Formal research at The Holden Arboretum

Formal research at The Holden Arboretum began in 1991 and focused on breeding superior, woody ornamental plants for the landscape. However, Holden’s proximity to a large metropolitan area and our extensive natural areas make it ideally suited for studying the stress biology of urban-influenced forests, and trees in the urban landscape

The overall mission of Holden’s Science and Research Program is to understand

1) how plants and forests respond to natural and human-induced stresses, and

2) the mechanisms by which organisms and ecosystems tolerate such stresses.

Understanding how organisms and ecosystems respond to human-induced environmental changes (such as climate change, acid rain, and species invasions), and how organisms control ecosystem responses, is an important frontier in environmental science and one which Holden is uniquely suited to address.

Please visit the links below to learn more about our facilities and research staff.

• Research Facilities

• Research Staff