Oral History Interview, Sylvia Marek (2341)

Abstract

In her two January 2024 interviews with Maddy McGlone, Sylvia Marek discusses her life and work with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, specifically her creation and 35-year stewardship of the Arboretum Bluebird Trail. Marek speaks about her upbringing and education but focuses mainly on 1975 onward, sharing stories from her time as an Arboretum Naturalist and volunteer, the creation and maintenance of the Bluebird Trail, and Virginia Kline’s course Reading the Landscape. She reflects on how the Arboretum has changed over the past 50 years, on lessons she has learned from leading tours and interacting with visitors, and on the challenges the Arboretum will face in coming years. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW-Madison Archives & Records Management oral history collection.