Elmhurst College to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Arboretum on Arbor Day

Elmhurst College will celebrate Arbor Day, as well as the 50th anniversary of the campus' arboretum, with the planting of a Shumard Oak, the same kind of tree that started the arboretum in 1966. The tree planting will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 29, along the southern part of the mall drive, between Schick Hall and Memorial Hall (190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, www.elmhurst.edu/campusmap). Dave Froede of Bartlett Tree Experts also will be on hand to test people's knowledge of tree trivia. The event will mark the 50th year of the Elmhurst College Arboretum, which began with longtime Elmhurst resident Herb Licht and the College's first groundskeeper, Ragnar Moen. Licht and Moen shared a passion for trees, and established the campus arboretum by planting a single Shumard Oak on the south side of the Frick Center. Today the Arboretum boasts nearly 800 trees and shrubs, including many exotic and rare specimens, and encompasses the entire 48-acre campus. The Arboretum has won Level II Accreditation from the Morton Register of Arboreta. In addition, the College has earned Tree Campus USA designations from the Arbor Day Foundation, in recognition of its dedication to nurturing and maintaining its arboretum. Specialized computer software helps College arborists and groundskeepers take care of the growing collection. To learn more about the Elmhurst College Arboretum, visit www.elmhurst.edu/arboretum. The arboretum welcomes visitors throughout the year. To plan a visit, call (630) 617-6145. Elmhurst College is a leading four-year college that seamlessly blends liberal learning and professional preparation to educate students for life in a global society and help them to reach their potential. Elmhurst College is the one of the Top 10 Colleges in the Midwest, according to U.S. News & World Report; and U.S. News, Money and Forbes magazines consistently rank Elmhurst as one of the Midwest's best values in higher education.