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Northwest was named the official Missouri Arboretum by the Missouri State Legislature in 1993 due to its long-time commitment to planting and preserving an array of flowering and non-flowering trees. Northwest's history of tree management goes back to its earliest days when groundskeeper J.R. Brink was hired to maintain the campus grounds. Brink planted 300 trees a year from 1917 to 1927.
While the expansion of the university and a bad outbreak of Dutch Elm Disease drastically reduced Brink's original forest, groundskeepers have continued to follow in Brink's footsteps, planting a variety of trees to ensure that a single disease can never again impact the campus landscape dramatically. Currently, there are three trails that wind across campus, giving nature lovers a chance to view trees from all over the world as well as an assortment of shrubs and flowers. While walking, observers may also see a host of wildlife, including birds, squirrels and the occasional fox.
