Arboretum Earns Worldwide Accreditation

By Bob Mudge June 1, 2019
Venice Gondolier Sun

Twenty-five Florida arboretums and public gardens are on the Morton Register of Arboreta and of them, only six are accredited by ArbNet.

Venice’s Monty Andrews Arboretum is now one of the six.

ArbNet, “the Interactive Community of Arboreta,” recently awarded the arboretum Level I accreditation.

According to its website, ArbNet.org: “Level I arboreta are generally smaller, publicly accessible sites with at least 25 species of woody plants; one or a few employees or volunteers; a governing body; and an arboretum plan.”

To qualify, the Venice arboretum had to satisfy five criteria:

• An arboretum plan — West Blalock Park, which includes the arboretum, was designated as one for years before the City Council, in 2006, voted to create an official one. It was later named for Monty Andrews, a former chair of the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and leader of the effort to create the Arboretum.

• An organizational group or governing board — the arboretum is a project of Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI), and is also in the jurisdiction of the Parks Board and, ultimately, Venice City Council.

• An arboretum collection with a minimum number of 25 species of trees or woody plants labeled taxonomically — by their scientific classification. According a city press statement announcing the accreditation, the arboretum is home to more than 80 species of trees and palms identified with informational signs, and a total of 118 trees and palms. It also has a native shrub area and a butterfly garden as well as life-size sculptures of a Florida panther, sea turtle, manatee and tarpon.

• Arboretum staff or volunteers who ensure fulfillment of the arboretum plan. The arboretum doesn’t have its own staff. Caretaking is by a combination of city Public Works and volunteers coordinated by VABI.

• An arboretum public dimension that includes some level of public access and at least one public event or educational program each year focused on trees or arboretum purposes. The arboretum is open year-round and is the site of the city’s annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.

“The arboretum that Monty and his team along with the Parks division have created is a fantastic asset to the city,” Tree Program Administrator and City Arborist Jim Yelverton said in the press statement. “This accreditation is very exciting because it will spread the word all around the world about our arboretum.”

ArbNet’s accreditation program has four levels recognizing different types of arboretums and public gardens. Venice’s arboretum would need paid staff for a promotion to Level II.

Worldwide, there are only 28 Level IV arboretums, which must have a curator, scientific or conservation staff and a minimum of 500 species, among other requirements.

The park and arboretum are at 401 Pensacola Road, Venice.