Post written by Kacie Kay, Special Collections Intern

One thing that the University of Idaho has always prided itself on is the integration of nature within campus. In 1910, the first forestry professor at the University, Dr. Charles Shattuck, dedicated a 14-acre portion of the campus to plant hundreds of trees and shrubs with the help of C. L. Price, who was hired to oversee plantings on campus as a groundskeeper. During Shattuck’s lifetime, the 14-acre section of campus was called The Arboretum Hill at U of I and was the first established arboretum in the Western United States. This location was renamed the Shattuck Arboretum in 1933 after Dr Shattuck’s death two years earlier.

His contributions to the University of Idaho include the establishment of the Department of Forestry, a part of the College of Agriculture originally before moving to the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences, where Shattuck served as the Dean between 1914 and 1917. Today, the Shattuck Arboretum covers the land from Rayburn Street to the Administration Building and North of Nez Perce Drive. Students and visitors can rest at the stone amphitheater west of the Physical Education Building, walk over forest trails, find art installations, and view unique tree species. There are also two dedicated groves, one as dedication for students killed in World War I on the east side of the arboretum and Price’s Green for C. L. Price, who helped make it possible.

In the 1970s, the idea of a new arboretum began to sprout. It was first called the “New Arboretum” in comparison to the Shattuck Arboretum; in 1982 plants were first put into the ground south of the President’s House on Nez Perce Drive. University of Idaho assistant professor Dr. Richard J. Naskali was first appointed to a committee created by President Ernest Hartung to create and manage the arboretum spaces, later called the Arboretum Associates; in 1987 he was made the director to oversee the New Arboretum and Shattuck Arboretum management and development. The goal was to create a showcase of hundreds to thousands of plant species, serving as a living classroom and peaceful environment.

The “Richard J. Naskali” Collection at the University of Idaho’s Special Collections and Archives contains almost all of his papers and materials from his time as director of the Arboretum, including blueprints of the Arboretum and the efforts to make the Arboretum as amazing as it could be. Slowly but surely, the University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden grew in size and prestige. There are five main sections of the UI Arboretum, separated by the general continent of plant species including Asia, Europe, and North America. A specialty display garden is maintained on the south end of the arboretum, including iris flowers, a xeriscape garden of low water use landscaping, and a daylily display with the American Hemerocallis Society. The Arboretum Associates also oversees the dedication of trees and benches as memorials and gifts that can be found around both Arboreta. Though he retired in 2003, Dr. Richard Naskali remained as director emeritus for the UI Arboretum and Botanical Gardens that he was a major part of developing until his death in 2018.

With the weather warming up and plants starting to bloom, both of the University of Idaho’s Arboreta are wonderful places to enjoy the sunshine and take walks through beautiful landscapes. The Arboretum Associates also periodically release a newsletter that can keep you up to date on events happening. Past newsletters are also available digitally through the U of I Library and Special Collections online. If you want to visit the gardens (which are also a great spot for grad photos), please be mindful of the landscaping and review the usage policies to respect the space.

Sources:

“Arbor Notes Collection.” Center for Digital Inquiry and Learning, University of Idaho Library.

“Arboretum and Botanical Garden.” Arboretum, University of Idaho.

“Usage Policies.” Arboretum, University of Idaho.

Richard Naskali Papers, MG 468, University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

“Richard J Naskali”, Short’s Funeral Chapel.