Houston Arboretum & Nature Center has been awarded a Level 1 Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. This announcement coincides with Texas Arbor Day on November 7, which aligns with the start of Texas’s ideal season to plant trees and celebrates the importance of trees through planting and community events.
The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Houston 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.
Level 1 Accreditation means the Houston Arboretum meets these standards:
- An arboretum plan, such as an organizational, strategic, or master plan.
- An arboretum organizational group of people or governing board or authority dedicated to the arboretum plan.
- An arboretum collection with a minimum number of 25 species, varieties or cultivars of trees or woody plants that have been planted and are growing in accordance with the arboretum plan.
- Arboretum staff or volunteers who ensure fulfillment of the arboretum plan.
- An arboretum public dimension that includes public access, and at least one public event or educational program each year focused on trees or arboretum purposes.
“The ArbNet Accreditation validates our practices and the implementation of our Master Plan, which is a comprehensive initiative focused on ecological restoration, visitor experience, and educational expansion,” says Debbie Markey, the Houston Arboretum’s Executive Director. “I’m so proud of our dedicated staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to advance our mission and make the Arboretum an ecological treasure in our city.”
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is a 155-acre non-profit urban nature sanctuary located just miles from Downtown Houston, with a mission to provide education about the natural environment to people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a sanctuary for native plants and animals. Established in 1967, the Arboretum was one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state of Texas, and it continues to provide nature education for more than 10,000 children annually and reaches over 600,000 visitors each year. The Arboretum showcases the native landscapes of the three Texas ecoregions found around Houston – the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Pineywoods, and Post Oak Savanna -.
Visitors to the Arboretum can explore an impressive collection of native trees along five miles of winding nature trails, meandering through prairie, savanna, wetland, woodland, and riparian habitats. These natural landscapes serve not only as a serene retreat but also as a dynamic outdoor classroom that hosts year-round educational programs, while a Nature Center and six field stations provide in-depth information on local plants and wildlife found throughout the site. A dedicated Naturalist staff offers educational programming for all ages, while the Conservation staff manages and enhances the diverse ecosystems.
To view Houston Arboretum’s ArbNet page, visit https://arbnet.org/morton-register/houston-arboretum-and-nature-center.
