Spring Grove Cemetery officially recognized as arboretum

MEDINA — In what some call an "outdoor museum of trees," Spring Grove Cemetery officially has achieved the status of an arboretum. "It's the first in Medina County," said Teresa Merkle, president of the Friends of the Cemetery. "It's pretty special." The cemetery achieved the honor Wednesday when it was 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. "Our community will be greatly enhanced by this prestigious designation," Merkle said. "Following two decades of collaboration in maintaining, preserving and planting trees at Spring Grove, the Level II accreditation is a significant achievement in the Friends of the Cemetery and city's partnership." The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity and professionalism. Spring Grove Cemetery is also 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. There are about 20 botanical gardens and arboretums in Ohio, but only four that include a cemetery, including Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum in Dayton and Ferncliff Cemetery and Arboretum in Springfield. Established in 1883, Medina's Spring Grove Cemetery is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. The 34-acre property serves as an urban forest and public garden with a collection of 613 trees, which includes 68 species. The Friends of the Cemetery and the city of Medina's provide public access to green space in a portion of Medina's urban forest through outreach and education of the historical and cultural importance and preservation of its valuable trees. Merkle said the cemetery already had a historical significance, becoming an arboretum "takes it to another level in the community." It was Greg Walter, a member of the Medina Cemetery Commission, who suggested that Friends of the Cemetery seek arboretum status. The friends maintain the trees, gardens and lakes in the cemetery at a very high level. In the spring or early summer, 30 of the 68 species will be marked with a permanent marker. Eventually, all 68 species will be marked. The cemetery hosts a tree walk in October and staff plant 15 to 25 new trees every year. ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The accreditation program, sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. The program offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming and tree science, planting and conservation. Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.