President Leo M. Lambert recently signed a resolution designating the Elon University campus as a botanical garden, and the university also received a local beautification award in recognition of its aesthetic beauty.
The botanical garden designation means Elon’s campus landscape will serve as a model for stewardship of the environment and the conservation of plants. The campus landscape will be used as an educational resource, with an expanded diversity of plants and interactive displays. Tom Flood, superintendent of landscaping and grounds, says the designation will also provide important botanical and environmental information to the public and facilitate research opportunities for scholars and students. Status as a botanical garden will help the university qualify for grants and gifts related to landscaping and bring additional recognition to Elon’s 575-acre campus.
The botanical garden designation coincides with Elon’s recent acceptance as a member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA).
Elon’s campus recently received local recognition with the Annual Area Award for Beautification, presented by the Alamance Beautiful Commission.
The Area Beautification Award recognizes landscapes throughout Alamance County that are distinctive for their design, unique collection of plants and contribution to the aesthetic beauty of the region.