City Of Rochester: Mount Hope Cemetery Awarded Level II Accreditation By Arbnet

Press release from the City of Rochester:

February 15, 2022

Mayor Malik D. Evans is pleased to announce that the City’s Mount Hope Cemetery has been awarded a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. Mount Hope Cemetery is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

“Mount Hope Cemetery is a true gem in the City of Rochester and this well-deserved accreditation is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the staff and volunteers who work so hard to maintain and operate this beautiful site,” said Mayor Evans. “We are very proud of this recognition as our cemeteries help us accomplish our mission of offering citizens equitable access to essential City services.”

The Mount Hope Cemetery is the nation’s first municipally owned cemetery. Since the cemetery's dedication in 1838, a third of a million people have been buried in this 196-acre site. The landscape features high hills and deep valleys created by glaciers and transformed into a beautiful historic cemetery. A diversified forest of trees forms an arboretum shading thousands of marble, bronze, and granite monuments. An abundance of wildflowers, plants, and mushrooms grow between sculptures and mausoleums to complete the grounds.

This press release was produced by the City of Rochester. The views expressed here are the author’s own.