Sustainable Practices

Since its founding in 1922, the Arboretum has demonstrated sustainable practices to benefit the community. As an outdoor museum, the Arboretum showcases trees as essential elements of livable communities and healthy environments. Our natural areas are designed to preserve native plant species and manage invasives. Staff scientists research soils and roots to increase the survival rate of trees in urban areas and improve cold weather hardiness.

The Morton Arboretum is a member of the Green Power Partnership, an Environmental Protection Agency project that allows participants to support "green energy." As part of our electricity purchases, the Arboretum buys renewable energy certificates, which help support the development and use of wind power.

The Meadow Lake restoration project and the Main Parking Lot project at The Morton Arboretum has become one of eight pilot projects newly certified by the Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™) for its sustainable site design, construction, and maintenance. They join three other projects that received certification in January 2012.

The Arboretum also pilot tests new commercial products designed to protect trees and the environment.