Located in central Chesapeake, the Chesapeake Arboretum is a 48-acre natural classroom which works to promote horticultural and environmental awareness. This beautiful natural setting includes various displays and nurtures learning through education and research. The arboretum was dedicated at its current site in 1996. It features one of Virginia’s best trail systems, which winds through a mature hardwood forest full of several varieties of trees and plants. The Chesapeake Arboretum prioritizes environmental consciousness by instructing, promoting, and embodying a “green mindset”. They also regularly host training and educational programs for schools and civic groups. Some reasons why our Virginia adoption agents enjoy trips to the Chesapeake Arboretum include:
Arboretum Amenities
The park is full of beautiful natural and manmade features for you to enjoy, including:
- Eight bridges
- Approximately 3 miles of hiking and walking trails
- A three-acre lake called Lake Hughes
- Caleb Williamson Farm House
- Picnic area with tables
- Propagation Nursery
- Large parking area
- Master Gardener area with greenhouse
This combination of natural elements and manmade structures strikes the perfect balance between nature and civilization.
Urban Forestry Groups
Many local Urban Forestry groups use the Arboretum as their training ground. This space is the perfect example of how a green infrastructure can improve the quality of life by diminishing the ecological setbacks of land development. The Chesapeake Arboretum provides many significant social, aesthetic, functional, economic, and recreational benefits to citizens. They also host several recreational activities, including owl prowls, star gazing, bird watching, and much more.
History
The Caleb Williamson Farmhouse will be a delight for history buffs visiting the Arboretum. The farmhouse was first inhabited by the Williamson family around 1844, but was most likely built sometime in the 18th century. It also likely belonged to other branches of the Williamson family, including the McCoys and Carsons. Porter McCoy Williamson was the last family member to occupy the farmhouse. You can also find the Williamson family cemetery nearby, several hundred yards south of the farmhouse on the western side of Oak Grove Road, right across from the Tree Propagation Nursery.
Self-Guided Tree Walk
When you take a walk along the three miles of trails at the Arboretum, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about and identify a wide variety of tree species. Many trees are labeled with their common and Latin names which makes identification easy. During the fall, you’ll find trees like the Paw-Paw and Fig which produce fruit. In the spring, you’ll find the Stewartia grove and its magnificently beautiful flowers.
Volunteering
If you’re looking to get involved and help keep the Chesapeake Arboretum beautiful and clean, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities there. The arboretum would not be able to operate without the help of volunteers. You can either register as a group or as an individual volunteer.
