ArbNet Accreditation_White Haven

Media Contact: Patti MacMillan, The Morton Arboretum 630-­‐719-­‐5768, pmacmillan@mortonarb.org WHITE HAVEN MEMORIAL PARK AWARDED LEVEL I ACCREDITATION BY ARBNET ARBORETUM ACCREDITATION PROGRAM LISLE, Illinois (Oct. 1, 2014) – The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum are pleased to announce that White Haven Memorial Park in Pittsford, N.Y. has been awarded a Level I Accreditation. By achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens, White Haven Memorial Park is now recognized as an accredited arboretum in The Morton Register of Arboreta. Founded in 1929, White Haven Memorial Park is a 170-­‐acre cemetery inspired by Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, which features flat bronze memorials in an effort to highlight the uplifting beauty of nature. As a park plan cemetery, White Haven is a showcase for a great variety of trees, from venerable oaks that pre-­‐date the cemetery to more recent plantings of Bradford Pears and Star Magnolias. Recent efforts have been focused on spreading colors and blooming times throughout the park so that it might be enjoyed in every season. Over the years, White Haven has accumulated data and photographs of the more than 100 different species of trees in the cemetery and has made this information accessible to the public. “As was originally envisioned by our founders, White Haven will continue to use its living library of trees to educate and uplift our community,” said Andrea Vittum, White Haven president. 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 www.arbnet.org. # # #