The Earnest E. Fauser Arboretum received Level 1 Accreditation.
On July 1, the Earnest E. Fauser Arboretum was awarded Level 1 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. To date, nearly 2,500 arboreta have been accredited through the program in more than 40 countries.
The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Earnest E. Fauser 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.
Established in 1989 and dedicated to Fauser, a 20-year member and former chair of the park board, the 2.91-acre Earnest E. Fauser Arboretum was built on a previously underdeveloped area. In 1972, the swampy patch of land was filled with dirt fill leftover from the construction of Route 8. Over time, it has grown to include 118 trees, with a collection of more than 75 species of trees and woody shrubs.
Since April, a committee consisting of Park Board Chairman Shelley Jurkiewicz, Planning Chairman Denny Stoiber, Assistant Service Director Ben Gregory, and Mayor Therese Dunphy have worked through the accreditation process.
“This accreditation recognizes the work of Village volunteers, past and present, as well as the service department,” Jurkiewicz says. “Together, they have created a beautiful park to be enjoyed by the community.”
The arboretum’s listing can be found online at Arbnet | Ernest E. Fauser Arboretum.
More than 100 trees, including more than 775 species of trees and woody shrubs, can be found in the arboretum.
