LEVEL ONE ARBORETUM

LOTS OF LEAVES

Gahanna’s new Creekside Arboretum is a space to explore and learn.

By Sarah Sole

Nature enthusiasts don’t have to travel far to discover a new adventure, courtesy of the City’s Parks & Recreation Department.”

Explorers can find the Creekside Arboretum, a levelone certified collection of 40 different species of trees, tucked within Creekside Park’s 3.5 acres (located at 117 Mill St.).

“We wanted it to be somewhere that people could easily access,” said City Forester Julie Predieri.

The space was accredited by Arbnet, part of the Morton Arboretum in the Chicago area, Predieri said. To achieve level-one arboretum certification, 25 labeled species of trees are required, a threshold reached prior to the start of the project.

Creekside Park, adjacent to Gahanna’s Creekside entertainment district, is one of the City’s most heavily used parks, Predieri said. Those shopping or enjoying dinner can visit the park, play in the creek, and now, wander through a botanical garden of trees.

While the city designed the space to be explored at a visitor’s leisure, the Parks & Recreation Department is also planning a more formal educational opportunity. Predieri said they plan to hold a grand opening with tours on May 8, in celebration of Arbor Day.

“We hope to continue offering tours a few times each year into the future,” she said.

Exploring the park at different times of the year will give visitors the opportunity to see the different characteristics of the trees, Predieri said. The City has installed signs near each tree, listing common and scientific names. Additionally, the signs feature QR codes for visitors to scan if they’d like to learn more about a particular species.

When determining the types of trees to include in the park, the City focused on species that could thrive in flooded areas, since the low-lying area is prone to that, Predieri said. The goal is to continue to plant in the area. While some of the trees are native to the region, others are native to Asia, she said.

“We did try to focus on Ohio trees,” Predieri said.

The smallest labeled tree is probably six feet in height, while the tallest is at least 70 feet in height, she said. Larger trees are likely more than 50 years old.

“There’s a big age range in what we have labeled,” Predieri said.

Most of the trees are close to paved trails in the park.

← Gahanna's new Creekside Arboretum features 40 different species of trees

Visitors will find a variety of oaks, and other species including Eastern Cottonwood and American Sycamore, she said.

Stephania Ferrell, Gahanna’s Director of Parks & Recreation, said watching the project evolve into a new attraction that will enhance the park and draw visitors has been exciting.

“It was an amazing feeling to be a part of that,” Ferrell said.

Time and effort were needed while creating the arboretum, due to its educational importance, she said.

“The arboretum provides a new, natural educational hub for the community,” she said.

While visitors can learn the scientific names of the trees they see, they’ll also be able to enjoy some impressive aesthetics.

Although the arboretum is located in the middle of the City just minutes from I-270, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in nature, enjoying the serenity.

“It’s a really cool space to take a walk and just get some fresh air, momentarily stepping away from your busy life,” she said. ♦