Upcoming Events
Upcoming Plant Sale
Saturday May 5, 2012
8:00 am to 11:00 am.
South end of In-Exchage.
Come See the Arboretum
Don Schmidt the “Dean of Green” is planning on leading 3 tree walks again this spring. The tree walks will be held on Friday April 23rd, at 4:30 Saturday May 1 at 11:00 and Sunday May 9th at 1:00. All tree walks will begin at the Sassafras Grove seating area located just west of Hovey Hall on the Illinois State Quad. What we see on the walk will be dependent on the weather and Don’s mood that day. The walks take about an hour and are lots of fun. Come out for a great day in the spring sunshine and learn a little something about the magnificent trees in our collection. Learn why Illinois State was designated “A Tree Campus USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Fell Arboretum
Illinois State University’s Fell Arboretum was granted status in 1995 and consists of a 490 acre site established with thousands of trees representing over 154 species. Its history is rich with the vision of forefather Jesse Fell who envisioned planting a tree of every kind that would flourish in Central Illinois on our campus.
Today, those involved with the Fell Arboretum work together to carry forward Fell’s vision and strive to preserve and expand the existing campus landscape that serves both as an aesthetic experience for our campus community and visitors as well as a living, learning laboratory.
Our Vision
Fell Arboretum continually strives to exemplify the vision of our forefather Jesse Fell in providing our University community, as well as the communities that surround us with an opportunity to experience a unique and diverse plant collection that is conducive to the studies of botany, horticulture and forestry, in an environmentally sounds and sustainable manner.
Our Mission
The Fell Arboretum is committed to collecting diverse species of trees and other plants integrated with art and architecture on the campus of Illinois State University with the principal goal being to sustain a living laboratory as both an educational resource and an aesthetic experience. We also strive to incorporate and promote environmentally safe and sustainable practices in order to preserve and protect that which has been given to us.
