Did you realize your school campus grounds are much more than just a nice setting among your buildings? What sets your school grounds apart from the others? Are you utilizing your grounds to their fullest potential? Is your school campus an outdoor classroom and a living laboratory? Did you know that your school grounds could be an officially accredited arboretum earning distinction, opening up funding opportunities, and achieving recognition worldwide?
ArbNet – Leverage your school grounds as an arboretum
An arboretum is an outdoor museum of trees and shrubs that are grown for educational, ornamental, conservation, and/or research purposes (visit here to learn more about what an arboretum is). ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta and tree-focused professionals, established in 2011 to advance the planting and conservation of trees. As part of its mission to support tree-focused institutions, ArbNet provides the Arboretum Accreditation Program, the only international accreditation program dedicated to recognizing and advancing the professionalism of arboreta. Many school campus grounds have become accredited arboreta through ArbNet. This free accreditation program facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards. Arboreta are accredited at one of four levels, based on collections, capacity, outreach, programming, and collaboration. As of June 2023, 627 institutions worldwide have become accredited and 22 of those are school campus arboreta.
Timothy Christian Schools Arboretum
Why become a school arboretum (for free!)
The greenspace on your school campus is important for students to learn, as well as relax and recharge. Numerous scientific studies show that trees have a strong positive impact on mental and physical health and well-being (learn more here). Arboreta can enhance learning and quality of life for your students, teachers, staff, and community. By becoming an arboretum, your school can become an outdoor classroom, living laboratory, and an inspiration for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Beyond a traditional park, an arboretum focuses on horticultural display of labeled woody plant species for education and research to promote tree conservation and public awareness. Not only are arboreta beautiful, but teachers and staff can partner to develop participatory student learning experiences and citizen science projects (see examples and ideas in the ArbNet School Arboretum Toolkit). These partnerships can result in teachers and students planning and implementing outreach initiatives, beautification efforts, and educational events for the school and broader community - all using your newly accredited arboretum!
Benefits of becoming an accredited campus arboretum:
- Earn distinction for your school and community
- Be recognized for achievement of specified levels of professional practice
- Enhance recruitment efforts by attracting potential students, teachers, and staff with your accreditation
- Provide a richer learning experience for your students
- Access to exclusive funding opportunities that build your capacity to provide a beautiful and engaging school campus arboretum
- Serve as a model to encourage professional development in other schools
- Receive support and guidance for advancing to higher levels of accreditation
- Advance the planting, appreciation, study, and conservation of trees
Highlander Arboretum of Governor Livingston High School
Ready to pursue arboretum accreditation?
The application process to become an ArbNet accredited arboretum is easy and free. There are five easy steps to becoming an accredited arboretum!
- Organize an arboretum committee or governing body (members may include faculty, grounds crew, facilities staff, students, or members of the community)
- Inventory your tree species and maintain a database (contact an arborist or horticulturist)
- Label or map your woody plants (free open source software is available for mapping)
- Organize educational events for students and the wider community using your newly created arboretum
- Obtain ArbNet accreditation status and market and enjoy your new arboretum!
Once you submit the application it typically takes just a few weeks for your arboretum to be approved. For help with the application process, contact the ArbNet Coordinator at: ArbNet@mortonarb.org.
PV Woods (Lenape Arboretum & Muhlenberg Woods) of the Perkiomen Valley School District
School Arboretum Testimonials
Listed below is a selection of ArbNet accredited school arboretum success stories and testimonials. More testimonials can be found on the ArbNet website here.
"The Blue Ridge School has embarked on a multi-year sustainability campaign; a feature project was an arboricultural study of about 50 specimens on the Front Lawn to plan for their caretaking to ensure a healthy future. ArbNet accreditation helps to highlight the commitment of administration/faculty and the work of our students to steward our tree-dominated landscapes and take full advantage of the learning opportunities afforded by our unique place."
“ArbNet’s Arboretum Accreditation Program advances the purpose of Crete Public Schools Arboretum, as we aim to actively engage the next generation about the importance of woody plants.”
"The desire to apply for Arboretum Level I status by ArbNet was stimulated by the need to dedicate part of the school’s garden to improve and understand our rich and diverse flora as well as to advance urban forestry in our quest to create awareness in the protection of our indigenous tree heritage in South Africa. To be approved for Arboretum Accreditation Level I by ArbNet not only makes Rustenburg High School the first of its kind in South Africa, but it will also provide impetus to promote the facility where plants can be protected as living collections as part of our dedication to nature conservation."
