This garden is a living tribute to the memory of Sam Hitt, an avid gardener himself, who served as Director of the Health Sciences Library from 1976-1986.
The Gardening and Ethnobotany in Academia Project is responsible for this garden.
The mission of The GAEA Project is to unite students with the rich and dynamic realm of plants through teaching, learning, service, and community building and by actively encouraging creativity, scholarship, fellowship, and leadership.
This mission is executed through the following objectives:
- To encourage students and faculty to explore the intricate relationship between plants and people – medicinally, economically, and culturally – at a local and global scale.
- To develop, maintain, and protect the Sam W. Hitt Medicinal Garden.
- To facilitate programs, host lectures, and organize activities where students are able to learn about how plants directly affect the way humans live and evolve.
- To inspire the development of community gardens on campus.
- To foster a sincere appreciation for botany, plant biology, photochemistry, and community-garden initiatives on campus.
Help support our cause by joining the GAEA Project.