Tennessee Residence to Host Celebration of Level II Arboretum

NASHVILLE– First Lady Crissy Haslam, the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) along with state leaders and citizens will celebrate the certification of the Tennessee Residence Level II Arboretum on National Arbor Day, Friday, April 28 at 10:30 a.m. CDT at the Executive Residence.

TUFC's certification program maintains standards for public education by state arboreta. A certified arboretum must be open to the public with trees that are labeled, properly protected, and well maintained. The number of individual tree species an arboretum contains determines its designated level. Level II must have 60 different species and a map showing tree locations for self-guided tours.

The Tennessee Residence is now one of 93 TUFC certified arboreta throughout the state, and it is one of 16 with Level II designation. In conjunction with the establishment of the Level II arboretum, the Tennessee Residence also continues to partner with TDF on a conservation education program, which involves teaching elementary school children about the importance of trees and forests in our communities.

An initial tree inventory yielded 52 different tree species on the 10-acre property, which met qualifications for Level I status. To reach Level II certification, eleven species suggested by the state forester were added as a result of generous contributions by several local garden clubs and businesses. There are now a total of 177 individual trees representing 27 families and 63 species. The top 3 most frequent species are Southern magnolia (20), flowering dogwood (18) and American elm (12). The newest addition is a potentially blight resistant American chestnut tree seedling donated by the American Chestnut Foundation.

WHO:  First Lady Crissy Haslam, Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry.

WHAT:  Certification of The Tennessee Residence Level II Arboretum

WHEN:  Friday, April 28 at 10:30 a.m. CDT

WHERE:  Tennessee Residence, 882 Curtiswood Ln S, Nashville, TN

All media are invited to attend this celebration and ribbon-cutting event. Due to security procedures at the Tennessee Residence, we ask that media RSVP to Tim Phelps at Tim.R.Phelps@tn.gov or 615-428-5913.