Comox's Filberg Park got international recognition for for achieving professional standards essential to the development of and management of tree-focused parks worldwide. 

The town of Comox and the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association are proud to announce that Filberg Park has been awarded level 1 arboretum accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. The park is now listed in the Morton Register of Arboreta, and is one of six parks in Canada on the list. It joins the Parksville Community Park Arboretum and Gardens in Parksville, as well as the Fryfogel Arboretum in Stratford, Ont., the University of Guelph Arboretum in Guelph, Ont., the Mount Pleasant Cemetary in Toronto, Ont. and Montreal Botanical Garden鈥檚 Arboretum in Quebec. The database includes botanical gardens that are devoted to trees and the dedication to the study of and conservation of woody plants.

"This designation highlights the Town of Comox and Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association鈥檚 shared commitment to preserving and enhancing this place for education, conservation and community enjoyment," a release from the Town of Comox says.

鈥淭his accreditation is an example of collaborative efforts to preserve the natural beauty of Filberg Park and inventory all the plants,鈥� said Comox Mayor, Nicole Minions. 鈥淚t acknowledges the ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance this space as an ecological resource, ensuring it remains a treasured destination for both residents and visitors to our community.鈥� 

Filberg Park is a Level 1 arboretum, which is the first level of accreditation on the Morton Register. Level 1 arboreta have to have an arboretum plan, an organizational or governance group, over 25 kinds of labelled trees and woody plants, and to have either volunteers or paid staff, as well as public access and at least one event per year. Level 2 arboreta have 100-plus types of plants, paid management, enhanced programming and a collections policy. Level 3 arboreta have over 500 taxonomic plant groups, a curator, substantial programming, and tree science, planting and conservation activities. Finally, the level 4 facilities have all of the previous requirements, as well as a scientific staff. The only level 4 arboretum in Canada is the University of Guelph Arboretum.

鈥淩eceiving level 1 arboretum accreditation from ArbNet is a significant achievement for Filberg Park and a testament to our shared commitment with the Town of Comox to conservation, education and community engagement,鈥� said Linda Trevor, Executive Director of Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association. 鈥淭his recognition reflects the hard work of our team to preserve and enhance the Park鈥檚 natural heritage for future generations.  

The Town of Comox and the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association partnered to create a vibrant arboretum at Filberg Park. This initiative includes completing an up-to-date plant inventory detailing species, plant family, origin, and, where possible, age. The arboretum serves as an educational tool, a conservation effort, and a place of tranquility for the public to enjoy. 

out the new mapping inventory by visiting, .