So how did this site become the Arboretum it is today?
Deerwood arboretum is a 27-acre park that boarders the little Harpeth River on its northern boundary for about ½ mile. Southern and Western boundaries adjoin the Bell Rive and Williamson Estates subdivisions, and the northwest corner is the entrance at the end of Deerwood Lane. The park has two other entrance points: a ¼ mile right –of-way trail that connects Deerwood with Belle Rive Drive on the southeast corner of the property and a foot bridge over the Little Harpeth River on the northwest corner that leads to Kingsbury Drive in the Laurelwood subdivision.
The property lies almost entirely within the floodplain of the little Harpeth River. There is a band of Native Forest that runs along the river and a small patch of forest on the southern and eastern boundaries. Many of the parks interior trees were planted over the course of the past 25 years.
Pre-Arboretum
In 1975 City brought what was part of a Brentwood farm and built a wastewater treatment plant. By the late 1980’s the growth of the City outgrew the capacities of the facility. The EPA ordered Brentwood to find another solution and the City contracted to have its sewage treated in Metro Nashville. The site was abandoned as a treatment plant. The property went largely unused for several years.
The pits were filled in 1987. The land was eventually then turned into a park after much consideration on what the land could or could not be used for. It was to be a low maintenance, passive park to compliment the City’s active parks. It was to be used to study and observe wildlife and protect a section of the Little Harpeth River. The original building was used as a park office for a short while in the early 1990s. When the service center was built, the park offices moved and the building was abandoned and was repeatedly vandalized.
An Idea
June of 1990, the Brentwood Rotary Club approached city officials with the possibility of a long term community project that would develop Deerwood into a nature park. A plan was developed by the Rotary Club and city staff (then park director Kim Ward) for the development of an arboretum and natural area. Time and funds for engineering and design were donated by the club. Alan Ray Associates developed the landscape/ master plan. By November, the Park Board endorsed the concept and the City Commissioners approved expenditures of $50,000 for the first phase of development. That money came from moneys originally allocated for the development of Granny White Park that was developing around the same time period.
The rotary club agreed to contribute funds and set about securing grants and starting a grass roots funding program. They agreed to help fund and develop the land over a 3 – 5 year period.
Two grants were secured, one in 1991 was the Tennessee forestry “America the beautiful” grant of $2,700.00 with matching funds from the City of in-kind funding. This money was used to develop the original kiosks, trail markers and a brochure. The Rotary worked with LEAPS to create the original brochure.
The second grant was for $10,000.00 form the Small Business Administration, and this was used exclusively for tree planting. 189 trees were planted through this grant and in-kind matching funds of labor. It was during this phase that work began to blaze the walking trails.
Goals
By December 1991, these Rotarians, along with members of the community formed the Deerwood Tree Committee. Its main function was to help raise funds for the arboretum.
To create and maintain a 27 acre natural area bordering the Little Harpeth River in Brentwood where people can enjoy native Tennessee plants and wildlife in their natural state and specifically ;
- To encourage citizen involvement in supporting the Arboretum with service and funds.
- To create environmental awareness by offering educational programs.
- To reforest areas and establish lakes, creating habitat for wildlife.
- To provide volunteer opportunities for citizens and civic organizations.
Purpose
The Purpose for the arboretum is to preserve a section of the Harpeth River while creating a habitat to attract and protect wildlife.
Funding
The committee produced a logo for use on signs and marketing materials. There was a fundraising committee. Cheryl Smith was the first contributor and Bill Youree’s company – National Rehabilitation Centers, Inc. contributed $1200.00 for letter head and envelops in 1992. There were mugs and lapel pins made.
The 1992 goal was to raise $25,000.00. It was largely unsuccessful.
Development plans in 1991 included the installation of 2 small man-made ponds and wetland areas, reforestation of the perimeter and select interior, nature trails and lookout platforms designated arboretum areas where native tree would be planted with markers identifying species and utilization of natural resources and formal garden areas available for adoption.
A 1992 work agenda included the completion of a 1.5-mile walking trail, installing the water system, installing kiosks and trail markers and a phase 2 tree planting. Other projects for potential were a made.
Phase 1 tree planting occurred in 1991 with a budget of $20,000.00 for 17 species planted by an outside contractor. Beach, gum, 6 species of oak, 2 of ash, 3 of hickory, sweetgum sycamore and 2 species of maple were planted.
Phase 2 planting in 1992 included redbud, dogwood, poplar, umbrella magnolia, mountain laurel, eastern hemlock, 2 species of pine, sourwood, service berry, 2 of maple, green ash and American holly.
In 1993, phase 3 tree planting commenced. Redbud, dogwood, sycamore, mountain laurel, eastern red cedar, white pine, river birch, Leyland cypress, green ash, American Holly and red and Sugar maples were planted.
More trees were planted in 1994 and in 1996 a boy scout project made the second brochure containing a description of the Trial and map indicating prominent features.
In 1996, Leadership Brentwood formed a study group to seek ways to provide funds and resources for Deerwood. Poles were taken and it was found that lack of awareness about the facility was the biggest obstacle to its use and development and that an awareness campaign was needed to inform organizations and schools about its availability. We are unsure of the result of that study.
When former Park Maintenance Supervisor, Erin Kinney arrived at the city in 1996, Deerwood was largely un-kept. The building was all but boarded up with windows being smashed and the interior of the building repeatedly vandalized. There was a chain link fence surrounding the perimeter of the parking lot. The pit walls could still be seen and the soil had sunk in the tops of the pits. Many of the trees in the front meadow were red maples. There had been scout projects and an attempt to tag trees, but many of the tags were wrong and were wither nailed or wire tied into the trees. Many of the planted trees were in poor shape. They had not established well due to no watering and little care. There were no mulch rings or roundup rings at the tree bases and many, if not all of the trees in the grass areas had severe damage to their lower trunks caused by mowers and weed eaters.
But again, plans were underway to continue to develop the area for use. There were passionate commissioners that wanted to make Deerwood usable. One particular commissioner, Bob Hicks wanted to see the park utilized. And so the parks department got on board and with the approved funds from the City Manager and City Commissioners again went to work on park improvement’s.
In 1999 - 2000, foot bridges were installed to connect the north west side subdivisions with the park. Land was deeded to connect the bridge at Kingsberry to the rest of the arboretum along the Little Harpeth.
In the year 1999, the paved trail and 4-board horse fence went in connecting the arboretum to Belle Reeve drive. The trees that you see on the property edge behind the fence were planted in 2000.
In 2000 plans were finalized for the replacement of the old water plant. In 2001 the old building was demolished and the Facility that you see now was built. It was designed as an educational facility and consists of a covered pavilion, restrooms, amphitheater and paved parking lot. In 2001, the Parks Department assigned personnel to the park on a full time bases. A staff member was tasked to care for the trees and the site. Staff were trained in proper pruning, new plantings were watered, and tree rings were established.
The park was already named an arboretum but was not state certified.
In 2001, there was a Chair of the Brentwood tree board named Hart Applegate. Mr. Applegate was a retired forester and very knowledgeable about trees and the identification of trees. It was decided through the City’s tree committee (we weren’t a board then) to try and get the arboretum state certified. Erin spent many days with Mr. Applegate looking at trees in the arboretum, mapping maps and identifying different species. By 2002, money was allocated for tree tags and trees were tagged in accordance with state standards. The original tree map and brochure was developed and with the help of the GIS department, trees were correctly placed on the tree map. By 2002 we received state certification.
Pond aeration was added in 2006 and 2007. since that time, the front pond has developed a leak and the water levels would not hold high enough to allow the aerators to run. The back pond was infested with pond lilies and would clog the aerators. It was suggested to the City take away all the trees from around the pond as the culprit seemed to be tree roots causing seepage. The City did not wish to do this or to incur the expense of a liner. Thus the ponds remain as they are and may eventually turn into wetlands and not ponds.
The Arboretum is a dynamic environment. Trees fail, they break, thy die. When a new tree was planted, we chose a species that was not yet here. Dead and damaged trees are routinely removed. The Tree Board, park staff, and in 2016 the Master Gardeners of Williamson County, inspect trees at least twice a year for tag maintenance, loosening and replacement as needed. We continue to make improvement’s and renovations to the venue. A few Years back, the dirt trails that run along the river were turned into asphalt paved trails. Mulch coving these trails continually washed away during heavy rains and flooding events. The parks staff removed of the original split cedar fence and replaced it with a 4-board horse fence along the entrance road. New and replacement trees will be added as needed to keep tree counts up and continue to diversify species.
Check out the informational time graph under fun facts for a organized timeline.
Final Thought
Today we have a paved access road, a paved almost mile long walking trail that runs the perimeter of the park, the education facility that you are in, Kiosks that hold maps and brochures, mile markers along the trial, two foot bridges across the Little Harpeth River, various benches and an area where you can go to the river’s edge and two man-made ponds. Today, the arboretum is a state certified level two arboretum. Various Eagle Scout projects litter the park – some still standing and others whose time have ended.
The Arboretum sees many uses. It is used for scout meetings and sometimes for merit badge outings. It is used by painters. It is used by school groups and high school environmental clubs. Most years, at least 340 high school students come to environment day put on by the City of Brentwood and the Williamson County School. This day helps meets the requirement of our Storm Water and environmental education as required by the state. It’s now in its 16th year and is received very well. We have had a garden club working with girl scouts use the facility. And although we say nothing should be taken out of a city park, we encourage school children to come a pluck leaves for their tree ID projects. We have regular walkers who use the park.
It will remain a passive park and hopefully is turning into one of Brentwood not-so-hidden gems.
Tree Identification Guide
Deerwood features more than 72 different species of trees and all can be identified using a Tree Identification Trail Guide. As a Tennessee Certified Arboretum, most examples of each species is within 20 feet of the trail. Most of the tagged trees are native to Tennessee. Sections of the trail connect Deerwood to Belle Rive Drive and a foot bridge over the Little Harpeth River that leads to Kingsbury Drive in Laurelwood.