“And the Lord God made all kinds of trees to grow out of the     ground -  trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food”  Genesis 2:9 

Arcadia Arboretum Mission Statement

The purpose of the Arcadia Arboretum is to establish and maintain a “living library” of native trees and to develop gardens of native plant species, thus preserving the natural history and heritage of Hancock County for present and future generations. The arboretum is an educational preservation and research site that will afford learning and educational opportunities for al of Hancock County and Northwestern Ohio to see and experience.

Arboretum Establishment

Under the guidance of former Arcadia High School Science teacher, Sandra White, the students of Arcadia assumed the challenge of developing an “outdoor laboratory” for the preservation of the natural history of Hancock County. Many grant funds to establish the arboretum have provided the funding to establish this outdoor learning center. The Dale L. Dorney Foundation, the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, and the Hancock Education Fund proved to be major contributors. The arboretum also benefited greatly through the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship awarded to faculty member Sandra White in 1988, the Ohio Governor’s Award in 1990, and the National Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in 1993 and 1994.

The Arcadia Arboretum is:

ü     a place to learn about the natural history

of Hancock County.

ü     a way to learn how to protect

and conserve our environment.

ü     a living library of native Hancock County

species of trees and plants.

ü     includes demonstration gardens of

native grasses, wildflowers, and ferns.

ü     is a preservation site for endangered plant species from Hancock County and Northwestern Ohio.

ü     is an environmental research site.

ü     is an educational center for all

of our children for years to come.

ü     is a place to commune with nature.

ü     is a place to see, touch, and smell.

ü     is a place to experience!

Only the trees and shrubs of Hancock County, Ohio that were present when early settlers arrived in Northwestern Ohio are listed in the attached documents. The documentation for these species comes from the 1819 to 1850 time frame, with the major sources being the original surveyors notes and early documented historical accounts of the area. Many early historical accounts of native plant species listed only the common names. For these documents, the common names have been identified and bullited for each individual species. This collection of native trees has been developed by previous science classes at Arcadia High School and the student contributors have been identified in the attached document.