By MC3 Brian H. Abel

NPS students and staff members plant cacti at the Arizona Garden, Oct. 9. The historic Arizona Garden is a cultural site at NPS, which requires constant upkeep.

"The garden is about 100 years old," said Environmental Program Director Johanna Turner. "Events like this make it sustainable, and an event like this once a year would make this garden amazingly beautiful."

Turner and the rest of her staff expressed their gratitude to the volunteers that contributed time and sweat to the project.

"We're so grateful for all of the military and civilian staff that showed up today. It makes a huge difference," said Turner. "We've won many environmental awards in the past … and [the garden] will be an award nominee for the next round of cultural resource awards."

The Arizona Garden is part of the historic register. It was created by famed Landscape Architect Rudolph Ulrich, who traveled throughout the country by train collecting species for the Garden and other projects.