Starin Park Arboretum

A Proposal

Prepared by

Jim Nies (for the Historic Starin Park Neighborhood Association)

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Starin Park is a special place. Nestled between university and city, and forming the northern border of the Historic Starin Park Neighborhood, it consists of 3.4 acres of varied terrain, well populated with a variety of trees varying in age from newly planted youngsters to centenarians. As one of the oldest parks in Wisconsin it has long been a refuge—a place of natural beauty, wonder, and renewal for the people of Whitewater and beyond. It has also been a haven for wildlife.

Over the past decade the inventory of trees in Starin Park has declined, and the Park has lost some of it character as a natural area. This at a time when there has been an increasing realization of the importance of reconnecting people, especially young people with the natural world, and working to overcome what has been described as “nature deficit disorder.” As Andrew Revkin says in “Restoring the Nature of America,” “there is a crying need to re-engage Americans, particularly young people, with the non-human world beyond the masking grid of asphalt and glass and glowing LCD screens that hem us in on all sides.”[1]

Therefore, it is proposed that Starin Park be enhanced as a natural area and that one of its primary functions, without in any way reducing its recreational component, be to serve as a high quality educational arboretum.

The Starin Park Arboretum, building on the already significant base of trees in the Park, would consist of a substantial number and variety of native American trees and shrubs situated through the Park according to the needs of each species while serving to enhance existing recreational opportunities (providing shade, windbreaks, etc.) and to provide sanctuary for birds and other wildlife . All trees of a certain maturity would be unobtrusively tagged and a GIS map prepared. Tree-based curricula, aligned with state objectives, and emphasizing ecological principles and stewardship, would be developed. And, using the appropriate application software, self-guided tours would be developed.

Once the necessary infrastructure was in place, the Starin Park Arboretum would begin functioning as a site for classroom visits and self guided learning. And it would continue to grow into a beautiful and restorative natural refuge.

Adding to the Arboretum’s potential is the possibility of expanding its extent, and connecting it to to other resources.

The Ray Trost natural area lies just across Fremont Road to the east of Starin Park, and the Whitewater Creek path that runs through it lines up with one of the paths through Starin Park. An effective crosswalk at Fremont and effective guidance/signage could merge the two areas into one larger entity. The Trost area, is now lightly used. Stream bank restoration and judicious planting could make it a valuable component of the Arboretum, and could allow aquatic ecosystems to be included in both the curriculum and the self guided tour.

The Whitewater Nature Preserve/University Prairie is an easy walk north of Starin Park and features a wonderfully rich prairie ecosystem. This could also be included as a learning station in both the curriculum and the self guided tour.

The existing University arboreta could be linked to as well.

This proposal recommends establishing a Starin Park Arboretum planning committee composed of the City Forester, the Whitewater Urban Forestry Committee, and representatives from:
• Whitewater Unified Schools,
• the appropriate University departments,
• Whitewater neighborhood associations.

This committee would prepare a multi-year plan and funding strategy to be forwarded to the Park Board and then the Common Council.

Support for the concept of a Starin Park Arboretum already exists. The Historic Starin Park Neighborhood Association (HSPNA) passed a resolution at its Spring, 2015 general meeting recommending establishment of an arboretum and committed $500 toward it as “seed” money. The organization is also considering an on-going program of support. The likelihood of other organizations and individuals becoming involved and providing support is great.

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For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~Martin Luther

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now. ~Chinese proverb

1. Revkin, Andrew C., in Minteer & Pyne, After Preservation 14 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015)