The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum will continue growing under a new name, keeping the same roots.
The non-profit—which oversees a network of over 100 arboretum sites, parks, and public landscapes across Nebraska—will now go by “PlantNebraska,” a name the organization say better reflects the it’s evolving work.
“We’ve grown a lot in what we do,” Hanna Pinneo, executive director, told KLIN News. “We offer grants to install gardens and trees, community consulting, and tons of education. The ‘Nebraska Statewide Arboretum’ name didn’t represent the full breadth of everything we do.”
Founded in 1978, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum was established as a public/private partnership with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources to create arboretums across the state where trees could be planted, researched, and enjoyed.
PlantNebraska
It did just that. 48 years later, Nebraska’s arboretum network stands at 110 administered sites, stretching from Scottsbluff to Brownville and everywhere in between.
PlantNebraska offers three main grant programs: Trees for Nebraska Towns; Greener Towns; and Urban and Community Forestry Grants. Over the last 30 years, more than $10 million in grant funds have been distributed to communities across the state. Each year, the organization partners with dozens of communities to plant more than 1,000 trees in public landscapes.
Despite a new name, logo, website, and visual identity, Pinneo says the organization’s mission and programs will stay grounded in tradition.
“We’re looking ahead to our 50th anniversary, so it was a good time for us to refresh the vibe that we have at PlantNebraska,” said Pinneo. “We still are a member-oriented organization. But we wanted to give present a new look and appeal for people who maybe weren’t familiar with Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.”
Pinneo and the PlantNebraska Board of Directors hope the pruning will help build momentum for more members, volunteers and community partners to join in the work of planting Nebraska.
For more information, visit plantnebraska.org.