The Arnold Arboretum’s living collections are celebrated as one of the most comprehensive and best documented of their kind in the world. “Harvard’s Tree Museum,” like any other museum, requires unique oversight and management to ensure the long-term preservation of its collections. Governance of the collections is established by the institution’s Collections Policy, a document that plays a role in decisions including acquisition and disposal, documentation, and maintenance of the plants.
Landscape and collections care is performed by horticultural professionals under the guidance of a Landscape Management Plan.
Curatorial procedures—including those related to records, nomenclature, mapping, inventory field checks, and plant labels—are the product of continuous refinement and have become models for other institutions.
The Arnold Arboretum Expedition Tool Kit is a compilation of knowledge and experience from plant collectors for plant collectors and includes references to specific resources necessary for a successful expedition.
Tried-and-true propagation and distribution methods ensure new and historic plant material is successfully grown and shared with like-minded botanical and horticultural institutions.