Landscaping

1. Why would a senior living community want to have an arboretum?
Several reasons. It’s another way to demonstrate concern for the trees on the property and interest in being good stewards of them. It provides a method for educating the community’s residents, staff, and visitors. It’s one more mechanism for outreach to the broader community beyond the borders of the senior living community.

2. Can an arboretum be created solely from existing stands of trees?
Yes. Existing trees must be labeled according to the application instructions. New trees can be planted at any time.

3. What are the first steps in applying for an arboretum accreditation?
The first step is to download the application for accreditation from ArbNet.org. ArbNet is an international arboretum accreditation organization. Developed to set standards, foster collaborations, and provide guidelines. The requirements are not onerous, for Level I accreditation, the entry level. An accredited arboretum will need a plan (ArbNet provides a fill-in-the-blanks sample), a governance group (a small group of interested residents), a description of the intended arboretum collection, a description of staff and volunteer support, and a description of the arboretum’s public offerings, including at least one public event annually. An applicant also must provide at least two photos, which are added to the ArbNet website’s description of the arboretum after it becomes accredited.

Many thanks to Mary Toborg, Collington/Kendal, for her contributions to this fact sheet.

 Download a printable PDF of this fact sheet here.