University of New Mexico earns National Arboretum Accreditation, announces tree care updates

The University of New Mexico (UNM) has been awarded official accreditation as a Level I Arboretum by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. UNM is the only nationally accredited arboretum in the State of New Mexico, recognized for its commitment to professional standards of tree care, conservation, and education.

"Trees are central to UNM's identity, from the iconic cottonwoods to our diverse collection of native and climate-ready species and species that are unusual for New Mexico," said Shawna Wolfe, vice president for Institutional Support Services. "This accreditation affirms our leadership in environmental stewardship and our responsibility to maintain a thriving and resilient campus canopy for generations to come."

UNM's 600-acre main campus acts as a living arboretum and is home to 235 tree species, providing educational, environmental, and recreational value. The arboretum not only supports learning but also serves the broader community through tours, outreach, and demonstration of sustainable landscape practices.

Stewardship and Canopy Renewal
As part of its ongoing commitment to a healthy and diverse tree canopy, UNM follows a comprehensive Campus Tree Care Plan and has a Campus Tree & Arboretum Advisory Committee that guides planting, protection, and succession planning. While tree removal is considered a last resort, assessments have determined that two large trees on Central Campus - a cottonwood and a ponderosa pine located at the U House - must be removed early this semester due to declining health and safety concerns.

To ensure canopy renewal, UNM Grounds & Landscaping has a tree planting initiative planned for this fall. The program upholds the university's goal of at least 1:1 replacement of trees removed with new plantings, with a focus on climate-ready and regionally adapted species. This succession planning helps preserve shade, stormwater benefits, habitat, and the historic beauty of UNM's campus. The new plantings will also include some fruit trees that provide the added benefit of addressing food insecurity on campus and offering fresh produce to the campus community. Tree plantings are also incorporated into Fall Frenzy and Campus Cleanup Days, which are hosted during Earth Month, where the UNM community bands together to promote sustainability efforts across campus.

Arboretum Tours Coming Spring 2026
UNM is also preparing to launch a series of new arboretum walking tours by spring 2026, designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and community members with the living campus landscape. Developed as a Community and Regional Planning Masters professional project by Richard Perce, these tours will highlight:

• UNM History - tracing the evolution of the campus through its historic groves, plantings, and tree removals.
• Climate-Ready Trees - showcasing species adapted to thrive in a hotter, drier future.
• "Rockstar" Trees - unique and noteworthy specimens selected by UNM's arborists, such as the dawn redwoods (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) located west of Scholes Hall, which is a deciduous conifer and one of three redwood species in the world.
• Cultural Uses of Trees - emphasizing traditional, ceremonial, and practical uses of trees in the Americas.

The tours will be accessible through interactive maps and interpretive signage, offering opportunities to learn about the campus' heritage, resilience, and connection to place.

Top photo: Soap Trees near Zimmerman Library. Photo Richard Perce.