Tennessee Tech University has long been known for its scenic beauty, but now the university has a sought-after credential to prove it: newly-certified arboretum.

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) officially recognized Tech's 270-acre campus as a level 2 arboretum based on a rigorous set of criteria that includes tree diversity, upkeep and the quality of experiential education that the space provides to visitors. The certification comes just in time for National Arbor Day on April 26.

“Tennessee Tech has been intentional about maintaining green spaces on campus – even with all the new construction. It’s important to us that sustainability and environmental responsibility are not just ideas students hear in the classroom, but values that they see lived out in the design and daily practices of our campus,” said DeLayne Miller, sustainability manager at Tech.

Miller continued, “Several people have worked over many years to create an environment that draws in the scenic beauty we have all around us here in the Upper Cumberland area and allows our community to experience nature in meaningful ways, without leaving campus. So, we’re excited to see those efforts recognized by the TUFC with this certification as the Tennessee Tech Arboretum.”

Miller expressed special thanks to Tech’s Biology Department, School of Agriculture, Facilities Department, and the many students who worked to secure Tech’s arboretum status by developing the university’s tree inventory with GIS mapping, ensuring proper tree signage and helping with general care and maintenance.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture defines an arboretum as “a place with an exhibit of trees and other plants for display or scientific study.” Tech’s campus is home to more than 1,200 trees and over 90 different tree species, including unique varietals such as the Arizona Cypress and the Chinese Pistache.

Each year since 2019, Tech has been recognized as a “Tree Campus USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation. The university’s assortment of trees across campus also includes oak trees, America’s national tree, and tulip poplars, the state tree of Tennessee.

The oldest trees on Tech’s campus, a pair of Post Oaks, are more than 300 years old and recently received the “Landmark and Historic Trees” designation by TUFC.

Kevin Bolger, council operations and program coordinator for TUFC, praised Tech’s commitment to arboriculture and community forestry. 

“Our goal at TUFC is to see a certified arboretum within a 30-minute drive of every Tennessee community,” said Bolger. “With its rich diversity of trees and plants and its pristine, welcoming campus feel, Tennessee Tech has been a valuable partner in that effort. We hope families and nature-seekers in the Upper Cumberland and beyond will make a trip to Tennessee Tech to see our state’s newest certified arboretum.”

Learn more about Tech’s sustainability initiatives, including the new Tennessee Tech Arboretum, at www.tntech.edu/sustainability/.