Our mission is to conserve and restore Arboretum lands, advance restoration ecology, and foster the land ethic.

Vision Statements



Administration: We pursue the highest levels of individual and collective achievement. This pursuit is enabled by administrators who serve as effective ambassadors to our colleagues, friends, and neighbors; generate adequate resources for our programs; encourage innovative problem solving; facilitate collaborative efforts; inspire peak individual effort; and recognize and reward outstanding individual and team performance.



Land Care: Our collections of ecological communities and horticultural plantings illustrate exemplary land management practices and are a valuable resource for research, teaching, and outreach.



Organizational Climate: We work as an integrated team in an organizational climate that embraces lifelong learning; draws on the experiences and expertise of all team members; and encourages respectful, collaborative efforts.



Outreach: Outreach informs citizens so that they will have the skills, ecological literacy, knowledge, and motivation to participate in a positive relationship with nature. UW-Madison Arboretum is recognized as a source for accurate information and as a model of participation in, and education about, restoration ecology and related natural history.



Research: The Arboretum is a leader in restoration research. We advance the discipline of restoration ecology and help to improve the practice of ecological restoration.