If you’ve walked past the Countess Angela Dandini Pollinator Garden at TMCC’s Dandini Campus this summer, you might have noticed some extra care among the flowers. This is due to Robert Ramirez, a biology student who has been volunteering his time and expertise to help the garden flourish.
The garden is part of TMCC’s Bee Campus USA designation, which recognizes campuses committed to creating habitats for pollinators and raising awareness about their importance.
Robert Ramirez is not only a TMCC student but also a member of The Wildlife Society’s student chapter, a Wildlife Technician, and a certified Master Gardener. Over the summer, he volunteered twice weekly to maintain the garden by enhancing its beauty, supporting pollinator-friendly plants, and installing educational signage.
“I love playing with the Web Soil Survey from the USDA,” Ramirez said. “It’s a free tool that lets you explore soil samples from across the country—even your own backyard. When working with gardens, I need to understand the environment, so testing soil and pH is a must.”
Using the SoilWeb app, Ramirez created a custom soil resource report for the garden. He discovered that about 60% of the soil comes from the Xman series—a shallow volcanic soil unique to our region. He used a soil meter to test pH levels, finding an average of 6.4. “That shocked me a bit,” he shared. “My backyard has pine trees, which usually drop the pH, but it still reads about 7. My hypothesis is that the garden’s sandy beds are driving the lower pH—they drain quicker and don’t hold as many minerals or nutrients needed by plants.”
Ryan Daugherty from TMCC Grounds praised Ramirez's efforts: "Robert is putting in the work and heart up there," he said. “It’s clear he’s not just pulling weeds or raking leaves—he’s tending to something meaningful and intentional."
On June 22, Ramirez served as a docent during the Northern Nevada Pollinator Garden Tour where Dandini Garden was featured.
As his summer activities wind down, Ramirez hopes other students will continue his work: “I hope other students keep it going,” he said. “There’s a whole ecosystem in the pollinator garden waiting for other students to pick up the torch with their ideas and imagination."
For more information on these initiatives, contact Sustainability Champions.