Morton Arboretum

LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT: PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE RELEVANT TO PUBLIC NEEDS AND INTERESTS IN LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS AND NATURE IN WAYS THAT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVE THE WORLD. THROUGH THE THORNHILL EDUCATION CENTER, CLASSES AND OTHER OFFERINGS ON SITE, ONLINE, AND THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS SERVE ADULTS, YOUTH AND FAMILY AUDIENCES, SCHOOLS, AND SCOUTS. ALSO AVAILABLE ARE TEACHER-TRAINING RESOURCES AND A COOPERATIVE BOTANY DEGREE PROGRAM WITH REGIONAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE STERLING MORTON LIBRARY, WITH 112,000 ITEMS, CONTAINS PUBLICATIONS ON BOTANY, HORTICULTURE, NATURAL HISTORY, AND ECOLOGY; RARE BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AND CATALOGS; AND BOTANICAL ARTWORKS; INFORMATION IS ALSO ACCESSIBLE ONLINE. THE PLANT CLINIC ANSWERS INQUIRIES ABOUT PLANT SELECTION AND CARE.

SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION: THE CENTER FOR TREE SCIENCE FOCUSES ON AND BUILDS PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATIONS FOR PRACTICAL SCIENTIFIC STUDIES; KEY AREAS INCLUDE TREE HEALTH, TREE IMPROVEMENT, AND WOODLAND CONSERVATION.CO-LOCATED WITH RESEARCH LABS AT THE ARBORETUM IS A HERBARIUM WITH A COLLECTION OF 205,000 DRIED SPECIMENS FOR BOTANICAL RESEARCH. THROUGH GLOBAL TREE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, THE ARBORETUM LEADS PARTNERSHIPS AND ASSISTS EFFORTS TO PREVENT TREE EXTINCTION AND SECURE THREATENED TREE SPECIES. THE CHICAGO REGION TREES INITIATIVE DEVELOPS STRATEGIES FOR URBAN TREE AND FOREST IMPROVEMENT, ADVOCATING FOR TREES IN 284 COMMUNITIES IN SEVEN COUNTIES. ARBNET, FACILITATED BY THE MORTON ARBORETUM, IS AN INTERACTIVE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY OF ARBORETA WITH PROGRAMS TO FOSTER ADVANCEMENTS AMONG TREE-FOCUSED GARDENS.