RICHMOND, Ind. – Hayes Arboretum in Richmond, Indiana has been upgraded to a Level II 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 accreditation program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. It is sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in cooperation with the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International.

Hayes officially joined the ArbNet community in 2021 with a Level I Accreditation. Since then, staff have worked hard to build the collection of native trees on property up to 100 unique specimens. With the generosity of donors and hours of work from volunteers and staff, Hayes Arboretum has 109 labeled tree specimens on property that serve the public as educational resources. Each specimen includes a tag to help visitors identify the tree. This includes Hayes’s Artemis I Moon Tree and ten trees that are part of the Indiana Phenology Trail where data is collected for scientific research. The arboretum welcomes the public to visit the native trees and shrubs on property. If visitors would like to learn more about the specimen species, please visit the Tree ID Trail Audio Narration at hayesarb.org.

“We are honored to be part of this international accreditation and look forward to more successes in the future.” Stephen Hayes Jr, Executive Director of Hayes Arboretum.

Hayes Arboretum is free and open to the public at 801 Elks Road. Call 765-962-3745 or visit hayesarb.org for more information.

Provided by Amy Hayes.