Welcome to the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Arboretum. This 109.3-acre natural forest is a rare and valuable remnant of the vegetation that once covered Central Wisconsin. European settlement during the last two centuries removed and disrupted native habitats, subsisting agricultural crops from Europe (alfalfa, clover, oats) and Central America (corn).

Historical records, dating back from 1866, reveal land adjacent to the forest was sold for agricultural use. Apparently the forest was located between land sold for farming and escaped some of the ravages of agricultural use. In the 1950s, schoolhouse actually existed near the northwest corner of the arboretum. In 1963 the City of Marshfield annexed a parcel of land, which included the original 20-acre forest, for the UW-Marshfield/Wood County.

For more than four decades, under the protection of the University of Wisconsin, this forest has continued its natural development and served as an educational and recreational resource. Realizing that natural area such as this are rare in and around Marshfield and should be conserved at all possible costs, we ask that you remember that all trees, shrubs and flowers are totally protected.

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