- Arboretums serve as a living library for environmental research
- They are botanical gardens that mainly specialize in trees or woody plants
- There are many different kinds and levels of arboreta, the lowest being Level I (Clarkson’s accreditation) and the highest being Level IV
What are the requirements to be a Level I arboretum?
- An Arboretum Plan: documentation that defines the purpose of the arboretum, its audience, and provisions for the care and expansion of the arboretum
- An Organizational Group: a dedicated group to the arboretum plan and its continuation beyond the efforts of an individual
- An Arboretum Collection: a minimum of 25 species of trees or woody plants that have been planted and are growing in accordance with the arboretum plan, and are labeled and available for public access
- Arboretum Staff or Volunteers: those who ensure the fulfillment of the arboretum plan and provide for the basic needs of the arboretum
- An Arboretum Public Dimension: includes public access and public events or educational programs
All requirements according to arbnet.org
ArbNet Levels