The Arboretum is home to about 200 trees of 72 different species, with specimens whose native habitats range
from places as varied as China, Japan, India, Austria, and Morocco. It has been a treasure valued
by the community of Orem since its inception. Besides demonstrating landscaping possibilities, the Arboretum’s
trees provide citizens cleaner air, regulate soil and water health, and provide shade and beauty for the public.
In turn, the Arboretum is nurtured by its community. Along with a dedicated urban forester responsible for the
trees’ care, various clubs and community groups have for years supplemented the Arboretum with additional
plantings. The Golden K Kiwanis club based from the Orem Senior Friendship Center, along with elementary school
classes, the Girl and Boy Scouts of America and other Orem citizens, have donated the trees and offered their
services to plant them on the grounds. In this way, the Arboretum serves as a vital connection to nature,
reminding us of both the benefits these trees grant us and our responsibility to care for the natural world.
James G. Stratton purchases 37 acres north and east of Center and State Streets to cultivate as a pear orchard. At one point, Stratton was the largest grower of apples, peaches and strawberries in the state, and while this particular lot was eventually sold to the city, the Stratton family has continued to operate orchards and fruit stands in Orem for over a hundred years.
Orem buys the land from the Stratton family for the construction of a City Hall and Park, also building a post office and library on the land. The home which the Strattons had built on the property was used as a City Hall until 1970, when it was moved to its current home on 870 W Center Street, where it has been converted into an office building.
The rapid growth of Orem necessitates the use of the City Park as a “trailer city”, temporarily housing over 1,600 construction and steel workers, drawn by the then booming Geneva Steel Plant. At this time, the park was the most densely populated part of the city.
The Orem City Council approves the official creation of an Arboretum at the City Center Park.
The initial tree plantings will occur in 1982, with the trees costing $9,730, the equivalent of over $29,000
today. While many of these same trees are still standing today, new specimens continue to be planted to
augment and provide variety to the Arboretum.
Orem City is first declared a “Tree City USA”. This designation is granted by the Arbor Day Foundation and requires a city to take legal responsibility for trees owned by the city, have designated guidelines for tree care, and a community forestry program. Orem has now maintained its status as a “Tree City” for over 30 years, and its Arbor Day celebrations are frequently held at the Arboretum.
The first cement plaques identifying the trees were made for an Eagle Scout Service project by a local Boy Scout troup, but had weathered and many sadly broke over the years. So in 2025, new above-ground plaques were added to the Arboretum, building on the previous versions by providing a link to a webpage containing more information collected by UVU Botany students to serve as an educational resource for the community. Learn more about this project below!
The city of Orem is home to more than twenty public parks, from Mount Timpanogos Park at the mouth of Provo
Canyon to Springwater Park near Utah Lake.
Together, Orem’s parks cover more than 450 acres. They
feature
trails,
playgrounds, sports fields and educational walks, as well as playing host to numerous cultural festivals. Our
popular parks include the historic Nielsen’s Grove, which features a greenhouse, pond and fountain, and which
may be the oldest park in Utah; the versatile City Center Park, which includes six baseball fields, the Orem
City Arboretum, and an all-abilities playground; and Scera Park, which is the home of the Scera Shell outdoor
theater, a pool, and a nine hole disc golf course.
Utah Valley University helps train the next generation of botanists in our community through the B.S. Botany degree program. Dr. Ashley N. Egan is an associate professor at UVU where she teaches General Biology, Conservation Biology, and various Botany courses. Dr. Egan developed the Plant Education Walk learning model that incorporates project-based, service-learning pedagogy to teach about native plants across multiple UVU botany courses. This learning model has garnered Dr. Egan and her students lasting community partnerships as well as multiple grants and awards. The Orem City Plant Discovery Trail was initiated through this learning model. With Orem City as a partner, this learning process and community involved students from multiple UVU courses, contributing in different ways:
Utah Native Trees & Shrubs (BOT 2050) students confirm IDs, research and collate information into digital plant profiles, and create 1+ learning activities for the public.
A Digital Media team of UVU senior web design and development students work with faculty mentors to create tree profiles and interactive features for the public on the website.
Conservation Biology (BIOL 3800) students work to create larger-scale learning activities that teach broad concepts such as conservation, stewardship, human impacts, etc.
Dr. Egan & Community partners design and create physical signs that include common and scientific names, plant family, a line drawing, and scannable QR code linked to web profiles that are installed along the chosen path for a permanent installation that benefits the community, UVU, students, and learning.
Utah Native Trees & Shrubs (BOT 2050) students confirm IDs, research and collate information into digital plant profiles, and create 1+ learning activities for the public.
A Digital Media team of UVU senior web design and development students work with faculty mentors to create tree profiles and interactive features for the public on the website.
Conservation Biology (BIOL 3800) students work to create larger-scale learning activities that teach broad concepts such as conservation, stewardship, human impacts, etc.
Dr. Egan & Community partners design and create physical signs that include common and scientific names, plant family, a line drawing, and scannable QR code linked to web profiles that are installed along the chosen path for a permanent installation that benefits the community, UVU, students, and learning.
2024 Botany Researchers
2025 Conservation Researchers
2024-2025 Digital Media Students (& Faculty)
References
