The Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus engages the strengths of the academic mission of the university by providing a living learning laboratory for students, visitors and the local community to study in a natural and aesthetically pleasing environment.  The university arboretum strives to provide a welcome connection with the natural world, offering opportunities for teaching, research, conservation, public education and recreation. 

The Southern Illinois University Carbondale Arboretum is located in one of the most diverse regions for natural hardwood forests in the United States.  Visitors are urged to explore our 1,200-acre campus landscape which contains 5,187 living trees in our inventory including 72 genera and 155 species.  Six tree identification tours have been designed to promote the Arboretum, and to protect it for future generations by building a diverse and engaged community of students, donors, volunteers and advocates.  Visit our designated tree selection tours to learn more.