Northeastern University’s Boston Campus Has Officially Been Recognized as an Arboretum

BOSTON, MA – Northeastern University’s Boston campus has officially been recognized as an arboretum by ArbNet, a nonprofit dedicated to helping create and conserve arboreta around the world.

“I was gleeful when I found out,” says Chuck Doughty, who oversees landscaping for Northeastern. “I couldn’t wait to spread the news.”

Doughty, who is the program director of landscaping grounds at Northeastern, says that Northeastern is now the only university in Boston to have an arboretum on its campus. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is located in the Jamaica Plain and Roslindale sections of Boston.

Doughty, who has been working for two years to have Northeastern recognized as an arboretum, has helped transform the Boston campus into an urban oasis. More than 1,400 individual trees, representing 143 different species, shelter the walkways between buildings and surround the open green spaces.

The land on which much of the campus is built was surrounded by waterways that were filled in during the 19th century. It was a challenge, Doughty says, to find trees that could survive in this man-made environment. Digging a hole into the densely packed fill creates a cup that can trap water around the roots of a tree. To thrive, trees needed to be able to tolerate moisture and occasional flooding, but also handle bouts of dryness.

“Through trial and error, we’ve found species that work,” says Doughty.

To be accredited, an arboretum needs to have a strategic plan, a governing board, public programming, and an inventory of every tree and woody plant on the grounds. Northeastern’s Boston campus was named a level two arboretum, which means that it met this criteria, in addition to having more than 100 different species of trees, a policy that documents how the trees are maintained and acquired, and educational programming for the public.  

Northeastern will be required to host Arbor Day ceremonies, create an online database containing information about the trees on campus, and organize community service events.

“It’s really exciting,” said Doughty. “This is a great opportunity to give back to the community.”

Featured

  • ALAS Announces 2025–26 Award Winners

    The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) recently announced the winners of its 2025–26 leadership awards, according to a news release. Winners will be recognized at the ALAS 22nd National Summit on Education, scheduled for Oct. 15–17 in Chicago, Ill.

  • CSU Pueblo Installs Solar-Powered Charging Benches

    Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) recently announced that it has installed four solar-powered charging benches from Bluebolt Outdoor, LLC, according to a news release.

  • Case Study Highlights Texas District’s Campus Security Upgrades

    The Taft Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently partnered with Intech Southwest Services to revamp its campus security technology system, according to a news release. Intech has released a case study on its website detailing the process that advanced the district’s technology by more than 20 years in less than three weeks.

  • Creating Long-Term Sustainability on College Campuses Through Fair Student Housing

    The quality of student housing can have a significant impact on an individual’s college experience. Today’s higher education institutions face mounting challenges, including declining enrollment, low retention rates between the first and second years, and a rise in student mental health concerns. Thoughtfully designed living spaces can help address these issues by creating environments that promote both academic focus and personal well-being.

Digital Edition