Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
Encyclopedia
Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is an arboretum
and state park
of Arizona
, USA, located in Superior.
collection that includes a wide range of habitats and a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) main loop walking trail. Founded in 1925, the arboretum is the largest and oldest botanical garden
in the state of Arizona. It is jointly managed by the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Inc. (a 501 c(3) non-profit organization), the University of Arizona
, and Arizona State Parks
.
from the University of Wisconsin, and they greatly expanded the Arboretum's programs, developed its popular plant sales, and created innovative educational displays, often concerning native plants used by indigenous peoples
of the area. Guided tours on the arboretum's extensive trails are featured. Originally the arboretum was independently managed, but in the 1960s it partnered with the University of Arizona and in 1976 entered into a tripartite agreement to join the Arizona state park system.
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
and state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, USA, located in Superior.
Description
Boyce Thompson Arboretum Park consists of a 323 acres (130.7 ha) botanicalBotany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
collection that includes a wide range of habitats and a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) main loop walking trail. Founded in 1925, the arboretum is the largest and oldest botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
in the state of Arizona. It is jointly managed by the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Inc. (a 501 c(3) non-profit organization), the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
, and Arizona State Parks
Arizona State Parks (government)
Arizona State Parks is the governing agency of all Arizona state parks. The agency was created in 1955, following the rapid growth of the post-World War II recreation and tourism industries in the American Southwest...
.
History
Drs. Frank S. Crosswhite and Carol Diane Crosswhite served as the Arboretum's Curator of Botany and Zoology, respectively, for more than 30 years. Both had their Ph.D.sDoctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Wisconsin, and they greatly expanded the Arboretum's programs, developed its popular plant sales, and created innovative educational displays, often concerning native plants used by indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of the area. Guided tours on the arboretum's extensive trails are featured. Originally the arboretum was independently managed, but in the 1960s it partnered with the University of Arizona and in 1976 entered into a tripartite agreement to join the Arizona state park system.