Arboretum

Our partner for this outdoor classroom is the US Forest Service, Jacksonville State University, Armstrong Landscaping, and housekeeping staff. The word arboretum means a collection of trees. We have over 70 of the 100 native trees of Alabama in our Arboretum. They range from hardwood trees such as the maple trees to our southern pine trees. Included in this collection of trees is the Longleaf Pine Tree. The Long Leaf Pine Tree once covered the landscape of the south. That is why it was named as Alabama’s state tree. The Long Leaf Pine is very hardy and can grow in poor soil. It is very resistant to fire, disease and insects. Although it may take longer to mature than other lesser quality pine trees, it is well worth the wait. The US Forest Service provided funding for the trees and the markers. They also helped with confirming the identification. Our Environmental Science classes use this outdoor classroom to do tree identification and habitat recognition. They do leaf collection, bark recognition and record the growth of each tree throughout the year.