We are restarting The Arboretum docents program, which has been inactive since COVID-19. Volunteer docents serve in important service and leadership roles at many, perhaps most, public gardens and arboreta. It is widely seen as both an honorary and a service position. 

Among our many wonderful Arboretum volunteers are some who have the expertise, experience and energy to organize and lead continuing programs. That is the requirement for nomination and election (by our Advisory Board) as a docent. To date, three outstanding contributors to The Arboretum have been elected.  

Dan Patrick (top) is an expert birder and naturalist. He leads a monthly Arboretum bird walk that is consistently well attended. While several experienced birders are regular attendees, Dan has made the walk accessible to beginners by securing loaner binoculars and by beginning every walk with brief instruction on birding techniques. Dan puts together and submits an e-bird list for every session, making The Arboretum an important contributor to this global citizen science program.    

Janet James has initiated, organized and continues to lead two citizen science programs at The Arboretum: the Phenology project and, new in 2025, the Bluebird Trail. Together these involve many volunteers and volunteer hours, all coordinated by Janet. In recent years, she also has greatly enhanced our Arboretum Explorer resources with a very large collection of photos that enhance identification and characterization of our native tree collection. 

Craig Sargent has become the unofficial Arboretum photographer. His outstanding shots of flora and fauna at The Arboretum appear at least once a week in our social media posts, almost always attracting much attention and many “likes.” His contributions have significantly advanced our efforts to elevate the educational and informational impact of Arboretum communications. Craig is an Emeritus Professor of Biology. He taught and conducted research in ecology, evolution and animal behavior at UK.