Abbey Arboretum at Wooster is a campus wide arboretum at the 160 year old College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio. Building on more than 16 years of Tree Campus USA stewardship, the arboretum elevates the college’s landscape into a living, documented collection of trees and woody plants. The arboretum serves as an open, accessible outdoor classroom for students, faculty, and the broader community, integrating tree care and ecological learning with campus life.

While the arboretum is not organized around the formal collections in the traditional sense, it is defined by the intentional stewardship and documentation of its diverse woody taxa across the campus landscape. Of a particular note is a significant grove of oak species. Located in the center of the campus and supported by tree ring analysis, the findings suggest characteristics of an old growth or remnant forest. This is an uncommon ecological asset for a college campus! The grove provides ecological value and is a powerful teaching resource, connecting students to trees’ longevity and regional natural history.

Through ongoing inventory mapping, and species documentation, the arboretum is transitioning toward a more formalized collections framework while preserving the natural character and accessibility that define the Wooster campus.