International award for Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum

Administered through the Morton Arboretum, Chicago, OBGHA have joined a select group of international arboreta to receive Level IV status, as part of ArbNet, which promotes arboreta which work in scientific, collections, or conservation activity.

The award is in part a recognition of OBGHA’s their partnership with the Wondo Genet College Arboretum in Ethiopia and the Global Trees Campaign. The Oxford team has helped the arboretum in Ethiopia to develop a conservation scheme for rare and endangered endemic tree species.

Ben Jones, Curator at the Harcourt Arboretum, said: 'We are delighted to have received this rare accreditation.

It will provide a boost to our work with our partner institutions, locally, nationally and internationally, including in Ethiopia, in which we are helping Wondo Genet College Arboretum to establish and maintain conservation collections of endangered trees and important ecosystems which are found in Ethiopia’s rich biodiversity.'