Address:
Forest Botanical Garden and Plant Geographical Arboretum
the University of Göttingen
Büsgenweg 2
37077 Göttingen
www.uni-goettingen.de/forstbotanischer-garten
Public exhibition: yes
Admission free
Open: Mon. to Sun.
Guided tours: by appointment
Contact persons:
Prof. Dr. Andrea Polle
Tel.: +49 551 39-23482
E-Mail: apolle@gwdg.de
Dipl. Ing. Volker Meng
Tel.: +49 551 39-23492
E-Mail: vmeng@gwdg.de
The Forest Botanical Garden and the Plant Geographical Arboretum of the University of Göttingen contain more than 2,000 species of woody plants on approximately 40 hectares. They represent one of the largest and most species-rich collections of woody plants in the German-speaking region. At the beginning of the 1970s, the forestry facilities of Hann. Münden relocated to Göttingen. For this reason, under Professor Walter Eschrich (1924–2005) between 1968 and 1993, in addition to the existing Old Botanical Garden, the Forest Botanical Garden on Faßberg, above the north campus, was created as a collection with a focus on woody plants.
After more cultivated varieties have been planted in the meantime, the focus today is on wild varieties with a defined origin. On 17 hectares, the plants in the forest botanical garden are systematically arranged according to families and include all native as well as a large selection of exotic tree and shrub species. Largely organic farming and interspersed dry grassland contribute to a considerable diversity of wildflowers, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds.
The Plant Geographical Arboretum consists of the green areas of the north campus and is divided into five areas: North America, China, Japan, Korea and the Caucasus/Asia Minor. The arboretum is one of the very few collections in the world that includes a large part of the woody flora of the northern hemisphere. The collection serves both teaching and research in various disciplines. Together with the other botanical gardens, gene reservoirs of populations that are threatened with extinction in the wild are preserved. The areas of Japan, Korea and the Caucasus/Asia Minor have been declared national conservation collections by the Association of Botanical Gardens and thus make a significant contribution to the preservation of plant biodiversity.
Floristic highlights are the early spring blossoms in January/February, followed by the cherry blossoms in April and the subsequent apple blossoms in May. In late summer and autumn, the forest botanical garden enchants with the rich fruit decoration of the trees and a colorful Indian summer.
Volker Meng & Andrea Polle
