(05) An Introduction to Arboreta and a Push for Greater Use on Sewanee's Campus

The arboretum at Sewanee: The University of the South is of the highest ranking for arboreta and boasts over one hundred species that represent the domain and the region as a whole. Sewanee’s arboretum is primarily utilized... [ view full abstract ]

The arboretum at Sewanee: The University of the South is of the highest ranking for arboreta and boasts over one hundred species that represent the domain and the region as a whole. Sewanee’s arboretum is primarily utilized by the university’s forestry department and visitors to the college. With resources spent yearly on arboretum upkeep, the hope is that this large resource could be utilized in a more beneficial manner through expanded use across Sewanee academics. The history of arboreta is rich in demonstrating the types of uses. Arboreta are used for the study of forestry, but also for aesthetic reasons and ecosystem benefits. In addition to these advantages of arboreta, there are many compelling uses for Sewanee’s arboretum through interdisciplinary study. Starting with the religion department, Sewanee’s arboretum holds around a dozen trees that are of cultural significance to the Bible. Through Geographic Information Systems, a search was performed to find the number of Sewanee trees with biblical connections and their locations within the arboretum. Data from Facilities Management was converted so as to plot the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. A map was constructed to contain the historical and cultural implications of the trees that were relevant in the Bible. In this way, connections were found for the possibility of extended use of the arboretum by the Religion department. Further research should consider implications for arboreta use by other departments and organizations on campus. In a more broad sense, there is a lack of information on the interdisciplinary study of arboreta in science. This work should produce evidence that arboreta are powerful tools and should be acknowledged by the scientific community as a commodity for more than just the study of forestry.