Cheyenne Botanic Gardens - The High Plains Arboretum

The High Plains Arboretum

The High Plains Arboretum operates as part of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and is located at the former High Plains Horticulture Research Station. This station was established on March 19, 1928, when Congress authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Central Great Plains Field Station at or near Cheyenne. In 1930, the site officially became the Cheyenne Horticulture Field Station, and was directed to

concentrate on fruits, vegetables, windbreaks and ornamental plants. The goal was to find plants that would make the High Plains of the United States more habitable. This station still exists in its original location on a 2,140 acre (870 ha) plot leased from the City of Cheyenne for 199 years at $1 per year. The site also has many historic buildings that include a greenhouse, a number of quaint wood framed houses which are still used for staff housing, laboratories, storage areas and office space. Maintenance of the site is now provided by the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the Cheyenne Urban Forestry which are both under the Cheyenne Parks and Recreation Department.

As a Horticulture Station By 1962 they had had tested:

• 1,300 varieties of woody ornamental plants including over 100 different types of hedge materials
• 200 species of trees and shrubs for dry land wind breaks with over 250 cooperative plantings in various parts of the region served by the station.
• 2000 fruit cultivars
• 8,000 vegetable cultivars

The work of the Cheyenne Horticultural Field Station came to an end in 1974 when the mission and name was changed by the USDA. From 1975 to 2008 the Arboretum's trees and shrubs relied mainly on natural precipitation, and many have perished. Since 1975 the arboretum has lost over 50% of the plants inventoried, and many more were in severe decline. Late in the summer of 2000, a group of interested participants gathered to begin an effort to "preserve, restore and enhance" the arboretum. This group is now a sub-committee of the Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

They were motivated because there are still many of the trees and shrubs still exist that were once part of the Horticulture Station's landscape and research. The site is still quite stunning and in some places you can find a small dense forest. The result of the work of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the Friends of the High Plains Arboretum resulted in allowing the USDA to modify its lease with the City of Cheyenne for the return of the 62-acre (250,000 m2) portion to be returned to City operation through guidance of the City of Cheyenne Parks and Recreation's Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and the Division of Urban Forestry.

The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens High Plains Arboretum has a 20 year master-plan developed by noted landscape architect, Herbert Schaal, with the goal of creating a public arboretum that works to preserve, restore and enhance the 62-acre (250,000 m2) portion of the station that includes the original remaining research plant testing sites.

The High Plains Arboretum is in the beginning stages of development and arrangements can be made to view the site through the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.