The Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) and ArbNet, a flagship program of the Morton Arboretum, have collaborated to launch a new directory designed to connect arboreta and botanical gardens with tree researchers seeking space to conduct their research projects.

The new Arboretum Research Partner Directory is now available on both the TREE Fund and ArbNet websites. Researchers looking for arboreta in which to partner on their research are able to view interested organizations by location, space availability, staff availability, flagship species, collaboration and more.

An arboretum is a living museum of trees and woody plants, grown and cared for by an organization committed to their stewardship. ArbNet, the international community of arboreta, is an organization that shares global standards for arboreta through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program.

With four levels of accreditation, the program meets arboreta where they are while providing a pathway for continual advancement and international recognition. In some cases, the arboreta in the directory are working to advance their ArbNet accreditation level, which would be facilitated through involvement in new research and conservation collaborations.

TREE Fund is a non-profit organization that provides research grants for several different arboriculture and urban forestry topics, including soil health, worker safety, vegetation management, and root system management.

“The Arboretum Research Partner Directory reflects TREE Fund’s commitment to advancing research that strengthens the health and resilience of our urban forests,” said Dr. Paul Putman, TREE Fund president and CEO. “By connecting researchers with the space and partners they need to conduct long-term studies, we are helping ensure that tree care professionals have access to the science-based knowledge required to care for trees and the communities that depend on them for generations to come.”

Connecting researchers with these locations also helps the arboreta to show their local supporters the advancements they are helping to create.

“ArbNet is excited to partner with TREE Fund to launch the Arboretum Research Partner Directory,” said Andrea Brennan, ArbNet Manager at The Morton Arboretum. “In just one month, 70 ArbNet-accredited arboreta across the globe signed up for the directory, with the number expected to continue to grow as more arboreta join the ArbNet community. Through participation in this directory, arboreta are indicating their strong desire to collaborate and connect with researchers on projects that support a world where people and trees thrive together.”

For the complete list and information, researchers can visit www.treefund.org/arboretumresearch.