Johnson joins Penn State as Arboretum horticulturist May 1

University Park, Pa. -- Richard Johnson has accepted the position of horticulturist at The Arboretum at Penn State beginning May 1.           
 
Johnson has baccalaureate degrees in both ornamental horticulture and in landscape architecture from Penn State. He worked for 10 years in Delaware County as Extension agent for horticulture and coordinator of their Master Gardener program, and for the past eight years he has served as the urban extension specialist for Penn State's Pesticide Education Program based at University Park. Prior to joining Penn State, he worked for many years in private landscaping practices in southern California. He coordinated Penn State's exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show from 1991 through 2007.
 
According to Kim Steiner, director of the Arboretum, Johnson will be responsible for providing curatorial and maintenance oversight to the Arboretum's plant collections and gardens, organizing and coordinating the volunteer program and working with Extension and resident education faculty to facilitate their use of the Arboretum for educational programs. His office will be located in the Overlook Pavilion within the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens.
 
"We are very fortunate in this hire," said Steiner. "Rick brings exceptional qualifications and abilities to this position, and I am certain he will help further our goal of becoming one of the nation's finest university arboreta and botanic gardens."