INDIANAPOLIS — The Crown Hill Heritage Foundation recently announced the establishment of the Crown Hill Arboretum, which has been awarded 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 Crown Hill Arboretum is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
“This accreditation is major news for Indy’s native trees and ecology,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “However, by preserving the integrity of some of the oldest growth in the city, Crown Hill Arboretum also contributes to the goals of Thrive Indianapolis — the city’s first sustainability strategy.”
The roots of the arboretum project reach back to 2003, when the Purdue University Department of Forestry and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identified and marked more than 4,000 trees and 130 species on the grounds. As a Level II-accredited arboretum, Crown Hill has both on arborist on staff who provides for the basic needs of the arboretum collection and functions of the arboretum as well as a director of education and engagement who will plan enhanced programming to the public focused on trees and the natural environment.
There is no cost to visit the grounds at Crown Hill Cemetery. Guided tours have registration fees specific to each tour. Visitors are welcome on site during regular cemetery hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. October through March and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. April through September.
For more information about visiting Crown Hill or learning about the Crown Hill Arboretum, visit crownhillhf.org.