Planters in the pergola at WNMU. Photo credit: Kristi DunnAt the meeting of the Gila Native Plant Society on Friday, November 17, 2017, Kristi Dunn will present a program entitled "New Shades of Green on the WNMU Campus", describing the landscaping projects undertaken in the past two years since she became Grounds Supervisor at Western New Mexico University. She and her crew have tried to incorporate native plants as much as possible, while still trying to create a lush, more sophisticated atmosphere.
As she explains it, "we have a wonderful opportunity on this campus since the climate provides us with some great growing conditions for a wide variety of plants. Even though we may be in the process of taking out some plantings that people regard as fixtures on the campus, we are replacing them with innovative ideas and new varieties and hopefully creating an upgraded version that will draw the attention of students and parents".
She has also enlisted the help of Youth Conservation Corps crews from Aldo Leopold and has had them on campus doing everything from water harvesting to land sculpting and orchard planning and planting. Among other accomplishments, the Aldo Leopold trail crew has created a new trail for Tree Rock that makes it much more accessible.
Originally from Spokane, Washington, Kristi Dunn has lived in the Southwest for over twenty-five years and has spent twenty-two of those years in the horticulture industry, involved with just about every aspect of horticulture from sales and design to planning crops and managing plant sales reps over three states. She and her husband Rick owned Dunn's Nursery and Garden Center in Silver City for four years. After they closed the nursery, she worked for ACE Hardware building up their nursery and garden center. Two years ago she was recruited by WNMU as the Grounds Supervisor. As Kristi explains, "there was a learning curve coming from retail, but I love my job! Working at WNMU and helping to change the face of this university is a fantastic opportunity and I am thankful to be a part of it".
Meetings of the Gila Native Plant Society are held the third Friday of the month (except December) at 7.00 p.m. in Harlan Hall, second floor, Room 219, corner of Alabama and 12th Streets, on the Western New Mexico University campus. Free and open to the public. Refreshments following the program.
The Gila Native Plant Society is committed to promoting education, research and appreciation of the native flora of the Southwest, encouraging the preservation of rare and endangered plant species and supporting the use of suitable native plants in landscaping. For information on programs, publications and membership, please visit www.gilanps.org.