The Missouri State University Ozarks Arboretum in Mountain Grove has been awarded a Level I Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. This was in recognition of the arboretum achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens.

“The Ozarks Arboretum is a valuable plant education feature at Mountain Grove,” said Dr. Ronald Del Vecchio, director of the Darr School of Agriculture.

The interdisciplinary project involved students and personnel from agriculture, biology, geology, geography and planning, as well as the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute and the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, Del Vecchio added.

The Ozarks Arboretum is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

“Now the project has come to fruition with its accreditation by ArbNet and its listing in the Morton Register. We are proud of this accomplishment and appreciate everyone’s efforts in the collaborative venture,” said Del Vecchio.

About the Ozarks Aboretum

The Ozarks Arboretum, part of the Darr School of Agriculture, is dedicated to environmental education and public appreciation of nature. This living plant collection is located on the grounds of the Missouri State campus at Mountain Grove, a 190-acre campus and field research area on the Ozarks Plateau in rural south-central Missouri.

The tree collection has 185 specimens with over 80 species representing 24 different plant families. It includes some unusual examples for southern Missouri such as balsam fir and several old growth trees including a large Tulip Tree, Linden Tree and American Holly.

The arboretum occupies 12-acres of the campus, which includes Faurot Hall, the original administration building of the State Fruit Experiment Station listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is used for public education and enjoyment.

The Ozarks Arboretum is a great place for those who wish to learn to identify trees adapted to Missouri, according to Del Vecchio.

About ArbNet

The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, which has four levels of accreditation, is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming and tree science, planting and conservation.

ArbNet 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.