What Is an Arboretum?
An arboretum is much more than a place with trees.
An arboretum is a living museum of trees and woody plants, grown and cared for by an organization committed to their stewardship.
Arboreta serve not only as beautiful places to explore and enjoy, but can also provide vital community resources for personal wellness, environmental education, ecological conservation, and scientific research.
The people who manage and care for arboreta are dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of trees and green spaces, their ecological significance, and their enduring value to people and the planet.
More than Trees
While an arboretum is primarily defined by its woody plant collection, it is much more than a place with trees.
An arboretum is a place of learning, connection, and inspiration. These spaces offer visitors opportunities to explore the diversity of trees, learn about their role in healthy ecosystems, and understand the importance of trees in our lives—from mitigating climate change to supporting biodiversity and enhancing personal well-being.
Arboreta can take many forms. They can be:
- Large botanical gardens with expansive tree collections
- School campuses that integrate trees into education
- Municipal parks and greenspaces
- Historic estates with curated landscapes
- Cemeteries that manage their trees
- Nature preserves focused on native tree species
- Hospitals and other organizations that maintain landscapes with trees
- Zoos whose trees and shrubs are as much a part of their living collections as their animals
No matter their size or setting, all arboreta share a common purpose: to foster appreciation for trees and inspire future generations to care for them.
Explore the Role of Arboreta
Arboreta play a vital role in connecting people with trees, fostering a deeper understanding of the natural world and advancing efforts to conserve its biodiversity. These living museums are places of beauty, relaxation, learning, and scientific discovery, where people of all ages can explore the rich diversity of trees and the many ways they shape our environments and well-being.
“What Is an Arboretum?” with Google Arts & Culture
Through ArbNet’s collaboration with Google Arts & Culture, you can explore a virtual exhibition highlighting the history and impact of arboreta through the story of The Morton Arboretum. This digital experience showcases how arboreta inspire and connect people with trees across time and place.
See the exhibition “What Is an Arboretum?” online.
ArbNet’s Morton Register of Arboreta
Through the Morton Register of Arboreta, ArbNet offers a way to explore the diversity of arboreta operating worldwide—from large, internationally-recognized botanic gardens to smaller, community-based collections.
Browsing the Morton Register allows you to discover arboreta near and far, explore their unique missions and collections, and find inspiration in the many creative and impactful ways organizations engage with trees and their communities.
ArbNet Newsletter
Sign up for the quarterly ArbNet newsletter, which presents information on emerging trends and opportunities, shares success stories from accredited institutions, and offers valuable insights and resources from the broader tree care and conservation community.
You can also explore the ArbNet newsletter archive, featuring stories of innovation, collaboration, and leadership from arboreta across the globe.
How to Become an Accredited Arboretum
If your organization manages a collection of trees and shares a commitment to their care and education, you may already function as an arboretum—whether or not you have called it that before.
Through ArbNet’s Arboretum Accreditation Program, organizations of all kinds can receive formal recognition for their work and join a global network advancing the planting, care, study, and conservation of trees.
Levels of Accreditation
ArbNet offers four levels of accreditation. Meeting the requirements for a Level I accredited arboretum can be any organization with:
- A minimum of 25 different labeled taxa/species of trees or other woody plants
- A documented commitment to the care and management of their trees
- A mission that includes public education focused on trees or arboretum purposes
- Oversight by a governing body, such as schools, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies
- Arboretum staff (part-time or full-time) or volunteers
Accredited arboreta demonstrate to their communities, visitors, and supporters that they are dedicated to the long-term stewardship of trees and to advancing understanding of their significance.
How to Apply for Accreditation
To apply for accreditation, complete an online application, where you will provide a self-assessment of how your arboretum meets the standards for the accreditation level you’re applying for.
Along with the application, you’ll submit documentation that demonstrates your qualifications, such as a collections inventory, organizational structure, examples of educational programming, and descriptions of conservation or research efforts, if applicable.
There is no fee to apply. Once your application is submitted, ArbNet staff will review your materials and will contact you about your application soon after. Applications are evaluated based on your self-assessment and supporting documentation.
Once approved, ArbNet accreditation is valid for five years. The renewal process to maintain your recognition is simple. Arboreta can upgrade their accreditation to a higher level at any time.
Arboretum Accreditation Program
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