Starhill Forest Arboretum
TypePrivate arboretum
Location12000 Boy Scout Trail, Petersburg, Illinois
Area50 acres (20 ha)
Created1976
Operated byGuy Sternberg, Edie Sternberg
OpenBy appointment only
Websitehttps://starhillforest.com/wp1/

Starhill Forest Arboretum (50 acres (20 ha)) is a private arboretum located at 12000 Boy Scout Trail, Petersburg, Illinois.

History

The arboretum has been owned and operated by the Sternberg family (Edie Sternberg and Guy Sternberg) since 1976.[1][2] Old trees in the forested areas date to about 1850, and the oldest planted trees were started from seed in 1964 and transplanted from another location.[3]

The Sternbergs named it Starhill Forest, derived from their last name which means "star mountain" in German.[1][4]

In 1989, five additional acres were added to the south and was completed in 2002.[1] In 2015, the Catalpa House was acquired.[1]

The present-day arboretum has 50 acres (20 ha) and seven buildings, three ponds, numerous trails, and thousands of trees.[1]

Collection

Shaggy Ink Caps (Coprinus comatus)

The arboretum's primary scientific collection is a quercetum (oak collection) comprising one of the most comprehensive living reference collections for the genus in North America.[3][5][4] More than 200 other genera of woody plants are also available for study, as well as native forest areas, herb and perennial landscapes, a native prairie garden, several provenance tests, aquatic areas, and conifer plantations. The arboretum contains approximately 2500 accessioned woody taxa and 60 species of spontaneous woody plants.[2]

Permanent records include provenance information, propagation method and year, and mapped location within the arboretum.[3]

Activities

Starhill Forest Arboretum is a Level III ArbNet accredited arboretum.[2] It was one of the first 1,000 arboreta worldwide to achieve certification.[5]

In October 2008, Starhill Forest became the official arboretum of Illinois College.[6][7] The agreement created a trust and endowment to care for the arboretum.[4][8] The arboretum has hosted college interns during the summer since 2002.[9][4] Field trips, classes, tours, and volunteer opportunities are also available to the students.[9]

As it is a private residence, there are currently no regular visiting hours. Guided tours and lectures are available by scheduling an appointment.[10] Volunteers are welcome.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "History – Starhill Forest Arboretum". Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  2. 1 2 3 "Arbnet | Starhill Forest Arboretum". arbnet.org. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  3. 1 2 3 "Starhill Forest Arboretum". 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Young, Chris (2008-11-03). "Agreement ensures future of Starhill Forest Arboretum". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  5. 1 2 "Starhill Forest Arboretum Tours". International Oak Society. 2020-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  6. ↑ "Illinois College – Starhill Forest Arboretum". Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  7. ↑ "Starhill Forest Arboretum | Illinois College". www.ic.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  8. 1 2 Young, Chris (2009-06-05). "Arboretum needs helping hands". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  9. 1 2 "Starhill Forest Arboretum provides natural learning environment | Illinois College". www.ic.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  10. ↑ "Plan Your Visit – Starhill Forest Arboretum". Retrieved 2023-10-13.

39°56.1′N 89°48.1′W / 39.9350°N 89.8017°W / 39.9350; -89.8017


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