History
The Arboretum is named for Edith J. Carrier, the wife of JMU President Emeritus, Ronald E. Carrier. During his presidential tenure from 1971 to 1998, Mrs. Carrier served the university tirelessly as a hostess for academic, political, and corporate dignitaries visiting JMU, and as an event planner and event administrator for university executive events, but without pay or public acknowledgement. Naming the Arboretum in her honor was an acknowledgement of gratitude by the James Madison University Board of Visitors to officially recognize Edith J. Carrier's years of service to the university. Since its founding in 1985, a goal has been set to maintain as much of the natural environment as possible while achieving the maximum use of this resource for the benefit of the JMU community, the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and the Shenandoah Valley region communities and tourism visitors. Previous efforts in the Arboretum's creation included the acquisition of lands, the development o
Specialties
The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, a woodland sanctuary on the James Madison University campus, is a public urban garden and forested greenspace that preserves native plants species, provides opportunities for research, and promotes knowledge of the botanical and natural world for people of all ages.