WESLEYAN COLLEGE ARBORETUM UPGRADED TO LEVEL IIBY MORTON REGISTER/ARBNET ACCREDITATION PROGRAM
- Harrison Tarr
- Sep 5
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — The Wesleyan College Arboretum in Macon Georgia has been upgraded to a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for demonstrating the high standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens.* The Wesleyan College Arboretum was initially accredited in 2013 in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
Established in 1996, the Wesleyan College Arboretum comprises 104 acres of mixed pine and hardwood forest and lies within the boundaries of Wesleyan’s suburban Rivoli campus. More than 130 species of trees, shrubs, and woody vines provide habitat for a diverse assortment of mammals and reptiles, as well as more than 150 species of resident and migratory birds. The five-acre Foster Lake, three streams and seasonal rain pools are home to multiple species of turtles, frogs, and salamanders as well as both native and game fish. The Dice R. Anderson Cabin (built in 1990 and renovated in 2011), the Ellen Ann Edenfield Pavilion (built in 2011), and the “Natural Playground” area (developed in 2017) serve as rustic focal points for classes, meetings, special events, and community programming. More than three miles of trails, open to the public during daylight hours, interlace the forest and provide year-round opportunities for strolling, hiking and cross-country running. Community programming includes Music in the Arb cabin concerts, guided walking tours, bird walks, and the annual Sustainability and Environmental Advocacy Colloquium.
Level II accreditation by ArbNet reaffirms Wesleyan College’s commitment to sustainability and maintaining meaningful connections to the natural world for the Wesleyan and surrounding Macon/Bibb communities through the facilities and programming of its Arboretum.
*More About ArbNetArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The accreditation program, sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. The program offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming and tree science, planting and conservation. More information is available at www.arbnet.org.
Media Contact: Barry K. Rhoades, PhD Arboretum Manager