top
Tina Richards - Environmental Educator & Program Coordinator

An alumnus of UCF, Tina Richards is the Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator for the UCF Environmental Initiative & Arboretum. As a student, she was heavily involved with the campus environmental club and got to know about the Arboretum through self-guided tours and events. After graduating with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, she taught English in a rural public school in southern Spain. Fluent in Spanish, she returned to Florida to begin a “crash course on the Everglades” with the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, where she intensively learned about Florida biology and developed her love for environmental education. Upon completion, she helped to start a local and organic food co-op and studied herbalism. Tina’s main responsibilities include coordinating the volunteer program, conducting educational tours and workshops, and supporting the internship and service-learning students within our department.

 
top
Martin Haux - Horticulturist

Martin Haux was born and raised in former West Germany, where he obtained a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. His work in Germany focused on hydroponics, interior-scaping, greenhouse production, and propogation of trees, perennials, annuals and vegetables. After moving to Central Florida in 1992, he worked for Cypress Gardens as a gardener and then relocated to Harry P. Leu Gardens as a Horticultural specialist for 12 years. Martin oversees daily landscape operations including managing the grounds, planning garden designs, designing interior-scapes, and equipment maintenance and use.

 
top
Brian Painter -

 
top
Zach Hutchins - Groundkeeper
Zachary Hutchins is currently in his junior year as an Environmental Studies major at UCF with an interest particularly in restoration efforts and ecological science. He has always had an interest in the environment and has taken many trips to the Everglades, Florida Keys, and Lake Okeechobee over the years. Zach’s interest in environmental science grew from his love for hunting, diving, fishing and camping, which he has enjoyed since he was young. Since attending UCF Zach has used his skills working as groundkeeper at the UCF Arboretum and studying the Urban Heat Island Effect through a service learning project directed by Alaina Bernard. Zach hopes to use his time at the Arboretum to learn more about prescribed burning, environmentally friendly invasive species control, and other land management techniques.