When gardens go dormant for the winter months, there are still certain species and cultivars that draw the eye with their bright berries, interesting seed pods, and spectacular bark. Join Warren Leach for a book talk on his new book, "Plants for the Winter Garden: Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Trees to Add Interest in the Cold and Snow," and discover all that a winter garden has to offer. Warren Leach has years of gardening experience in the cold Northeast and will be sharing all of his winter garden tips, from plant selection and placement, to pruning techniques, to structural components that complement the plants themselves. And if you decide to buy a book after the program, make sure to look for some references to the Arnold Arboretum's own winter landscape!

Join us for a winter foraging walk to learn what wild plants can be foraged and brewed into tea. Visit some of the Arboretum's tastiest winter plants, from sweet birch and juniper to sassafras and spicebush. You may even get to taste some of the teas yourself! Led by Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen.

Join us this winter at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will begin by reading a nature inspired story followed by a walk, activity, or craft to continue exploring the theme.

Our Freecycles have been so popular that we are hosting three this semester! The first one is in just under three weeks: January 28th. Bring any unwanted holiday gifts, and find something to re-gift to yourself! The Spring Freecycle dates are January 28th, March 11th, May 13th. We’ll be in the Harvard Commons in the Smith Campus Center, from 11am to 2pm on each date. If you haven’t been to a Freecycle before: bring your reusable goods you no longer need, and browse goods that others have brought. Check this page to keep track of Freecycle dates and to see others around campus, like HGSE's in a couple weeks!

Join the Harvard Alumni for Climate and the Environment and the Harvard Alumni for Agriculture and Food shared interest groups to meet the newly appointed Ray A. Goldberg Professor of the Global Food System at the Harvard Kennedy School, Professor Wolfram Schlenker. Professor Schlenker studies the effect of weather and climate on agricultural yields and migration, how climate trends and the US biofuel mandate influences agricultural commodity prices, and how pollution impacts both agricultural yields and human morbidity. He is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and serves on the Board of Reviewing Editors at Science. Please submit questions you would like to have asked here.

This talk will be a radical exploration of how higher education can advance transformative climate justice.

Amid the worsening climate crisis and intensifying inequities, higher education can play a powerful role in addressing the intersecting crises facing humanity. Institutions of higher education hold untapped potential to advance social justice and reduce climate injustices. However, universities are not yet structured to accelerate social change for the public good.

In Climate Justice and the University, Jennie Stephens, Professor of Climate Justice at the National University of Ireland Maynooth and a Professor at Northeastern University (currently on leave), reimagines the potential of higher education to advance human well-being and promote ecological health. She will be introduced by John E. Fernández, director of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiaitve, and converse with Naomi Oreskes, the Henry Charles Lea Professor of the History of Science and Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University.

On Wednesday, February 5th, from 1-1:50 PM in FXB G12 or online, please join us for the third installment in our Environments for Health and Happiness Seminar Series, featuring Dr. Gaurab Basu. In this event, titled “Responding to Climate Change – Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Health and Well-Being”, Dr. Basu will explore the mechanisms by which climate change impacts the mental health and well-being of our communities, and challenge the audience to explore the ways in which climate solutions can enable the deeper work of creating well-being.