Colonial Williamsburg Receives Arboretum Accreditation
BrightView sponsored various stages of accreditation application process
Colonial Williamsburg already boasts a nationally recognized historic attraction, but now it can add a new accreditation: a Level 1-certified arboretum.
ArbNet named Williamsburg to its global database for meeting the organization’s professional standards, practices, and criteria; enabling collaboration in scientific, collections, and conservation activities; and advancing the planting, study, and conservation of trees.
“We are thrilled that the Historic Area has been officially recognized by ArbNet as a Level 1 arboretum,” said Jon Lak, Colonial Williamsburg Landscape Manager. “This accreditation speaks to the unique size and scope of the Historic Area’s 301-acre landscape and is an important milestone for the [Colonial Williamsburg] Foundation’s landscaping team in its mission to educate guests and visitors on the importance of vegetation in the 18th Century.”
To be considered for the Level 1 accreditation, Colonial Williamsburg had to have a publicly accessible site with at least 25 species of woody plants. Accredited institutions can include botanic gardens, college campuses, zoos, cemeteries, golf courses, and more.
The historic area is home to 18th-century tree and woody shrub varieties, including 25 species of oak trees, more than 30 historic gardens, 14 Virginia champion trees, and one national champion tree.
Colonial Williamsburg joins hundreds of other accredited arboreta throughout the country and world, including Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Wesleyan College Arboretum in Georgia, and UC Davis Arboretum in California.
Various stages of the accreditation application process were sponsored by BrightView, and a core group of landscapers took time to document and label the trees in Colonial Williamsburg.
“We are grateful to our certified arborist, Charles Gardner, for initiating and taking the lead with this project, and to BrightView Landscape Services for their generosity, which made this accreditation possible,” Lak said.
About BrightView:
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