Xavier University Arboretum

The Xavier University Arboretum is part of Xavier University’s campus, a Jesuit Catholic university located in Cincinnati, Ohio. In keeping with the university’s mission, the Xavier University Arboretum is focused on creating learning opportunities that educate visitors and invite them to appreciate the gifts of creation.  The accreditation as an arboretum is part of the work to care for the common home, the Earth, through their Laudato Si’ Action Plan, a comprehensive sustainability plan focused on integral ecology and inspired by the encyclical of Pope Francis.

The arboretum creates the feeling of a campus in a park. They have developed the campus landscape in a manner that reflects their Jesuit Catholic heritage, ensuring that there are spaces that increase opportunities for reflection, discernment, and inspiration, in order to nurture the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. While the arboretum has a diverse catalogue of tree species, preference is given to those species native to their region as they seek opportunities to increase tree coverage. In doing this the Xavier University Arboretum strives to connect students, faculty, staff, and the local community through education about, advocacy for, and the celebration of trees.