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, Saturday, June 17 at 11 am.

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 11am, Saturday, June 17 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 is a repeat of the June 14 tour.)

“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.