Brought to you by

The Newport Tree Society of Newport, Rhode Island

Our first Newport Tree Walk map is now available online – scroll down to the map below, or click here to download a printable version of the Colonial Tree Walk. To learn more about the fascinating history behind Newport’s urban forest, the goals behind the creation of these tree walks, and how you can help support this program, please read on…

Newport, “One Vast Arboretum”

At the height of the Gilded Age, ‘Tree Hunters’ loaded newfound specimens from across the globe onto ships bound for New England. Carefully propagated at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, young saplings quickly found their way to the mansions and villas springing up along Bellevue Avenue.

Newport gardeners planted these rare trees on grand landscapes designed by legends such as Frederick Law Olmsted and Ernest Bowditch.

Today, thanks to these aging giants which count among our nation’s most magnificent specimen trees, our city can be aptly described as….

“…one vast arboretum.” – Richard Champlin, Trees of Newport, 1976

Newport Tree Walks

The Newport Tree Society is creating a ‘necklace’ of five to seven Tree Walk loops, including maps and supporting materials. Our first walk, The Colonial Tree Walk, begins at the Museum of Newport History (click on the map to view a printable PDF file):

Sponsor a Tree Walk

Corporate and private sponsors are sought for each tree walk. Sponsors will be highlighted on our website and on all printed materials. Please see our sponsorship page for more information

Tree Walk Advisors

The Tree Walks are designed under the guidance of a group of local tree experts, including:

• Harry Eudenbach – Professional gardener, with an extensive knowledge of Newport’s historic landscapes and the gardeners who cared for them
  
• Tim Brown – RI-DEM Licensed Arborist; RI Certified Horticulturist, Owner, T.J. Brown Landscaping, Inc.
• Robert Currier – ISA Certified Arborist; CRMC Certified Invasives Manager; RI Certified Horticulturist; Manager, T.J. Brown Landscaping, Inc.
• Scott Wheeler – ISA Certified Arborist; Newport Tree & Parks Supervisor (Tree Warden)
• Kristyn Woodland – RI Certified Horticulturist; NOFA Accredited Land Care Professional; CRMC Certified Invasives Manager; Manager, T.J Brown Landscaping, Inc.

Arbor Tourism in Newport

Rarely does an urban environment combine all of the cultural attractions of a city with natural beauty on a grand scale. Even more rare is to find this beauty woven in and out of city streetscapes, as our most venerable trees are.

Newport is blessed with an historic harbor, a romantic, rocky coastline, sandy beaches, historic parkscapes, and a wildlife refuge. The greater island area offers unparalleled agritourism in the form of orchards, vineyards and farms. We have just scratched the surface of the educational and economic possibilities offered by ecotourism programs in and around Newport.

The Newport Tree Society proposes that a robust Arbor Tourism & Education program should be a cornerstone in the ongoing effort to use our resources wisely: acting as stewards of our natural environment, educating our citizens, and supporting our local economy.

Our trees are among our city’s greatest natural assets. Yet our urban forest is taken for granted – our students can’t identify our most common tree species; the city’s renowned Copper Beech population is failing at an alarming rate; private citizens are failing to protect their trees; and too few of us are planting to create the forest that will greet the next generation.

Appreciation follows knowledge. A property owner whose tree is highlighted on a Newport Tree Walk will have an increased respect for the jewel that is under his protection. A student who can proudly teach his parents the difference between a fern-leaved and copper beech will look with new curiosity at the trees in his own backyard.

Ultimately, program objectives include:

• Teaching citizens and visitors about Newport’s exceptional specimen trees and the historic landscapes that grace the City
• Encouraging a love of nature in our students by supporting meaningful, hands-on educational experiences
• Fostering tree planting on private property in Newport
• Engaging our citizens in tree stewardship, with an eye on the long-term health of Newport’s tree canopy