New Children’s Area Springs up at Kuhnert Arboretum

New Children’s Area Springs up at Kuhnert Arboretum

Bee Pollination Program E1525096834961

As we thaw into the spring months, the Kuhnert Arboretum invites young nature lovers to dig, play, learn, and explore at their newly updated children’s area. The Arboretum, located at the corner of Melgaard Road and Dakota Street South, has added many new features since revising their master plan in 2015, and will continue making improvements in the coming years. Late last fall they were able to complete landscaping, signage, and parts of an educational play area, as well as a parking lot and trails leading up to this area, that will be open to visitors for the first time this spring and summer. Children can expect to dig in the dirt and sand, find their way through a plant maze, and mostly just enjoy nature while learning about it too. City forester, Aaron Kiesz, explains, “The whole children’s area concept is to introduce kids to things like pollination, different kinds of plants, and pollinators like bees and butterflies.”

The Arboretum is funded by grants and donations, with additional assistance provided by the city. While it’s still in the early stages of many revisions, Aaron says there are plenty of trails, plants, and flowers for the public to take in now while they work on installing future updates. “Within the next five to ten years we hope to be adding a lot more.” // — Jenny Roth

March April 2018

The Kuhnert Arboretum is open during standard park hours and admission is free. For more information, contact the Aberdeen Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department  office at 605-626-7015.