Isabella (Bella) Colucci, Curatorial Assistant II

Biography

As a new member of the curation department, I am excited to continue my journey in learning from the inspiring team of professionals here at the Arnold Arboretum.

I grew up exploring the fields, woods, and many gardens in Rhode Island and Maine. I have had the good fortune to have many mentors who encouraged my interests in beekeeping, botany, and ballet. During high school, I created my first herbarium and participated and volunteered in the docent program at Roger Williams Botanical Center, which helped solidify my interests in plants and public gardens.

I attended Cornell University and graduated in 2023 with a degree in Plant Sciences and minor in Entomology. I worked in the Soil Science Russell-Anelli lab and the DiTommaso Weed Ecology Management Lab assisting with research and developing cooperative extension materials. After graduation, I had the opportunity to intern at the Cornell Botanic Gardens, having received a Keller Scholarship in Conservation Horticulture from the Garden Club of America to study the Nut Tree collection.

I then interned at The Polly Hill Arboretum and learned the ropes of curatorial practices and was inspired by Polly Hill’s dedication to plant record keeping and experimenting with what could grow on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. After a year on the Island, I was the Plant Collections Apprentice at Mount Auburn Cemetery, where I further cultivated my plant records skills and developed a new appreciation for a more reflective and contemplative use of the landscape as an active cemetery.

Here at the Arboretum, I look forward to seeing yet another facet of public horticulture as part of Boston’s Emerald Necklace. Given my interest in conservation and research, I am excited to learn about the historical plant and tree collection of the Arboretum. In my role at the Arboretum, I will be assisting with the annual plant inventories and recording observations out in the field, as well as working in the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants supporting the general preservation and management of the voucher specimens. Outside of work, I enjoy birding, knitting, and drawing birds and plants.