For Georgia Tech, the campus arboretum is more than a designated area of trees. It is the entire campus. Walkways, quads, greens, and streetscapes are all part of a curated landscape carefully selected to thrive in an urban environment. It is also a place where memories are made, from everyday gatherings under the canopy to photos that capture an important milestone.  

“It would be great if the trees could talk, if our arboretum could tell stories,” Georgia Tech landscape architect Jason Gregory says. With trees on campus that are more than 100 years old, those stories could be history lessons about the Institute. 

Tech’s campus arboretum was recently recertified by ArbNet, the global network of tree professionals and tree collections organized for knowledge sharing, resources, and conservation. With more than 15,000 trees and over 130 species across campus — including two palm trees — the arboretum supports research, education, and preservation and provides public enjoyment. Environmental benefits include reducing heat, managing stormwater, improving air quality, increasing soil porosity, sequestering carbon, and supporting campus wildlife.  

Georgia Tech’s designation as a Level II Arboretum reflects its commitment to biodiversity and documenting its tree species, offering advanced educational and public programs, and maintaining policies for the inventory and care of its trees. This year marks a decade since Georgia Tech first earned arboretum certification. 

In 2023, Tech also received the Professional Grounds Management Society’s Green Star Grand Award with a 23% campus tree canopy. Today, nearly 30% of the campus is covered by tree canopy, creating a greener, cooler, and more welcoming environment while underscoring the Institute’s commitment to responsible landscape stewardship. 

“We have an interactive map online that allows users to explore the genus, species, height, and diameter of every tree on campus. The inventory process is a five-year cycle in which one zone of campus is inventoried each year,” says Annabelle Manville, a Living Campus Fellow for the Office of Sustainability. Gregory says the inventory data helps inform campus planning and support sustainability goals. 

As Georgia Tech looks to the future, the campus arboretum will serve as both a living laboratory and a shared campus treasure that connects people to place, past to present, and sustainability to daily life. Through thoughtful stewardship, ongoing research, and intentional care, the Institute’s trees will continue to shape the campus environment and the experiences of those who study, work, and gather beneath their canopy. Each tree adds another chapter to Georgia Tech’s story — one rooted in history, resilience, and a long-term commitment to a greener campus.