By The Leader Staff
Cypress Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park in the San Francisco Bay Area has recently earned Level I arboretum accreditation under Morton Arboretum’s international ArbNet program.
Accreditation signifies excellence in having a publicly accessible site with a minimum number of 25 species of trees or woody plants, along with a governing body, an arboretum plan, and staff or volunteers to ensure fulfillment of the plan.
Cypress Lawn is the first and only cemetery in the Bay Area to earn this accreditation.
“This is an important milestone for Cypress Lawn and speaks to the pride we take in preserving and promoting our 125-year history – with our timeless arboretum at the heart of it all. Our hope is that this accreditation will bring attention to our spectacular arboretum so as many people as possible can enjoy all it has to offer,” said Cypress Lawn President and CEO Robert Gordon Jr.
Cypress Lawn’s arboretum uniquely features trees indigenous to the Northeast, including the live oak, scrub oak, and a variety of pines. These are in addition to mature trees from all parts of the world, withawide array of North American, European, and Australian species. Each tree is labeled and documented, with scientists visiting from all over the world to study their growth.
Trees have always been a centerpiece at Cypress Lawn, dating back to its beginnings in 1892, when Founder William Hamden Noble brought in plant materials from around the world to create a stunning, park-like setting along the Bay Area peninsula.
With trees boasting decades and even a century of growth, Cypress Lawn ensures everyone access through their new docent-led public trolley tours, a free community service and educational experience made possible thanks to the Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation promotes educational and cultural activities to encourage the preservation and restoration of the arboretum, in addition to Cypress Lawn’s art and architecture.
Click here to find out more information about Cypress Lawn’s arboretum.
