Linda T. Collins Arboretum
History Behind The Linda T. Collins Arboretum
In 2011, UTC was certified as a Level II Arboretum by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. This required 60-80 distinct tree species, labeled by both their scientific and common names, in addition to a map showing their locations, all of which were publicly available.
Tom Ellis of Facilities, Management, and Planning had the initial idea in the 1990s. From there, Linda Collins, a former professor of the Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science department, took the initiative and created UTC’s Landscape Committee, serving as chairperson for thirteen years while closely working with Dr. Hill Craddock to identify and label trees on campus.
In 2016, UTC officially renamed its arboretum the Linda T. Collins Arboretum in honor of her contributions during Arbor Day.
Since then, UTC now has over 2,000 trees and woody plants across its campus, with many students and faculty members maintaining and advocating for the Linda T. Collins Arboretum. UTC is up for its Level II recertification this March, with newly planted trees, labels, a GIS Map, and other educational material, all of which you can find in below
Have Questions?
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
What is an Arboretum?
"Guidelines define an arboretum as an area with a significant amount of woody vegetation in tree form that is cultivated for educational, scientific, or aesthetic purposes. To be certified, an arboretum must be open to the public, the trees must be properly labeled for educational purposes, and they must be properly protected and maintained during the period of certification.” - USDA Southern Region Extension Forestry.
GIS Map
Please click below for the current GIS map of the Linda T. Collins Arboretum!
Brochure
Please consider taking a look at our beautiful arboretum brochure!
Arboretum Information
- Arboretum Narrative 2026
View or print out the Arboretum Narrative
Get Involved: Preserve Our Trees!
- Chattanooga Tree Commission
- The Chattanooga Tree Commission is a 9-member advisory board established by the Chattanooga Tree Ordinance.
- Their duties include studying urban tree problems and making policy recommendations, educational outreach to citizens, reporting to city officials and the City Council, and hearing appeals of City Forester decisions.
- Meetings are open to the public and held on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.
https://chattanooga.gov/services/urban-forestry/tree-commission
- Chattanooga Tree Ordinance
- A tree ordinance is an official document with local laws regulating the planting, maintenance, and removal of trees.
- The Chattanooga Tree Ordinance is part of the City of Chattanooga, TN Code of Ordinances.
- The purpose of this ordinance is to “encourage the planting, preservation, and proper care of trees and tree canopy within the City of Chattanooga because of the unique social, economic, and environmental benefits they provide.”
https://library.municode.com/tn/chattanooga/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH32STSI_ARTXIIICHTROR
- Chattanooga Tree Project
- The Chattanooga Tree Project is a community-driven program dedicated to planting, caring for, and preserving trees across Chattanooga. Our goal is to ensure that every neighborhood has access to healthy trees and the many environmental benefits they provide.
- UTC students and faculty can support this mission by volunteering at tree-planting events, helping care for young trees, assisting with data collection, or participating in community outreach efforts.
Credits
- Students, Faculty, Programs, and Departments
This project was a collaboration between various campus entities, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science Department, Environmental Studies Program, and Facilities, Planning, and Management.