Exquisite, custom-designed wrought iron gates will now mark the two entrances to the USC Belser Arboretum. These two gates, one on Wilmot Street, and one on Bloomwood, will lend charm and grace to the neighborhood, and bring further attention to the jewel of an urban forest that lies in the midst of our neighborhood. The Bloomwood gate went up in mid-March. It was sponsored by an anonymous donations through the University of South Carolina. Just after an announcement at the March 27th neighborhood meeting that funds were needed for the second gate, Dr. Pat DeCoursey notified the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association of a donation in honor of Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Calvin of Monita, Virginia that will fund the Wilmot Street gate.


Dr. DeCoursey, a USC biology professor has been the arboretum manager for the past year. She, and the armies of volunteers that she has mustered, have worked wonders on the arboretum. A number of those volunteers have been from our neighborhood, and our neighborhood association managed a "CANDO" grant from the City of Columbia to install the lovely gardens on the street-side rights-of-way along the exteriors of the arboretum.

Please join the neighborhood and USC in an Arboretum Open House this Saturday from 1-4 PM. Come tour the arboretum and join us in a short celebration of the CANDO gardens at 1:30 PM (near the Bloomwood gate). Both entrances will be open and neighborhood volunteers will be at both gates and inside the arboretum to guide your visit. Everyone iswelcome, but please leave pets at home in respect of the natural preserve. We hope to see you Saturday!