Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
October 30, 2000
Arboretum celebrates its growth rings
The University of Guelph's Arboretum will hold a 30-year anniversary celebration Friday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.
The event will recognize the contributions of the Arboretum to the University and Guelph Community. The 408-acre Arboretum, which once was made up mostly of fields used for test plots for students and faculty from the Ontario Agricultural College, is now home to 17,947 plant collections, nature trails, a memorial forest, wetlands, and old-growth forests. It also offers numerous educational programs to the community and is home to the Ontario Tree Atlas and Elm Recovery Project.
The event, which will be held in the Arboretum auditorium, will also serve as the launch for a special Maples for the Millennium project. "The Maples was one of our first collections and will be 30 years old at the beginning of the Millennium," said Director Alan Watson. Thirty trees from the Maple Collection have been identified and may be purchased for $2,000 and dedicated to people, events or organizations. A special Maples for the Millennium plaque will be placed at the base of each tree.
During Friday's celebration, the Arboretum will also honor 30 of its "heroes," people and organizations who contributed to its development over the past three decades.
Contact: Prof. Alan Watson
Director, University of Guelph Arboretum (519) 824-4120, Ext. 2356
For media questions, contact Lori Hunt, Media Relations Officer, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 3338.
