Campus Flora Project

Former UCSB Chancellor Dr. Vernon Cheadle (1962-1977) envisioned a university where learning was not confined to buildings. He sought to develop the campus environment into an outdoor classroom. Extensive ornamental horticulture now provides a unique opportunity for learning and also fulfills his dream. The diversity of plants is vast and makes up a unique living collection. There are species from six different continents and hundreds of plant families represented. With the long-term goal of obtaining arboretum status for the campus, the Campus Flora Project, funded by the Elvenia Slosson Foundation, aims to identify, map and catalog these plants. So far, over 5,000 plants have been mapped and entered into a custom database.

Our botanical walking tours are showcased and they are also available at the UCSB Visitor Center and can be downloaded from the links on the left pane.