Annual 2023 Giving Campaign:

For over 57 years, the Pine Hollow Arboretum has been home to thousands of species of trees from around the world. Our founder, Dr. John W. Abbuhl, a pediatrician with a passion for trees and the environment, set out to create the arboretum as a place for the community to learn, explore, and connect with nature. Today, the horticultural collection of the arboretum showcases trees from China, Russia, California, Japan and more, arranged within a native eastern white pine forest. This “living museum” is a vital community resource with over 2,500 annual visitors t hosting a wide array of local school field trips while offering free nature-based programming.

The Pine Hollow Arboretum needs your support to continue our mission of preserving and managing our 22-acre garden and continuing our efforts to enhance the visitor experience. We provide a place for research, education, art, culture, and environmental stewardship. Your gift helps ensure we can continue maintaining the arboretum for public enjoyment, offering quality field trips to students and mission-related classes and programs for the community.

Some of our accomplishments this past year included the:

• Recognition as a Level II Accredited Arboretum through the globally recognized ArbNet Accreditation program administered through the prestigious Morton Arboretum.
• Reintroduction of PHA’s robust field trip program in partnership with Betlehem and Albany City Central School Districts.
• Development of a robust volunteer core from businesses and organizations:      

• • Starbucks
  • Berkshire Bank
  • Regeneron
  • United Way (518 Day)
• Receipt of several grants from:
  • The Joan S. & Peter R. Weill Foundation for wildlife enhancements
  • New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Zoo’s, Botanical Gardens and Aquariums (ZBGA)
  • The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • The Starbucks Neighborhood Community

Our priorities for 2024

Education is at the forefront of our minds this year. We are thrilled to be partnering with several school districts this year to bring elementary aged students to the arboretum for field trips to learn about climate change, life cycles, ecosystems, environmental stewardship, and other life science-based topics. High school students will also attend training at the arboretum to become experts in the field and assist PHA staff with leading field trips in the Spring along with other volunteer opportunities. 

Maintenance of our grounds and horticultural collection is crucially important. As our trees on the property age, more maintenance is required to keep our trails safe and our collection viable for research and educational opportunities. Maintenance includes keeping arboretum equipment in working order, coordinating volunteers, and hiring staff and professionals to assist with invasive species and poison ivy management.

Planning for the future of the Pine Hollow Arboretum is a long-term goal for our organization. As the trees and our organization grow, we look to our members, donors, and volunteers to assist us in developing a plan for the arboretum. Management and strategic decisions concerning our grounds and buildings must be made with the mission of our organization in mind. We are excited to explore ideas for ways to improve and use the arboretum, and our founder’s mid-century style home.

Where your donation goes:

Your generosity helps us in so many ways. This year in particular, your donation will support our Field Trip fund which includes covering the costs of educational materials (ie: nature journals, hand lenses, microscopes etc.), and educator fees.