Cox Arboretum Awarded Level II Accreditation

Cox Arboretum Awarded Level II Accreditation

BY ARBNET ARBORETUM ACCREDITATION PROGRAM

Cox Arboretum Awarded Level II AccreditationLISLE, IL (June 12, 2013) – The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum are pleased to announce that Cox Arboretum of Canton, Georgia has been awarded a Level II Accreditation. By achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens, Cox Arboretum is now recognized as an accredited arboretum in The Morton Register of Arboreta.

“As a private arboretum, we are honored to receive this special recognition,” says Tom Cox, founder of Cox Arboretum. “This endeavor was started because of our love for trees, which in turn has taken us on a magnificent journey with many rewards along the way. The accreditation from ArbNet is another giant step in achieving our long term vision for this property.”

Cox Arboretum is located on a private estate in Canton, Georgia, 40 miles north of Atlanta in the Piedmont Range foothills. Situated on 13 acres in the middle of an old-growth southern deciduous hardwood forest, Cox contains many large oak, hickory, poplar and sweetgum trees, some of which are over 100 years old. Numbering over 4,000 living specimens, the plantings display one of the largest private collections of temperate flora in the United States.

A major focus today is conifers, maples and magnolia, as well as dwarf cultivars that may have commercial appeal. The arboretum is recognized as containing one of the most complete collections of species conifers in the U.S.

With an elevation of 1,200 feet and containing several lakes and streams, visitors experience a wide variety of plants in this zone 7B climate. The property is bounded by several large wetland habitats where many migratory and native fowl make their home. Approximately 3 acres of land is maintained in a natural state and remains undisturbed, with the goal to maintain and ultimately increase native species diversity of both flora and fauna.

Cox Arboretum was founded by Tom and Evelyn Cox in 1990. The mission focuses on plant evaluation, preservation of rare and endangered flora and germplasm and developing public appreciation and enlightenment of plants. The Arboretum also tests and displays new and rare plants from around the world in a garden setting. Cox Arboretum is a popular visitor attraction and offers guided walks on the history of trees and their scientific applications.

About the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program

The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. This international initiative offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity and professionalism. Accreditation is based on self-assessment and documentation of an arboretum’s level of achievement of accreditation standards. Standards include planning, governance, labeling of species, staff or volunteer support, public access and programming and tree science, planting and conservation. More information is available at http://www.arbnet.org.