Blue Ridge School

The Blue Ridge School is located on a 750 acre campus just outside Shenandoah National Park in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.  The tree-dominated landscape features native trees of Appalachia; highlighted by numerous old-age oak species which shade the Front Lawn. A one-mile Interpretive Trail, built and maintained by students, provides a learning experience for its users; highlighting the natural history of the Blue Ridge School to promote a sense of stewardship. Numerous signs have been placed throughout the Interpretive Trail and the Front Lawn by students to identify trees and plants, as well as to provide general ecology and backcountry information.

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 its students to steward this tree-dominated landscapes and take full advantage of the learning opportunities afforded by this unique place.