History
The Morgan Arboretum is situated in lands which historically served as a place of transit and passage for many Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee. Like most of Canada’s old-growth forests, the lands making up the Morgan Arboretum were likely clear-cut soon after colonization and turned into farmland.
In 1941, the possibility of McGill University purchasing the land was explored on the initiative of Cleveland Morgan (great-nephew of Morgan department store founder Henry Morgan), who was a notable amateur horticulturalist and botanist. Completed in 1945 with support from J.W. McConnell and the Québec government, the terms of the sale dictated that the land be preserved for at least 100 years as an arboretum, to “facilitate the conduct of teaching, investigation and research in silvicultural and arboricultural problems with a view, amongst other things, to the development of more scientific and profitable forestry practices.”
The first director of the Morgan Arboretum was Dr. W.H. Brittain, Dean of Agriculture and Vice-Principal of Macdonald College from 1934 to 1955. Dr. Brittain was a professor of entomology, but dedicated his late career to the study of trees, with a particular interest in betula, or birch species. In 1952, he led the establishment of the Morgan Arboretum Woodland Development Association (MAWDA) as a registered charity to facilitate donations via memberships, which continues to fund the Arboretum’s operations and maintenance to this day.
Robert “Bob” Watson was hired as foreman in 1948, living on the property with his wife Nellie and their growing family. Brittain, Bob and Nellie planted hundreds of trees between 1948 and 1955, reforesting large swathes of the property. With the hiring of experienced forester Dr. A.R.C. Jones in 1955, he and Brittain were able to establish a permanent Department of Woodlot Management at the McGill Faculty of Agriculture. Noted researcher Professor Dan MacArthur joined the team as Curator in 1963.
Newly planted trees ca. 1949
Dr. Brittain attends to a newly planted tree, ca. 1950
The land contains a multitude of micro-biome environments, with varied soil types, topographies and natural features such as ponds and fields. The re-naturalization effort carried out by the Arboretum staff intended to create an environment historically emblematic of the St. Lawrence Lowlands ecosystem. Befitting its status as an arboretum, this planting was supplemented with collections of unique and exotic tree species from around the world.
As a demonstration forest, the Arboretum engaged in a number of silvicultural activities to support itself and provide an example to small landowners wanting to manage their woodlands sustainably. Since 1949, the Arboretum has produced maple syrup from its extensive maple grove and provided educational tours of the sugaring process for the public. In addition, the Arboretum sustained a tree nursery and Christmas tree farm for many years, in addition to selling firewood cut from its existing woods.
Certified Tree Farm Signage ca. 1960s
ca. March 1962
People waiting in line for syrup ca. 1966
Visitors from Expo 67 sample our syrup, ca. April 1967
By the late 1960s, the mission of the Morgan Arboretum began to change, reflecting the wider cultural shift towards environmentalism and sustainability. While Arboretum staff and faculty continued to manage the tree farm, winning awards for exceptional management into the 1970s and 80s, gradually it became clear that the Arboretum’s greatest strength was as a venue for environmental education and outreach. For several years throughout the 70s and 80s, the Arboretum received grants from the Québec Department of Lands and Forests to operate programming in environmental education over the summer months, facilitating the visits of 10,000 children each year.
Summer guides, ca. 1978
Sugaring tours, ca. 1982
Dr. Jim Fyles and Dr. Benoît Côté would join the faculty in 1988 and later serve as consecutive Directors of the Arboretum. John Watson — who was quite literally born on Morgan Arboretum property—served as foreman from his father Bob Watson’s retirement in 1972 to his own retirement in 2015.
COVID-19 greatly impacted Arboretum operations. On one hand, public outreach and educational programs were put on pause, placing in doubt the future of one of the Arboretum’s core foundational pillars. On the other hand, membership purchases soared, as quality time in nature became a newfound priority amongst locals. In the years since, outreach and education efforts have been slowly rebuilt, though the memberships that the Arboretum relies on for funding have returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Today, the Morgan Arboretum’s mission is fourfold: education, recreation, conservation, and research. Visitors can enjoy the same hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing trails enjoyed by the local community for the last 80 years. Events and tours provide learners of all ages and abilities with high-quality science education and fresh air. Faculty and students from Macdonald Campus and beyond utilize the Arboretum for teaching and research in varied fields such as forestry, ecology, biology, chemistry, and many others, demonstrating a holistic view of the importance of our forest.
Facilities
Chalet Pruche, ca. 1970s
The Sugar Shack, 1949
Pine Cottage/the Gatehouse, ca. 1952
The Conservation Centre, ca. 1990