The Chautauqua Bird, Tree and Garden Club (BTG) and
Chautauqua Institution have received Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum
Accreditation Program and recognition as an accredited arboretum in the Morton
Register of Arboreta, a database of the world's arboreta and gardens dedicated to
woody plants.

The newly-designated Chautauqua Bird, Tree and Garden Club Arboreta encompasses
the entire 250 acres of Chautauqua Institution bordered by Chautauqua Lake to the
west and fencing to the north, south and east. Functioning as an urban forest, the
arboreta includes approximately 4,000 trees planted among 1,200 private residences
and 164 Institution buildings, along with three wooded ravines and two large forested
areas covering 15 acres.

Trees throughout the grounds are labeled with markers displaying common and
scientific names, plus QR codes linking to detailed species information and donor
information and planting dates when known, via the BTG's ExploreCHQ app.
"This accreditation recognizes over a century of dedicated tree stewardship," said
Dennis McNair, Chair of the BTG Arboretum Committee. "From our founding in 1913,
the Bird, Tree and Garden Club has worked to preserve, protect and promote the
beauty and natural environment of Chautauqua's grounds."

The designation makes Chautauqua home to two official arboreta: the newly accredited
250-acre campus and the historic one-third-acre Bird and Tree Arboretum, donated in
1915 by Henrietta Ord Jones and certified as a Level I Arboretum in 2019.

Chautauqua's tree legacy dates to its founding, when co-founder Lewis Miller suggested
moving the first assembly from Akron to "the woods" at Lake Chautauqua. An 1892
inventory counted 10,264 trees on the grounds, with many specimens dating 150-200

years old. While development has reduced the canopy over time, the BTG continues
active stewardship through tree planting, maintenance, and educational programs.
To celebrate this milestone and the Institution's sesquicentennial, the BTG has launched
the "150 Trees for 150 Years" campaign, pledging to plant 150 trees over three years
with help from community donations.

Founded in 1913, the Chautauqua Bird, Tree and Garden Club offers weekly tree tours
during summer seasons and year-round self-guided tours through the ExploreCHQ app.

ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta that
facilitates knowledge sharing and maintains professional standards through its
accreditation program—the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at
various development levels. More information is available at www.arbnet.org.