Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville To Be Dedicated As Certified Mississippi Arboretum

A new outdoor educational and conservation resource in the Mississippi Delta will be officially celebrated with the dedication of the Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville, located on the campus of Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center (DREC). The dedication ceremony will be held Thursday, September 24, at 10:30 a.m. on the DREC campus in front of the B.F. Smith Building. Everyone is invited.

The arboretum is a collaborative project of the Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club and Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center (DREC), created to showcase Mississippi’s native trees while providing a place for education, conservation, research, and community enjoyment. The site also complements the existing rose garden established and maintained by the MSU Extension Master Gardeners of Washington County, adding to the variety of horticultural and educational resources available to visitors.

The Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville has now earned certification through the Mississippi Urban Forest Council and becomes part of the Mississippi Arboreta Trail, a statewide initiative designed to establish and recognize arboreta in communities across Mississippi. The Mississippi Urban Forest Council has certified arboreta in the state for decades, using standards intended to promote sound forestry practices, public education and long-term stewardship.

“This is something our Garden Club has dreamed about and worked toward for quite some time, and seeing it become a certified arboretum is incredibly rewarding,” said Kay Boone, President of the Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club. “We wanted to create more than a collection of trees. We wanted to create a place where people can walk, learn, bring their children and grandchildren, and gain a greater appreciation for the beautiful native trees that are such an important part of the Mississippi Delta. This arboretum is truly a community project, and we are grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.”

Located in Stoneville in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, DREC is Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s largest branch experiment station and the center for Extension activities in the Delta. Its work combines agricultural research and Extension outreach with an emphasis on helping growers while protecting the Delta’s environment and natural resources.

“We are proud to provide a home for the Deer Creek Arboretum,” said Dr. Jeff Gore, Center Head at the Delta Research and Extension Center. “Education and stewardship of our natural resources are important to the Land Grant mission of MSU, and the arboretum gives us another way to connect with the public. We look forward to watching these trees mature and seeing the arboretum become a resource for students, families, educators, landowners and visitors throughout the Delta.”

A Living Classroom for the Mississippi Delta

Unlike arboreta that emphasize ornamental or exotic species, the Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville focuses primarily on trees native to Mississippi and the Lower Delta. The collection includes more than 30 native tree and large shrub species representing the region’s bottomland hardwood forests, upland woodlands and other familiar landscapes.

Among the species represented are Little Gem magnolia, American holly, weeping yaupon, bald cypress, pecan, southern magnolia, sweetbay magnolia, river birch, red maple, tulip poplar, eastern redbud, roughleaf dogwood, pawpaw, serviceberry and Chickasaw plum, along with a diverse collection of native oaks.

The arboretum was intentionally designed as a living classroom. As it develops, interpretive signage and educational programming will help visitors identify native trees, understand their ecological benefits and learn ways to incorporate native species into home landscapes and community green spaces.

The collection also highlights the important relationship between native trees, pollinators and wildlife. Many of its species provide nectar, pollen, fruit or habitat for native bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, songbirds and other wildlife.

Part of a Growing Statewide Effort

Certification places the Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville within a broader effort to expand the Mississippi Arboreta Trail and create accessible places where residents and visitors can experience and learn about Mississippi’s natural environment.

The Mississippi Urban Forest Council describes the trail as a statewide initiative that supports community improvement, environmental education, tourism and economic development.

“Where trees are planted, communities grow,” said Donna Yowell, Executive Director of the Mississippi Urban Forest Council. “We are excited to welcome the Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville to the Mississippi Arboreta Trail and to support their efforts in creating a destination that benefits both residents and visitors.”

The Council’s certification program establishes standards for Mississippi arboreta, including public accessibility, tree identification and appropriate management practices. The statewide Mississippi Arboreta Trail initiative has also received support through the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to expand the number of certified arboreta across the state.

The Deer Creek Arboretum At Stoneville will continue to grow over time, with additional educational signage, programming and opportunities for community involvement planned. Organizers envision the site becoming an increasingly valuable destination for education, research and recreation while encouraging future generations to appreciate and preserve the native trees that help define the Mississippi Delta.

For more information about the Mississippi Arboreta Trail, visit: www.msurbanforest.com.