Georgia Tech is Now a Level II Arboretum
The White Oak (Quercus alba) near Tech Tower Lawn is one of the oldest and largest trees in Atlanta metro area. It can be seen in images of Tech Tower circa 1888. According to the USDA Forest Services i-Tree calculations, this tree alone has the carbon storage capacity of 11,177 lbs – the same amount of energy released when burning 2,092 gallons of gasoline. A tree of this size typically sequesters an additional 217 lbs of carbon every year. Energy calculations generated using www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/en
Georgia Tech has been awarded a Level II Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. In addition, Georgia Tech is now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
“We are really excited to be accredited as a Level II Arboretum by the ArbNet program, said Jason Gregory, senior educational facilities planner and landscape architect with Capital Planning and Space Management. “The Georgia Tech Arboretum will provide a platform for the development of educational tools to define the value and performance of individual trees and the collective forest in our urban landscape.“
The Georgia Tech campus spans more than 400 acres in metro Atlanta and is home to more than 11,900 trees and approximately 130 species of trees. The campus is divided into four-sections, each with its own unique characteristics and contributions to the overall performance of the landscape.