NEWS

DAVIDSON, NC – The Town of Davidson 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. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Town of Davidson joins Davidson College and The Pines at Davidson as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

The Davidson Lands Conservancy's Treasure Tree Program, powered by Trane Technologies, has the most labeled trees throughout the Town. The program played a significant role in documenting and showcasing Davidson's tree canopy, helping support the Town's successful certification as an Arboretum. Other labeled trees throughout the Town of Davidson that are a part of the Arboretum are located at Beaty Park and the Nature Preserve.

The Town of Davidson's strategic plan goal of sustainability and natural assets aims to preserve Davidson’s natural assets and develop, implement, and actively encourage innovative solutions to environmental, energy, and climate-based challenges. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program also incorporates goals from the Town's Urban Community Forestry Plan (goals 3, 6, and 8) and the Climate Action Plan (goals G3.1, G3.1.6, G4.1, and G4.1.4).

"Tree Council was able to accomplish this goal with different labeled trees throughout the Town that come from our Street Tree inventory to Davidson Lands Conservancy's Treasure Tree Program," said Town Arborist Andrew Sileo. "This was a community effort, and I am glad to be a part of a town where the residents put in the time and energy to help build these programs to benefit not only the community as a whole, but the future generations yet to come. "