In the mid-nineteen eighties, the Biology Department and Facilities Development and Operations converted a 4000-square-foot area next to Duncan Hall from lawn dotted with young pistachio trees into a California native plant garden. Through benign neglect punctuated by flurries of weeding, planting, and pruning, this area has matured into a small piece of the "wild," attracting and nurturing a diverse variety of local birds and insects. In May, 2002, the garden was certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a campus wildlife habitat.

Shrubs such as Lemonade Berry, Brewer's Saltbush, Jojoba, Spice Bush, Coffeeberry and Toyon form the "backbone" of the garden. A large Oregon Ash dominates the canopy, providing perching and nesting places for birds which feed on its mistletoe and drink from the birdbath below. Birds such as the brown towhee, bushtit, goldfinch, yellow-rumped warbler, robin, scrub jay, thrush, mockingbird, and sharp-shinned hawk are seen regularly or occasionally in the garden. Hummingbirds visit the flowers of the Pitcher Sage, Sticky Monkeyflower and Penstemon. Insects, invertebrates and other animals found in the garden include native bees, honeybees, aphids, spiders, earthworms, and arboreal salamander, alligator lizards, gray squirrels, and ground squirrels.

The garden provides a space for learning on several levels: formal classroom lessons, special student projects, and informal community observation. It is used by Biology 1, Biology of Plants (the majors' introductory biology class) for learning to key plants and for learning about plant adaptations to habitat. The plant taxonomy and plant communities classes observe and key the native plants. A non-majors' botany class, Biology 104B. is doing the same. Plant Ecology preforms a water relations experiment in the habitat, where they measure shoot water potential and leaf area of plants native to moist and dry communities. The introductory entomology class collects such insects as aphids and scale for identification purposes.

The student Natural History Club is active in planning and maintaining the garden, including the organization of "weeding parties." Members are writing a brochure for visitors to explain the concept of a "habitat garden" and to provide information about the plants and animals in this garden. Students may be eligible to earn units for Individual Studies conducted in the garden under the supervision of a faculty member.

For additional information about the botanical garden contact Carol Selter at (408) 924-4830 or email cselter@email.sjsu.edu.