Jake Keller was a passionate educator and Foundation Member of the National Arboretum Canberra. The Jake Keller Scholarship links his two passions, the National Arboretum Canberra and education. Each year the Jake Keller Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding CIT horticultural student offering financial assistance as well as a work experience placement at the National Arboretum.
Jacob Bamblett was the 2022 recipient of the Jake Keller Scholarship who then returned in 2023 to complete the work placement onsite. Jacob's project 'Creating A Sustainable Garden' involved planning, establishing and maintaining a garden. The site chosen for the project was the rocky outcrop area of Forest 68 and 75.
At the commencement of the project, site preparation was undertaken which involved the removal of weed growth and some Acacias in order to encourage strong healthy, regrowth. Plantings included native wildflower seed (Rhodanthe sp.) imported from other areas onsite at the Arboretum. This seed was distributed in natural depressions around the rocky outcrop.
You can visit this sustainable garden now, it is best accessed via the Mountain View Track. To view the Arboretum Map, click HERE.