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What We Do

Become an Arboretum

A path winding through an arboretum with tall trees and picnic tables.

We Take the Arboretum to the People

Our goal is to “take the arboretum to the people” through our network of local gardens and to help them be places of beauty, demonstration and restoration in their home community.

Being part of PlantNebraska's arboretum network promotes your garden and connects it—and your community—to similar efforts across the state.

Arboretum curators get funding opportunities, technical support, access to and discounts on plants, labels, promotion, mentorship and ideas through curator meetings, tours, e-news and other resources. It’s a great way to grow friendships and share ideas.

  • A Landscape Steward Site is a single public landscape that demonstrates excellence in design, plant diversity, and long-term stewardship. Eligible sites may include parks, campuses, public gardens, historic landscapes, institutional grounds, or other managed landscapes that exhibit exceptional quality, environmental value, or historical and cultural significance.

  • A Community Arboretum is a network of publicly accessible green spaces located within Nebraska communities of 25,000 residents or fewer. These landscapes are owned or managed by local entities such as parks departments, tree boards, schools, nonprofits, or community committees and work together to showcase the community's investment in trees, gardens, and public landscapes.

    Community Arboretum sites may include parks, trails, streetscapes, cemeteries, public gardens, riparian corridors, pollinator habitats, or other managed public landscapes that contribute to the ecological, educational, and cultural character of the community. Multiple sites may be designated as part of a Community Arboretum, provided they are owned or managed by the same community organization.

  • An Accredited Arboretum is a publicly accessible living plant collections intentionally developed, documented, and managed to support education, conservation, research, and public enjoyment. These collections are guided by a defined mission, maintained through ongoing curation, and supported by organized local leadership committed to the long-term stewardship of the collection.

    Accredited Arboretums may be located within parks, schools, colleges and universities, botanical gardens, municipalities, cemeteries, or other public institutions where living plant collections are actively managed, interpreted, and maintained for the benefit of the public.

A stone castle in the background of fall plants in red and burgundy hues.
Joslyn Castle, Omaha
Tall pine trees illuminated by the setting sun.
Prairie Loft, Hastings

For a list of current PlantNebraska affiliate sites, visit this page. 

Monarch butterfly on a purple flower.

Become a Member

Support our work and be a part of something bigger.
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