By, Kate Bartlett
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir.
Nannen Arboretum is a sanctuary for hundreds of trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, herbs and nature walks, just a short walk away from the hustle and bustle of main street. It is a peaceful place to take a walk or attend an event such as a wedding, celebration of life, or an educational program. The arboretum serves as a quiet getaway to nature in all seasons.
A paved path welcomes visitors and guides the way on a quarter mile loop around the park kiosks providing information for a self-guided tour. Informative tree signs provide botanical and cultural information along the way. It is a place for all ages too, as it is relatively a flat and safe place to walk and appreciate the beauty of nature.
Bill and Sadie Nannen donated the land to the Cornell Cooperative Extension – Cattaraugus County in 1958. In 1974-1976. John Ploetz, a retired tree expert from Davey Tree and then an intern at the extension, proposed developing an arboretum on the grounds and developed community support to make it happen. In 2013, the Cooperative Extension sold the property to the Town of Ellicottville and the Nannen Arboretum Society Inc. was created to maintain the arboretum grounds and provide fundraising efforts to secure its future.
Nan Miller and Pat Kerl are both retired Master Gardeners with the Cornell Cooperative Extension- Cattaraugus County and founding members of Nannen Arboretum Society, Inc. The society was incorporated in 2013 to maintain the arboretum grounds and provide fundraising efforts to secure its future. They both enjoy their active roles with the Arboretum, Nan is President and Pat is Treasurer.
“One of the most unique things about our arboretum,” says Pat “is the variety of oak trees. The oak tree is a very important tree to environmental diversity and ecology. The arboretum contains 40 oak trees of 10 different species. John Ploetz loved unique trees and brought some trees from his own property to the arboretum. As an example, John discovered the Cary Maple at the home of Mary Flagler Cary, now the Cary Arboretum. John took a cutting from the tree and had it propagated at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and eventually planted at the Nannen Arboretum. John had the tree patented for Mrs. Cary in 1965.”
In addition to appreciating a variety of trees, visitors can enjoy several features throughout the arboretum including the Carolyn Lowe Herb Garden, Northrup Nature Hall, Chapman Sanctuary, Japanese Garden including the pond and the stone garden, Pollinator Garden, Shrub Garden, and Al Cox Perennial Garden.
The Nannen Arboretum is a place to enjoy nature through all the seasons. In the spring, one can find flowering crabapples and other trees in bloom. Summer gives a rainbow of colors from the perennial and annual plants amongst many different shapes of tree leaves and bark. As summer folds into fall, the leaves changing from green to vibrant colors of yellow, red and orange. The Red Sugar Maple is a sight to be seen, as well as the foliage on the distant slopes in the background. As snow begins to fall in winter, visitors can appreciate the cold solitude along the lake, as well as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing through the arboretum.
Visitors will notice the grounds are incredibly well maintained. Nan and Pat are proud of the persistence of everyone in the Nannen Arboretum Society including members, volunteers, and board members. The Society is a not-for-profit and categorized as a charitable organization. They are responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the arboretum grounds. Volunteers meet every Monday morning to maintain and enhance the trees and perennial gardens. “Ellicottville is very civic minded and always ready to pitch in. We are grateful to have the support of this community and visitors alike.”
Nan and Pat’s favorite thing about working at the arboretum is the sense of community working with the other volunteers and interacting with the visitors strolling through the arboretum. “One of the best times is early morning when the fog is lifting from the pond and the ski slopes become visible in the distance. We also love watching the trees and the rest of the arboretum change with the seasons.”
Tours are available upon request, and last about 1 hour. They also host guest speakers and workshops throughout the year, generally on a quarterly basis. Watch for upcoming Tree & Shrub Workshops on June 4, and October 15, 2022.
The arboretum is a volunteer supported organization funded by donations. Readers can make a monetary donation of any amount in a secure donation box at the entrance to the arboretum, online or by mail. Memorial bricks for the “Celebration Walkway” are available for sale in 2 sizes. If interested, readers may choose to gift a tree or shrub from a pre-selected list, some native to the Western New York area. Benches are also available memorialized with a personal message and/or special name on a poly plaque.
For more information visit their website www.nannenarboretum.com email info@nannenarboretum.com mail to PO Box 1016, Ellicottville NY 14731 and follow them on social media @ Nannen Arboretum Society. To schedule weddings or events contact Scott Johnson 716-307-0927.