The University of Guelph’s Arboretum is the 2024 recipient of Ontario Nature‘s Natural History Award.
Nominated by Nature Guelph, a local charity focused on environmental education and community conservation initiatives, the award recognizes individuals and groups that have made a significant impact toward protecting nature and promoting conservation biology.
For over 50 years, The Arboretum has offered free admission and community programming, with the mission to serve as an outdoor learning resource for the university campus and the community.
In a recent university news release, Arboretum director Justine Richardson said the Arboretum has grown in 50 years to become an essential green space.
“As we look at the urgencies of climate change, biodiversity loss, our obligation to Indigenous communities and the mental and physical well-being and connection to nature for our people, I believe the Arboretum has a role to play in today’s major issues,” Richardson said.
"There are many organizations in Ontario with broadly similar goals of engaging the public with nature, but the Arboretum stands out for the variety, depth and reach of its activities,” the organization said in its nomination.
Established in 1970, the Arboretum is a ‘living laboratory’ for research, education, outreach and conserving biodiversity for future generations.
With 400 acres rich in biodiversity, the Arboretum and is one of the most visited parts of campus, with 100,000 annual visitors taking in its plant collections, walking trails, gardens, natural woodlands, wetlands and meadows.
The forested areas include some of the oldest and most unique heritage forests in the city.
Today, more than 30 species of threatened or endangered woody plants are archived in the Arboretum’s grounds and gene banks. These gene banks take pressure off wild populations and support the plants’ ability to naturally regenerate.
This includes the Elm Recovery Project, which began at the Arboretum in 1998, has had a significant impact by identifying and testing a biodiverse set of American elm trees for tolerance to Dutch Elm disease.
Similarly, the Arboretum’s seed collection program protects rare and threatened seeds and plants and is used in international conservation efforts. The overall collection now numbers over 1,700 taxa of woody plants.
The Arboretum’s demonstration gardens, including the Japanese, English and Italian gardens, showcase artistic and cultural diversity while informing visitors of different plantings that provide food, cover and shelter for wildlife.
A number of citizen science projects track and observe wildlife species.
Other initiatives include the Arboretum’s annual ‘Arb Expo & Plant Sale’ which showcases horticulture and nature to over a thousand visitors. For over 30 years, this has provided native, locally sourced plants to the public.
“Generations of decision-makers have supported the space,” said Richardson. “My hope is that the Arboretum continues to grow and to provide a healthy space for the trees and wildlife and the people who access it.”
“Thank you to Ontario Nature, Nature Guelph and to the many people who have made and still make this place so special, including our passionate staff who are so knowledgeable, our dedicated volunteers, donors and community supporters, as well as the faculty, staff and students who use the Arboretum for teaching and research every day.”
