Dyersburg State Community College has been awarded a Level I Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed necessary 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. Dyersburg State Community College is now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a comprehensive database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
The Richard E. Donner Arboretum is situated in a coastal plain ecotype with loess soils, featuring forested hills and creek bottoms with diverse native vegetation. In 2002, an outdoor classroom was built on the campus using donations from the Richard E. Donner estate. In 2003, with support from the USDA and the Tennessee Division of Forestry, 84 trees were planted to recreate the native hardwood community historically found along the Mississippi Delta bluffs. The arboretum spans over 115 acres and aims to enhance student learning by restoring and maintaining native tree species and their natural understories. It also serves as an educational resource for the public. The arboretum earned state certification by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council in 2020.
When asked to reflect on this achievement, Dr. Shawna Adams, Associate Professor of Biology, stated,“This accreditation marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to establish our campus as an arboretum—a vision originally initiated by former DSCC Professor, Mr. Ken Jones. I’m grateful we achieved this goal, and I’m confident he would be proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Dyersburg State Community College is dedicated to providing accessible, quality educational opportunities that transform lives and enrich the community. The college actively promotes environmental stewardship through initiatives such as the Richard E. Donner Arboretum.
ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The accreditation program, sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, in cooperation with the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, is the only global initiative to recognize arboreta based on professional standards. The program offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity, and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming, tree science, planting, and conservation. More information is available at www.arbnet.org.
For more information about the Richard E. Donner Arboretum and Nature Trail at Dyersburg State Community College, please contact Dr. Shawna Adams at 731-286-3367 or adams@dscc.edu.
