While the Dr. Seuss character The Lorax may speak for the trees, Disneyland has their own team of horticulturists that maintain vast landscape at the resort. In a new video, we meet Rhonda Wood, who is the Urban Forester at the Disneyland Resort. Wood and her team cares for the trees that spread across the huge resort, carrying on a mission that started with Disney Legend Bill Evans.
Disneyland itself was built on a property that housed orange groves and other farmland. The process of turning that into a natural looking landscape is just part of the legend and magic of Disney.
The new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area of planet Batuu will have its own challenges maintaining an otherworldly atmosphere with plants from our own planet.
See what’s involved in Wood’s role at Disneyland Resort here:
It’s a lot of work maintaining the landscape panorama at the Disneyland Resort which includes approximately 18,000 trees and 125,000 shrubs.
From the 2011 archives, Disneyland highlighted the work of their arborist roles:
Do you have a favorite section of landscape at the Disneyland Resort? What do you think of the new Rivers of America forested regions?
If you’re interested in learning more about Disney landscapers and how Bill Evans started it all at Disneyland, try to get your hands on the beautiful book “Secrets of Disney’s Glorious Gardens.” It’s out of print but can be found online or at some Disney fan events.