Morton Arboretum

Morton Arboretum will document, evaluate, and manage the conservation value of four of its highest priority collections of living plants: oak, crabapple, elm, and linden. The documentation of conservation value will benefit a variety of stakeholders who access, study, and learn from the arboretum's collections. The study will focus on five criteria tailored to the arboretum's mission: phylogenetic, environmental, genetic and horticultural diversity, and endangerment status. The arboretum will apply data-driven methodology to quantify the conservation value of the four collections, containing 2,281 trees. The arboretum will identify opportunities to sustain and strengthen that value, and use that knowledge to create scientifically informed management, access, and curation plans for the next decade. Project results will be shared through multiple channels for the benefit of researchers and other stakeholders.