 2021 National Olmsted Scholar. As the undergraduate scholar in this highly competitive program, she also received a $15,000 prize.
"I am ecstatic! Being selected as the National Olmsted Scholar is a tremendous honor. I know how competitive the program is, and to say I was shocked to learn this...
If you happen to ask Dr. Laura Toran "how's the weather" she'll be able to tell you in minute detail.
Her wireless weather station in the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University provides detailed, real-time reports on temperature, humidity, wind, sunlight, dew point and more.
"Temple Ambler is perfectly situated as a central point between several watersheds, making it a great location for the study of urban hydrology," said Toran, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science in Temple's College of Science and Technology. "The weather station on campus serves a...
Since early 2020, an aging metal hulk has sat lifeless and dormant on a mile-long stretch of coastline where the Schuylkill transitions to the Delaware River in Southwest Philadelphia.
In 2019, an accident at the 1,300-acre Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery — the largest refinery on the East Coast at the time — set off a series of explosions that released more than 5,000 pounds of hydrogen fluoride, a deadly gas, and sent pieces of shrapnel weighing more than 19 tons raining down on the site.
While the site has been purchased by a new developer with the likely...
By Cat Meholic
Curatorial Horticulturist, Ambler Arboretum of Temple University
One of the main differences between a public garden and a public park is the existence of a documented plant collection to support the mission of the garden. Superficially, some public parks look like gardens and some public gardens have a park-like aesthetic. But, behind every public garden are plant records that capture the history of individual plants.
What is done with these records is entirely dependent on the mission of the organization. Here at the Ambler Arboretum, our records are...
Area rare plant lovers had an opportunity to see (and smell) something extraordinary when two members of the species Amorphophallus titanum, also known as a corpse flower, bloomed right at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Greenhouse Education and Research Complex, located at Temple University Ambler, in May.The corpse flower live stream on our YouTube channel has ended, but you can view the live stream archive here. Please note: The Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Greenhouse Education and Research Complex is not open to the public. Final in-person viewing took...
Alexandra Carr is a Temple Owl through and through. In fact, she comes from a whole nest of Owls!Her brother, Peter Carr, is finishing up his Business Management degree at Temple's Main Campus. Her aunt, Jennifer (Sheuring) McQuarrie has a degree from Temple in Business Management. Her mom, Anne (Sheuring) Carr, completed her degree in Business Management and a Master's in General and Strategic Management, both at Temple. She happened to go to Temple Ambler, "so she's a huge fan of the campus," Carr said.If you haven't sensed a trend, you're not paying attention. All of her...
Don't be surprised if you recognize Kayla Kristine McKay. In her four years at Temple University, McKay has become an essential part of the University community and one of the strongest student advocates for Temple University Ambler.
"Temple's spirit is what drew me to the University in the first place — I knew I wanted to be a part of this community inside and outside the classroom. There were student organizations, club fairs, activities all over both campuses and that's what brought Temple to life for me," said McKay who is graduating from Temple's Tyler School of Art and...
