A lifelong commitment to the Campus Arboretum

To Peter Dourlein, the Campus Arboretum is a "huge unsung hero" of the university. 

"The arboretum is like an art collection, but really it's so much more," he explains. "The plants and their assembly create opportunities for research and education." 

Dourlein worked at the University of Arizona for 32 years and has been both a volunteer and a donor supporting the Campus Arboretum. As the associate vice president for planning, design and construction for decades, Dourlein oversaw the physical development of the campus, from football fields to office buildings. He also worked as a university architect, planning the function of physical spaces. Through these roles, his appreciation for the Campus Arboretum grew, leading to his involvement in its mission and development.

The Campus Arboretum harbors approximately 800 unique species among its 18,000 total specimens and represents six continents. It is a living library of aridity-tolerant plants with research value that encompasses the entire footprint of the Tucson campus. 

"We're in an environment that has an accelerated impact from climate change, more so than other parts of the country, so we're the greatest place to test what we're going to do about that. What are we going to plant that will work, and how will it work?"

Dourlein, who retired in April 2024, describes the arboretum as an integral part of the university experience.

"The interior spaces are more narrow and easily defined than the Campus Arboretum, which is really the university experience," he says.

"The 'universe' is in 'university,'" Dourlein posits. "It brings together people from all over – different ages, majors and languages – and the place where they converge is outside of the buildings. There may be more learning that happens outside the buildings than inside them."

Dourlein's involvement with the arboretum began through his official university roles as he ensured that construction projects contributed to the campus as a whole. Over time, his awareness of the spaces around buildings grew into a broader understanding of the arboretum's role. 

"The Campus Arboretum is not just trying to look pretty. It's trying to solve problems – to find solutions that work and even cures – like any research project," he says.

Dourlein began volunteering to give tours at the LEED Platinum certified Environmental and Natural Resources 2 building, a marvel of sustainable design, as soon as it was constructed 10 years ago.

"Sustainability is not just about energy conservation and carbon footprint, though those are a big part of it. It's about functionality to people," he says. "Do they have access to light, clean air, temperature control, views to the outside? It's proven that views to the outside promote healing in hospitals. In a work environment, you're also more productive and less often sick."

The relationship between the plants around ENR2 and the building itself is another testament to sustainable design. 

"The building not only supports the plants, but the plants support the building," Dourlein explains on his tours. "It supports people, but it's also synergistic, so the way everything works together optimizes its function." 

Beyond his tours, Dourlein has actively participated in the development of the arboretum. When the Howard Gentry Agave Garden, named for a scientist instrumental in identifying and naming new species, was in decline, he joined students and community volunteers in restoring and expanding it with 34 new species. 

"It was a small, dwindling little garden," Dourlein says of the spot, on the south side of the Physics-Atmospheric Sciences building. "And now it's robust and bigger and beautiful." 

He also played a key role in transforming the flora inside the planters in the USS Arizona Memorial on the Mall. Flowers were replaced with a more sustainable, regionally relevant "coral reef garden" of cacti and succulents. This transformation aligns with the university's memorialization of the USS Arizona while reducing water consumption. 

"I felt a lot of pride helping that group," he says. "Memorials should do more than remember. They should teach, inspire and evolve. Transforming a space with meaning, like the coral reef garden, ensures remembrance is both beautiful and sustainable."

Dourlein's contributions to the campus's living laboratory extend beyond physical labor. Since 2018, he has served on the board of the Campus Arboretum, helping guide its development and outreach, and has made monetary gifts to support its mission. 

"I see it every day, and I understand the huge magnitude of impact it has: It benefits all faculty, staff and students," he says. "It's like the lifeblood of our campus, infusing life into our circulation space."