A Learning Landscape

The Waugh Arboretum, established in 1944, is a campus-wide collection of trees. It supports a landscape for learning, research and exploration.

The campus supports a community of 37,700, with an enrollment of over 32,000 students. It occupies over 13.4 million gross square feet of buildings over 1,450 acres of land in the campus core. More About UMass

The Sawtooth Oak, shown on the left, is one of the arboretum's State Champion trees. It is located along Hicks Way between Bartlett Hall and the Chapel. (Photo: Courtesy of Michael Amato. Zoom In.)

The Frank A. Waugh Arboretum at UMass Amherst is accredited at the highest level of accreditation, Level IV, by the ArbNet Accreditation Program since 2018. We renew our accreditation every five years. There are only 44 Level IV accredited arboreta worldwide. The Frank A. Waugh Arboretum is proudly one of the 44.

This ongoing recognition of professional standards and capabilities bears significance for your organization and for tree-focused public gardens. As part of the Morton Register of Arboreta, you have an important role in our shared purpose to plant and conserve trees, and accreditation in this work acknowledges your commitment to and fulfillment of professional criteria. 
Jill Koski, President and CEO, 4/27/2023 Award Letter

UMass Amherst received Tree Campus Higher Education recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation since 2014.  These are the five core standards required for certification: 

1. Establishment of a Campus Tree Advisory Committee
2. Evidence of a Campus Tree Care Plan
3. Verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the Campus Tree Plan
4. Involvement in an Arbor Day Observance
5. Institution of a Service Learning Project aimed at engaging the student body

Much of the mature canopy of our campus arboretum is over 100 years old including the Pin Oak, class of 1908, highlighted in this short video of a few of the legacy and champion trees in our arboretum.

The Pin Oak, 1908 Class Tree removes 2172 pounds of atmospheric carbon per year. The Japanese Elm was the first of its species in America with seed brought from Japan in 1890.

Other trees in this video include: The Fernleaf Beech planted in 1894, the Weeping Alaskan Cedar, the Thornless Honeycomb and Black Tupelo.

Many of the arboretum's mature trees predate 1944.  They are greatly valued by students who study forestry and horticulture and have been since the days of The Massachusetts Agricultural College (founded 1863).

The class of 1909 students transplanted this Pin Oak tree by horse and trailer. The Pin Oak still stands tall today.  Class of 1909 hauling class tree, ca. 1909. University Photograph Collection (RG 130). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Generations continue to work to preserve, rather than remove, specimen trees like the Pin Oak. In this photo from April 2001, the University's Landscape crew saved and transplanted a 52-Year Pin Oak.