Staff Opportunities at Humber Arboretum
There are many ways for faculty and staff of Humber College or the University of Guelph-Humber to connect with the Humber Arboretum, whether it be for professional uses, personal development, or to enhance your own health and wellness. No matter what your role in the post-secondary community, the Humber Arboretum has options for you.
Take Part in Tours and Team Building
A winter walk with chickadee feeding is a simple and fun way to connect with your team, and with nature.
Looking for a fun activity to connect with your students or colleagues? Look no further than North Campus! The Humber Arboretum offers customized tours and team-building activities. Take a themed walk with one of our Nature Interpreters, have hands-on fun with nature-inspired challenges, or bond while you help support the local environment through stewardship.
Basic tours of an hour or less are free for groups of up to 30 from Humber College and University of Guelph-Humber, pending staff availability. There are also some standard activities which require no additional prep from our staff and so can also be offered for free to small groups. (Jealous of the kids at summer camp who get to grab nets and learn about what lives in the pond? Just ask!)
A cost-recovery fee is required for longer tours, larger groups that will require multiple staff, or activities that require additional preparation. The cost recovery fee begins at $150 to cover the preparation time, set-up, and take down for specialized/custom topics, plus an additional $50 per hour, per educator for facilitation (an average educator to participator ratio is 1 to 30, however a lower ratio may be required depending on the type of activity). A materials fee may also be required if special supplies are needed.
Visit the Tours and Activities page to learn more and to submit your online inquiry.
Make Natural Curriculum Connections
Culinary students observe the process of boiling maple sap down into maple syrup... which they'll soon be using in some of their dishes.
Many programs at Humber College make direct use of the Humber Arboretum as a living laboratory or as a place to practice skills in a real-world environment. Examples include various exciting initiatives from Early Childhood Education, culinary students learning about maple syrup harvesting and what's growing in the Humber Food Learning Garden, a semester-long placement for nursing students exploring the connection between nature and community health, training exercises for fire services, and of course hands-on learning for arborists-, horticulturalists-, and landscapers-in-training.
Along with recurring placements for Early Childhood Education and Nursing students, in the past the Humber Arboretum has also provided work-integrated learning for students from programs such as Film and Media Production, Creative Advertising, Multimedia Design and Development, Business Administration, Child and Youth Care, and UofGH's Media and Communication Studies.
Connect with Jimmy Vincent (jimmy.vincent@humber.ca), the Humber Arboretum's Coordinator of Camps, Education and Community Outreach, if you have an idea to incorporate the Arboretum into your curriculum or are seeking a placement for students related to community health, education, or working with children.
Connect with Marilyn Campbell (marilyn.campbell@humber.ca), the Humber Arboretum's Communications Assistant, to inquire about placements related to media or communications.
Teach in an Outdoor Classroom
Did you know the Humber Arboretum has outdoor spaces where you can take your class? These spaces are entirely free to use, we just ask that you connect with us beforehand to avoid scheduling conflicts and so we can share some safety information in advance. Options include:
- Forest Classroom (flat stone seating arranged in a circle, surrounded by trees, a five-minute walk from the CUE along a gravel path)
- Sunset Grove (flat stone seating arranged in a semi-circle, in the main garden area, steps from the CUE)
Please note that wi-fi and a power supply are NOT available at any of the Arboretum's outdoor spaces. Also be aware that we are very close to Pearson Airport which means that a person who is speaking may need to pause periodically while a plane is passing over. The Arboretum always remains open to the public during daylight hours, so you may also have curious passers-by at any time.
As of September 2022, we are just putting the final touches on a booking system and info package about the outdoor classrooms. In the meantime, please email Jimmy.Vincent@humber.ca with your inquiries.
Meet in the Centre for Urban Ecology
The upper level of the CUE offers views of the gardens and woodlands.
From September through May, the upper level of the Centre for Urban Ecology is available on Mondays only for use by Humber College staff who would like a meeting room with a view.
Space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at no cost (internal use only). Tables, chairs, and a television that can be connected to a laptop will be provided. Eduroam wi-fi is available inside the Centre; outlets are available but limited.
Please note that during your meeting time the lower level of the Centre for Urban Ecology may be open to the public, and/or students from ECE 234: Two-Eyed Land-based Play and Co-Learning may be moving in and out of the lower level throughout the day. Humber Arboretum staff may be working in the offices on the upper level at any time. (Which is all to say, the room comes with a view but not a lot of privacy or volume control. Book accordingly.)
If you would like to add an outdoor component to your day, a basic tour of up to an hour can be included for free with your booking.
How to Book
To inquire about booking the upper level of the Centre for Urban Ecology for your next departmental meeting, please check the list of remaining available dates and times below then send an email with your request to arboretum@humber.ca and CC Jimmy Vincent, the Humber Arboretum’s Manager, at jimmy.vincent@humber.ca
Remaining Available Dates, Fall 2023
- Monday September 11, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday September 18, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday September 25, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday October 2, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday October 16, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday October 23, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday October 30, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday November 6, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday November 13, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday November 20, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday November 27, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday December 4, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday December 11, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday December 18, 9 AM to 4 PM
Remaining Available Dates, Winter 2024
- Monday January 8, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday January 15, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday January 22, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday January 29, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday February 5, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday February 12, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday February 26, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday March 4, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday March 18, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday March 25, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday April 1, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday April 8, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday April 15, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday April 22, 9 AM to 12:00 PM
- Monday April 29, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday May 6, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday May 13, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday May 20, 9 AM to 4 PM
- Monday May 27, 9 AM to 4 PM
Enhance Your Students' Post-Secondary Experience
There are so many ways for students from any year or program of study to get involved at the Arboretum, and you can help them by helping us spread the word. The Humber Arboretum offers students:
- Learning by LeadingTM, a service learning experience that allows students to make new friends and build their professional skills while they learn about local ecology and gain the tools and knowledge to make a real-world difference for the environment
- Summer employment opportunities in the gardens, as an Environmental Steward, and at Nature Camp, along with occasional other employment opportunities in office or communications roles
- Co-Curricular Record certified workshops and more casual walks and social events throughout the school year
- A great place to relax and recharge between classes!
This handy link provides a menu of opportunities that can be easily shared with your students:
Or a member of our educational staff would be happy to visit your classroom to give a short talk on the Arboretum.
Connect with Jimmy Vincent (Jimmy.Vincent@humber.ca), the Humber Arboretum's Coordinator of Camps, Education and Community Outreach, if you have questions or would like to coordinate a classroom visit.
Bring Your Kids to Camp
Are you a parent working at North Campus? Did you know there's a fantastic day camp right in your "work backyard"?
Humber Arboretum Nature Day Camps run during March Break and throughout July and August. In some years there is also a Winter Break Camp, depending on how the school schedule falls over the holiday season. All programs are at least for ages 5 to 12, with summer camp programming going up to age 14.*
Camp start and end times are designed to make it easy for you to drop off and pick-up your children around the regular Humber College work day. Your kids can spend their days outside exploring and you can have the peace of mind that they are only a few minutes walk from your office or workspace. During the summer, parents are even invited to come over for the end of the camp day and listen in as kids tell stories and share their plant and wildlife sightings from the day during the daily sharing circle.
Visit the Nature Camps and Youth Leadership section of the website to learn more.
*For ages 14 to 17, we also offer the leadership training program LYNX (Leading Youth in Nature Experiences). The first step is virtual and can be done from anywhere, but your teen graduate of Level One can then choose to move on to Level Two, which is an in-person shadowing and placement opportunity which also happens in the Arboretum.
Visit and Attend Events
Don't forget, the grounds of the Humber Arboretum are open as a public park every day during daylight hours. If you're at North Campus, your midday getaway couldn't be any closer! Have a walking meeting through the woodlands, eat lunch by the waterfall in the Garden of the Rising Moon, or just take five minutes to literally smell the roses (or the fresh scent of pine in the winter months).
The Humber Arboretum also regularly plans free, seasonal walks and workshops that are open to all. Check our event calendar or sign up for the newsletter to find activities that will fit your schedule.