Level I Accreditation

A wide variety of places with trees can qualify for accreditation as arboreta at this level.

Level I arboretum accreditation covers the core functions of an arboretum. It represents a major accomplishment in an organization’s commitment to care for its trees.

Around the world, organizations of all kinds have been accredited as Level I arboreta, including public gardens, schools, golf courses, zoos, universities, cemeteries, historical estates, city parks, and entire towns.

Their ArbNet accreditation has helped them gain public recognition and support for the work they do for trees.

How to Become Accredited

To become accredited at Level I, submit an online application with documentation showing that your organization meets these criteria.

Level I Criteria

An arboretum plan
A governing group
At least one staff member or volunteer who manages the arboretum
A labeled collection of at least 25 taxa (species, subspecies, cultivars, varieties, etc.) of trees and other woody plants
At least one tree-related event a year that is open to the public

Download a sample Level I application.

Compare all levels of accreditation.

Apply Online

When you’re ready, submit your application online. There is no fee to apply.

Once your completed application is submitted, ArbNet staff will review your materials. Decisions are typically made within four weeks.

ArbNet accreditation is free and valid for 5 years. Arboreta can upgrade their accreditation at any time when higher-level requirements are met.

Level I Criteria

The following criteria must be met and supported by documentation to achieve Level I accreditation:

An arboretum plan
A governing group
At least one staff member or volunteer who manages the arboretum
A labeled collection of 25 or more taxa (species, subspecies, cultivars, varieties, etc.) of trees and woody plants
At least one tree-related event a year that is open to the general public

Download a sample Level I application.

Level I Criteria

An Arboretum Plan

To become accredited as a Level I arboretum, you must have an overall plan for the space you intend to care for. This can be a business plan, organizational plan, a strategic plan, a master plan, or another kind of plan. Any documentation that defines the purpose of your arboretum and your plan to continue caring for the plants within your arboretum can be accepted as an arboretum plan.

An arboretum plan must define:

The purpose and mission of the arboretum
Its audiences
The types of plants that are grown to achieve the arboretum’s purpose or serve its audiences
Provisions for the maintenance and care of the plants
Provisions for the continuing operation of the organization through time, with a clear succession plan

Your organization may include an arboretum in its institutional plan, however, you should develop a separate mission statement specifically related to being an arboretum.

Download an example of an arboretum plan.

A Governing Group

To be accredited, your arboretum needs a dedicated group of people that is committed to the care and future of your arboretum, following the arboretum plan, and ensuring the plan can be carried out beyond a single individual. This group is known as a governing group.

This governing group will affirm fulfillment of accreditation standards and authorize the organization’s participation with ArbNet as an accredited arboretum.

Examples of governing groups include committees, boards, and oversight groups.

Governance groups do not have to be solely dedicated to the arboretum specifically, but can manage the arboretum along with other, broader organizational responsibilities.

At Least One Staff Member or Volunteer Who Manages the Arboretum

To be accredited as a Level I arboretum, there must be employees or volunteers who can reliably take care of the trees and woody plants in your collection and ensure the fulfillment of your arboretum plan.

This could be a member of a staffed or contracted landscaping and grounds crew, a regularly scheduled volunteer group, or others.

A Labeled Collection of 25 Kinds of Woody Plants

The core of an accredited arboretum is its collection of woody plants and trees.

For Level I accreditation, an arboretum must have a collection of 25 or more different taxa—species, subspecies, cultivars, varieties—of woody plants that are labeled or mapped in some way that’s accessible or visible to the public.

Labeling and maps can be physical or digital. There are many different free labeling solutions available.

All trees do not need to be labeled, just a selection of 25 species or taxa for easy public awareness.

At Least One Tree-Related Outreach Event or Education Program

An accredited arboretum is committed to hosting at least one tree-related event a year that is open to the general public.

Some examples are:

An Arbor Day celebration event or education program
An Earth Day celebration with a tree-related event
A community tree planting event
Tree care education demonstrations
A guided walk or tree tour

Explore other examples of education and community engagement.

Resources

Download a sample Level I application.

Explore different kinds of Level I accredited arboreta around the world.

View and download a summary of the accreditation for all levels I–IV.

Use ArbNet’s Arboretum Tool Kits to find specific advice on applying as:

A cemetery arboretum
A city arboretum
A school arboretum
A university arboretum

More accreditation resources are available to assist with the application process.

Contact ArbNet

Contact ArbNet staff by email or phone to discuss your organization’s goals for arboretum accreditation and for help preparing your application.

Email

arbnet@mortonarb.org

Phone

1 (630) 310-7013

Labeling and Maps

Labels are visible or digitally-accessible markers that identify and describe the species of plant contained within a collection.

A map can be a physical or digital guide that helps visitors navigate through the arboretum’s collection. A map may provide additional information on the collection’s trees and plants.

The following resources and examples can be helpful options to meet the labeling requirements for Level I accreditation.

Image of an example label (ArbNet)

Label-Making Comparison Guide (ArbNet)

Digital Labeling Options (ArbNet)

Graphic Design Software Comparison Guide (ArbNet)

“How Do You Get There? Digital Mapping in a Garden Setting” (Longwood Gardens, Arnold Arboretum, U.S. Botanic Garden, American Association of Public Gardens Conference 2017)

Interactive map example (Elon University)

Engage By Cell’s GPS mapper example (Cincinnati Nature Center)

Online tree walking tour example (The Arboretum at Salve Regina University)

Printed walking tour map example (Rhodes College Arboretum)

Tree guide walking map (Brookfield Zoo)

Tree trail brochure (Elon University Botanical Garden)

Map and brochure (Louise W. Moore County Park Arboretum)

Examples of Education and Community Engagement Activities

The following lists include common types of activities, in generally increasing levels of scale and complexity, that arboreta can host to meet accreditation requirements or to use as inspiration to expand event and outreach initiatives to meet higher levels of accreditation.

On the digital ArbNet accreditation application, you will be asked to check all activities in which your arboretum participates.

Open Public Access and Events

Annual tree events (Arbor Day, International Forestry Day/Week)
Self-guided walking tours
Giving engagement and outreach presentations for other organizations and groups
Hosting conferences or similar events
Exhibitions and/or interpretive signage

Recurring Public Programming

Guided walking tours or tram tours
Docent training and opportunities
Conference (or similar event) presentations
Course/class/workshop offerings
Hosting webinars/seminars
Community/citizen science programs
Children’s garden
School programs

Extensive and Enhanced Educational Programming

Articulated engagement philosophy or interpretive plan with intended outcomes and assessment plan
Plant selection, care, and/or pest/disease consultation and support
Educational and outreach publications
Digital content—podcasts, online courses, social media outreach, etc.
Ethnobotanical engagement, incorporating Indigenous knowledge content and co-creation with community partners
Accredited educational or training programs
Internship opportunities
Summer/seasonal camps

Urban and Community Forestry