Submitted story
Originally named Greenwood Cemetery, the 70-plus acre parcel located in Urbana, Ohio, was rededicated as Oak Dale Cemetery on July 19, 1856.
At the dedication, Reverend James F. Chalfaut remarked:
“There is a natural sentiment in the bosom of man, as a general rule, strong in proportion to his cultivation and refinement, that, after life’s silver chord has been loosed, his resting place may be in some quiet sequestered retreat, removed at a proper distance from the hustle and conflicts of active life, when he may not be jostled in his narrow house; but where the emblems of truth and divinity may surround him, in all their native simplicity and grandeur. Where God breathes through the leaves of the undisturbed forest trees and smiles in the blooming flower! Such a place may this be!”
In 2020, to recognize the lifelong compassion for nature and its bounty, which was shared by an Urbana native, Karen Kerns Dresser, in honor of her parents, Edmund H. Kerns and Kathryn Strapp Kerns, the city received a generous donation from her estate to be used solely for the purchase and planting of trees in Oak Dale Cemetery.
In appreciation of this generous gift and honoring the roots of its origin, the City of Urbana pursued and was awarded a Level 1 accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity and professionalism.
With this accreditation, we are proud to introduce Greenwood Arboretum at Oak Dale Cemetery; developed through the City of Urbana’s Council Resolution No. 2590-20; the collaborative efforts of our Shade Tree Commission; the Oak Dale Cemetery Board; and City Administration.
The focus of this initiative is to preserve and embrace the unique history of the cemetery as well as provide a place for the community to engage with nature while paying tribute to the many tree specimens from the native forests of a by-gone era. What better way to spotlight this effort than to be recognized by The Morton Arboretum through their ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Process.
Having Greenwood Arboretum available to the community, residents and visitors can tour the grounds and observe and study the diverse range of native trees in a natural picturesque setting. Visitors have the opportunity to see trees that were prevalent when Urbana was founded in 1805.
Being able to see a former State Champion Post Oak (Quercua stellata), with a DBH exceeding 46 inches, towering over burial sites in section 23 is an impressive sight to behold. A 40 inches DBH Amur Cork tree (Phellodendron amurense), welcomes visitors to section 69, the notable Carolina Silver Bell (Helesia Carolina) gracing section 66, and a hardy specimen of an Ohio Buckeye tree (Aesculus glabra) provide an outline for the vast array of trees throughout the cemetery/arboretum.
Other notable native species still thriving within the property include but not limited to a variety of majestic oaks, stately hickory, stalwart maple, hardy beech, and catalpa, along with sassafras, elm, with a spattering of dogwood, redbud, and flowering crabapple throughout. Being recognized as a Tree City USA for 22 years, Urbana has embraced a long-standing appreciation for nurturing and expanding its tree population.
Visitors can observe nature at its finest, witnessing a wide array of wildlife, birds and pollinators which depend on this natural environment to provide them shelter and food. In collaboration with ODNR’s Division of Forestry, and our regional forester, Alistair Reynolds, Greenwood Arboretum will also provide a source for local tree enthusiasts to train and practice the proper techniques for tree pruning and maintenance, and will serve as a local destination for community outreach.
Submitted by the city of Urbana
