Home / Environment / Historic Springfield Unveils Arboretum & Expert-Led Tree Tours
Historic Springfield Unveils Arboretum & Expert-Led Tree Tours
16 Mar
Summary
- Initiative interprets Florida's environmental heritage through historic trees.
- Features 90-minute guided walks with regional experts on urban biodiversity.
- Permanent tree tags and QR codes create a self-guided arboretum.
Springfield Preservation and Revitalization is launching the Historic Springfield TreeWalks and Springfield Arboretum initiative in Jacksonville. This program aims to interpret Florida's environmental heritage by focusing on the ecological and architectural history of the city's oldest neighborhood.
Funded by Florida Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and The Mosaic Company, the initiative transforms the Springfield Historic District into a living classroom. It features four quarterly 90-minute walking tours led by specialists, with a limit of 30 participants per session to encourage dialogue.
In addition to the tours, 35 permanent tree identification tags will be installed to establish the Springfield Arboretum, spanning one square mile. Each tag will provide tree information and a QR code linking to digital content in English and Spanish. This project is the first of its kind in Duval County.
Executive director Michael Haskins highlighted the connection between the neighborhood's trees and its historic character. The free, public tours and the digital arboretum map are accessible via the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization website.
