Plants People Planet
December 2025
Arboreta—living collections dedicated to trees and woody plants—have long served as vital spaces for biodiversity conservation, scientific innovation, education, and human connection with nature. Yet, despite their growing relevance in the face of ecological challenges, a comprehensive synthesis of arboretum-related research has remained absent from the scientific literature. This systematic map review analyzes 995 indexed publications retrieved from major academic databases to assess how arboreta have been studied across time, geography, and disciplines. Findings reveal a strong focus on conservation and biodiversity, typically examined through quantitative, flora-centered research. Results also reflect the dual role of arboreta as centers for both conceptual understanding and applied action. Geographically, publications are concentrated in regions with long-standing research infrastructure (especially North America and Europe) while arboreta in biodiversity hotspots and climatically vulnerable regions remain underrepresented. Collaboration patterns between researchers and institutions show increased international engagement, yet most research remains nationally bound and site specific. Taken together, these insights point to an active yet uneven field—rich in ecological focus, but with significant margin to grow in interdisciplinarity and global representativeness. Arboreta hold immense potential as institutions where science, education, culture, and care for the planet converge. Strengthening their worldwide relevance will be key to addressing the complex challenges of biodiversity loss and climate resilience in the years to come.
