Montana Arboretum invites public to summer tour series

MISSOULA, Mont. — The State of Montana Arboretum Committee is hosting a second guided tour of the 2023 Arboretum Summer Tour Series, “The Benefits of Trees.”

The tour will take place at the State of Montana Arboretum at the University of Montana campus June 14 at 6 p.m. and June 17 at 11 a.m.

Weeknight tours will also be available for the first time this summer through October, according to the Arboretum Committee.

Missoula experts will lead different themed tours of the arboretum on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

The remaining tour dates are as follows:

• July 12 and 15
• Aug. 16 and 19
• Sept. 13 and 16
• Oct. 4 and 7

Trees for Missoula released the following information:

The State of Montana Arboretum Committee invites the public to its second tour of the 2023 Arboretum Summer Tour Series, “The Benefits of Trees” at the State of Montana Arboretum (SoMA) – University of Montana, Wednesday, June 14 at 6 pm. This guided tour will repeat on Saturday, June 17 at 11 am.

The Arboretum Committee is offering a weeknight tour option for the first time this summer. Each month through October, SoMA will host a different themed tour of the arboretum guided by various experts from the Missoula community on a Wednesday evening and following Saturday morning. The remaining tours are scheduled for July 12 & 15; August 16 & 19; Sept 13 & 16; Oct 4 & 7.

This month, the community is invited to join a leisurely walk and guided tour through the arboretum at the University of Montana campus. The tour, “The Benefits of Trees”, will be guided by arboretum committee members Jamie Kirby, Montana DNRC State Urban and Community Forester and Karen Sippy, Trees for Missoula Volunteer Executive Director. The tour will begin at 6pm, Wednesday, June 14 at The Root, SoMA’s interpretive site located west of the University Center and north of Main Hall. (The tour should last 1-1.5 hours and repeats Saturday, June 17 at 11 am.)

“Trees serve in so many different ways,” Jamie Kirby explains, “We want to show how people can select a tree that works for them, in function and performance.” Karen Sippy adds, “It’s important to be mindful while choosing a tree for its many positive attributes and strategically planting in your landscape. Your tree will not only provide direct benefits to you but also to your neighborhood and greater community.”

The University of Montana campus arboretum was officially established in 1933 by the Forestry School. With 1,200 trees of 55 species, the arboretum was planted in a 100-foot-wide strip, from Kirkwood Grove to the modern-day tennis courts. In 1991, nearly 60 years later, the UM campus in Missoula was formally declared the State of Montana Arboretum. Today, the trees at the arboretum now number nearly 2,200 with more than 250 species. Learn about arboretum trees and woody shrubs through a series of themed tours this summer.