By David Markham

Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, recently became the first park in the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, and only the fourth in Kansas, to be accredited as an arboretum through ArbNet’s Arboretum Accreditation Program.

The accreditation applies to the entire park. The designation is valid for five years after which it can be renewed every five years.

JCPRD Urban Forestry Supervisor Daniel Ohmes, a 15-year veteran of JCPRD, has already begun work towards getting Meadowbrook Park, 9101 Nall Ave., Prairie Village, accredited, including inventorying trees, ordering tree tags and hoping the park can be designated as JCPRD’s second arboretum in time for blooms.

Other sites discussed for future accreditation include the Sertoma Trail located south of the Theatre in the Park and all of Shawnee Mission Park located at 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee and Lenexa.

The other four current accredited arboretums in Kansas are: the Douglas County Fairgrounds Arboretum; the Kansas Forest Service Demonstration Arboretum and Honor Grove in Manhattan; Lawrence Rotary Arboretum; and South Park in Lawrence.

ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta and tree-focused professionals.

David Markham is a communications specialist at the Johnson County Park and Recreation District