ArbNet 的成立与运营机构
ArbNet（全称 ArbNet: The Interactive Community of Arboreta，中文常译作”国际树木园社区”或”国际树木园互动社区”）是一个面向树木园（arboreta）和以木本植物为收藏重点的植物园的专业协作网络，于 2011 年由美国伊利诺伊州 The Morton Arboretum（莫顿树木园）与 American Public Gardens Association（美国公共花园协会，简称 APGA）、Botanic Gardens Conservation International（国际植物园保护联盟，简称 BGCI）三家联合发起。莫顿树木园本身是 1922 年由 Joy Morton（Joy Morton 是 Morton Salt 创始人，Joy Morton 的父亲 Julius Sterling Morton 创立了美国的 Arbor Day 植树节）在伊利诺伊州 Lisle 创立的 1,700 英亩（约 690 公顷）公共树木园，目前仍运营着 30 多位科学家的树木科学中心（Center for Tree Science），并被 IUCN 指定为物种生存中心树木组（Center for Species Survival: Trees）；ArbNet 由莫顿树木园牵头主办，许多国际机构与树木专业人士协助制定认证标准与社区培训。ArbNet 的核心使命是服务树木园与以树木为收藏重点的专业人士，定义为”树木专业人士组成的互动式协作国际社区”。它免费提供同行对接、案例分享、专业培训等机会，并面向公众维护 Morton Register of Arboreta（莫顿树木园登记册）这一全球树木园数据库，覆盖几乎所有收藏与展示乔木、灌木与其他木本植物的机构。日常运营由莫顿树木园主持，许多合作伙伴与国际树木界人士参与标准制定与社区建设；新闻媒体联系方式由莫顿树木园公共关系团队统一管理，联系方式在 arbnet.org 的”News Center”页底部列出（专员 Colleen Otte）。
Morton Register 与四大认证等级
Morton Register of Arboreta（莫顿树木园登记册）是一份在线数据库，登记世界各地以木本植物为收藏重点的树木园与植物园，已收录 Aburi Botanical Gardens（加纳阿布里植物园）、Adelaide Botanic Garden（澳大利亚阿德莱德植物园）、Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden（印度植物园）、5 Rivers Delta Resource Center（美国阿拉巴马）等众多机构，名单按 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center 等英文字母排序，每条记录包含机构名、城市、邮编与国家。与登记册并行运行的是 Arboretum Accreditation Program（树木园认证项目），这是全球唯一的树木园专项国际认证项目，按四个等级（Level I 至 Level IV）评定，依据包括规划与治理、木本植物收藏的 taxa（种、亚种、栽培变种、变种等）数量、员工或志愿者支持、教育与公众项目、树木科学与保护工作等。认证免费申请，有效期 5 年可续期。认证的功能是为机构背书，提供管理与成长框架，对外表明其在树木养护、教育与保护方面的高标准；它也为机构接入更多资助机会与同行网络，并对研究、保护与公众参与协作有直接帮助。2026 年的 ArbNet/BGCI Partnership Programme 奖项已公布获奖机构。
认证申请流程与资源工具包
申请 ArbNet 认证首先要在线填写自评与文档材料，由 ArbNet 团队根据对应等级的标准做审核。申请前机构可以先通过 “How to Apply” 与 “Accreditation Resources” 两个页面了解流程与样本材料；针对不同类型机构，ArbNet 提供专门的 Arboretum Tool Kits（树木园工具包），分别面向城市、学校、大学、墓地等申请机构。评估的关键指标包括：规划与治理结构、收藏的木本植物 taxa 数量、员工与志愿者支持、教育与公众项目、树木科学与保护贡献等。认证并不要求机构是大型公共植物园，一个市政树木收藏、高校校园、墓地、城市公园、小型社区绿地都能申请。从注册到续期，整个认证体系的设计目标是帮助树木园按自身规模与能力逐步成长，每五年是一个自然的发展周期。这种”分级 + 周期”的设计让起步阶段的树木园也能拿到 Level I 认证，有了积累后再申请更高的等级。机构成功通过认证后可获得徽章，在 Morton Register 数据库的对应页面展示，便于公众识别其专业资质。
资源库与面向树木园的专业支持
ArbNet 的资源库（Resources）面向树木园运营的各个细分领域，按主题分成 12 个板块：Starting an Arboretum（创办树木园，从规划、收藏到治理结构的起步指南）、Accreditation Resources（认证资源，样本申请与配套材料）、Collaboration and Networks（协作与网络，对接同行与保护网络）、Arboretum Management（树木园管理，工具与范例覆盖员工、志愿者、战略规划、灾害应对等）、Grants and Funding Opportunities（资助机会）、Sustainability（可持续性）、Climate Change Adaptation（气候变化适应，包括脆弱性评估、适应规划与收藏管理工具）、Managing Tree Collections（树木收藏管理，覆盖植物档案、挂牌、绘图、种子采集、城市林业目标整合等）、Tree Science and Conservation（树木科学与保护，覆盖就地与迁地保护、生物多样性数据、公众解读）、Community and Urban Forestry（社区与城市林业，覆盖学校、城市、墓地、公共空间的树木园角色）、Marketing and Communications（营销与传播）、Education and Public Engagement（教育与公众参与，覆盖解说项目、标识系统与环境素养资源）。除资源库外，ArbNet 还维护 News Center（新闻中心）与季刊 newsletter。2026 年的新闻条目包括 ArbNet/BGCI Partnership Programme 奖项的公布、当年获认证机构的介绍、合作项目进展报告等；季刊 newsletter 覆盖行业新趋势、机会、认证机构案例、树木保护与社区共享资源。社交媒体方面，ArbNet 在 Facebook、X、Instagram 上同步更新，发布社区动态、机构成就与行业资讯。媒体咨询由莫顿树木园公共关系团队统一处理，联系方式挂在 arbnet.org 的 News Center 页面底部。
合作背景与延伸研究
要理解 ArbNet 的定位，需要把它放在 1922 年成立的莫顿树木园与 21 世纪树木保护运动的脉络里看。莫顿树木园本身是 1922 年 12 月 14 日由 Joy Morton 创立的，Joy Morton 是 Morton Salt 创始人，其父 Julius Sterling Morton 是美国 Arbor Day 植树节的创立者；园址是 Joy Morton 1910 年建成的 175 英亩 Thornhill 庄园。莫顿树木园现有 1,700 英亩，收藏超过 222,000 株植物、4,100 种树木；2025 年其植物诊所（Plant Clinic）回复了全球 15,000 多条树木咨询；其 Sterling Morton Library 1963 年由芝加哥建筑师 Harry Weese 设计，藏书超过 30,000 册；2004 年落成的 36,000 平方英尺访客中心由 David Woodhouse Architects 设计。ArbNet 在莫顿树木园的全球树木保护项目（Global Tree Conservation Program）下运营，该项目与 BGCI 合作主持 Global Conservation Consortium for Oak（全球橡树保护联盟），并管理 IUCN 物种生存中心树木组。延伸阅读方面，ArbNet 站点 arbnet.org 是日常一手资料来源：开放时间、活动日历、捐赠入口、季刊通讯都从这里获取；合作伙伴 APGA（American Public Gardens Association）的网站列出树木园行业的认证与培训资料；BGCI 的 PlantSearch 与 GlobalTreeSearch 数据库覆盖更广泛的植物园与树木保护记录。莫顿树木园出版过大量树木学与园艺史书籍，Sterling Morton Library 的目录已上线；学术综述方面，IUCN 红色名录与 BGCI 的树木保护报告是研究全球树木保护进展的标准二手资料。Morton Register of Arboreta 数据库本身也是研究 21 世纪全球树木园分布与认证趋势的入口，4 个等级的设计反映了从小型社区树木园到大型研究机构的全谱系。
Founding and Operating Institutions
ArbNet (formally ArbNet: The Interactive Community of Arboreta) is a collaborative international network for arboreta and tree-focused professionals, launched in 2011 as a joint initiative of The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). The Morton Arboretum was established on December 14, 1922, by Joy Morton, founder of the Morton Salt Company (his father Julius Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day). Today it covers 1,700 acres (690 ha), curates more than 222,000 living plants representing over 4,100 tree species, and hosts the Center for Tree Science with 30-plus scientists. It also serves as the IUCN Center for Species Survival: Trees. ArbNet is led by the Morton Arboretum with input from international partners who help set accreditation standards and provide community training.ArbNet’s core mission is to serve arboreta and tree-focused professionals, defined as “an international, interactive community of tree-focused professionals.” It provides free opportunities for peer connection, success-story sharing and professional training, and maintains the public-facing Morton Register of Arboreta database of arboreta worldwide. Day-to-day operations are run from the Morton Arboretum; partner institutions and tree professionals from around the world inform the program. Media inquiries go through the Morton Arboretum’s public relations team; contact details are listed on the ArbNet News Center page.
Morton Register and Four Accreditation Levels
The Morton Register of Arboreta is an online database listing arboreta and botanic gardens around the world with a substantial focus on woody plants. Entries are alphabetized and include name, city, postal code and country; sample listings include 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center (Spanish Fort, Alabama), Adelaide Botanic Garden (Australia), Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (India) and Aburi Botanical Gardens (Ghana).Running in parallel is the Arboretum Accreditation Program, the only international accreditation program specific to arboreta. It operates at four levels (Level I–Level IV) based on planning, the number of tree and woody-plant taxa (species, subspecies, cultivars, varieties) in the collection, staff or volunteer support, education and public programming, and—for higher levels—tree science and conservation work. Accreditation is free, valid for five years and renewable. It establishes credibility and professional recognition, provides a framework for management and growth, signals an organization’s commitment to high standards in tree care, education and conservation, and gives access to funding opportunities and professional networks. The 2026 ArbNet/BGCI Partnership Programme award recipients have been announced on the news center.
Accreditation Process and Tool Kits
To apply, an institution completes an online self-assessment and supporting documentation reviewed by the ArbNet team against the standards for the chosen level. Before applying, the How to Apply and Accreditation Resources pages walk through the workflow with sample materials. For institutions of different types, ArbNet provides dedicated Arboretum Tool Kits for cities, schools, universities and cemeteries, each tailored to the relevant institutional context. Key evaluation criteria include planning and governance, the number of woody plant taxa in the collection, staff and volunteer support, education and public programming, and tree science and conservation contributions.Accreditation is not limited to large public gardens; municipal tree collections, college campuses, cemeteries, city parks and small community green spaces are all eligible. The four-level structure lets a young arboretum start with Level I and grow toward higher levels over time, with each five-year cycle a natural development window. Institutions that pass accreditation receive a badge displayed on their entry in the Morton Register, signalling professional standing to the public and peers.
Resource Library and Professional Support
ArbNet’s resource hub is organized into twelve topical sections covering the operational areas of an arboretum: Starting an Arboretum (mission, planning, collections and governance from the ground up), Accreditation Resources (sample applications and process materials), Collaboration and Networks (peer connections and conservation networks), Arboretum Management (tools and examples on staff, volunteers, strategic planning and disaster readiness), Grants and Funding Opportunities, Sustainability, Climate Change Adaptation (vulnerability assessments, adaptive planning and collections management tools), Managing Tree Collections (plant records, labeling, mapping, seed collecting and urban forestry integration), Tree Science and Conservation (in situ and ex situ conservation, biodiversity data and public interpretation), Community and Urban Forestry (the role of arboreta in schools, cities, cemeteries and public spaces), Marketing and Communications, and Education and Public Engagement (interpretive programs, signage and environmental literacy).Beyond the resource hub, ArbNet maintains a News Center and a quarterly newsletter. 2026 coverage includes the ArbNet/BGCI Partnership Programme award announcements, profiles of accredited institutions and progress reports on partner projects; the quarterly newsletter covers emerging trends, opportunities, accredited-institution case studies and tree-protection community resources. ArbNet’s social channels on Facebook, X and Instagram carry community updates and institutional milestones. Media inquiries route through the Morton Arboretum public relations team.
Partner Background and Further Reading
ArbNet’s place becomes clearer when read against the 1922 founding of the Morton Arboretum and the 21st-century tree-conservation movement. Joy Morton’s 175-acre Thornhill estate, established in 1910, formed the core of the arboretum’s original land; the 36,000-square-foot Visitor Center opened in 2004, designed by David Woodhouse Architects; the Sterling Morton Library, designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese, was built in 1963 and now holds over 30,000 volumes. The arboretum’s Plant Clinic answered more than 15,000 queries from around the world in 2024, and the annual Illumination tree-lights event has run each winter since 2013.For further reading, the official arbnet.org site is the day-to-day primary source for hours, events, donation links and the quarterly newsletter. The American Public Gardens Association (APGA) website lists broader certification and training resources for public-garden professionals. BGCI’s PlantSearch and GlobalTreeSearch databases cover the wider plant-conservation record. The Morton Arboretum has published a substantial body of tree-science and horticultural-history work; the Sterling Morton Library’s catalog is online, and the Morton Register of Arboreta database itself is a starting point for research on global arboretum distribution and accreditation trends in the 21st century.
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