Leaning Pine Arboretum

Today was another first for me. The eco-lit class met at the Leaning Pine Arboretum today, and we walked through picturesque scenes of California flora. Even as a fourth-year student, I never found a reason to visit the arboretum. I can distinctly recall occasions when I wanted to go, but I never got farther than expressing a desire to see it before graduating and leaving San Luis Obispo.

The arboretum is a collection of plants that are displayed in different Californian native groups. All of the plants are types that can be found in the Central Coast area. Steven Marx gave background information on many of the species as we made our way down the dirt pathways. Tall, leafy trees stretched over the walkway and created a wonderful sense of immersion. In every direction one could see a new plant species. Some of them I recognized immediately, and others were unknown to me. I was astounded by the concentration of so much diverse plant life within the small plot of land that contains the arboretum. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and grass are carefully maintained by the students and faculty, so the arboretum has traits in common with an extravagant well-manicured garden. But the arboretum stands out in contrast as a showcase of native California.

To the east of the arboretum, the new Poly Canyon Village is rapidly taking shape. It literally borders the edge of the arboretum, with the construction fence no more than 10 feet away at some points. I wish I had found time to visit the arboretum before the construction started. The view from the arboretum seems to accentuate the splendor of its natural contents, and this effect has been dampened by the proximity of the new buildings.