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Oakwood Cemetery Arboretum
TEXAS’S FIRST ARBORETUM CEMETERY · WACO’S ONLY ARBNET-ACCREDITED ARBORETUM
THE OAKWOOD ARBORETUM
Around Here, We're Partial to the Trees
If you walk through Oakwood, you're not just moving through history — you're moving through something that's still in motion. The grass. The soil. The slow, steady work happening underground. And yes — the oak trees, the ones that don't seem particularly impressed by any of us and have clearly decided they're in this for the long haul.
Their roots move through the same ground that has been entrusted to generations. Quietly. Consistently. Without much need for explanation. The ground beneath your feet isn't just holding history. It's still doing something with it.
"Every atom in your body has been around a long time. Forged in stars, scattered across the universe, eventually finding its way into soil, into plants, into food… and into you. Less ownership, more of a long-term lease. And at some point — sooner or later — it all gets handed back."
— CLINT LYNCH, OAKWOOD GENERAL MANAGER
EST. 1878 — WACO, TEXAS
Our mission goes beyond simply planting trees. We are working to identify and document existing trees, protect and strengthen the canopy, increase species diversity, and carefully select new trees that will thrive in Central Texas while meeting the unique needs of a working cemetery.
Education is also an important part of that mission. Through tours, lectures, demonstrations, and partnerships with local Master Gardeners, the Texas A&M Forest Service, and other community organizations, we hope Oakwood will become a place where people can learn about trees, conservation, urban forestry, and the natural world around them.
Oakwood has always been a place where one generation leaves something behind for the next. The arboretum simply gives that idea roots.
OAKWOOD CEMETERY ARBORETUM
Texas’s First Arboretum Cemetery · Waco’s Only ArbNet-Accredited Arboretum
When Oakwood Cemetery opened in 1878, some of the earliest accounts describe much of the property as open and nearly treeless. The shaded landscape visitors see today developed over time, as generations planted and cared for the trees that now define much of the Cemetery’s character.
The winter storm of 2021 dramatically altered that landscape. Like properties throughout Waco, Oakwood lost many trees and suffered extensive damage. It was a stark reminder that one of our greatest assets could not be taken for granted. Our tree canopy needed to be cared for with greater intention.
From that commitment grew the Oakwood Cemetery Arboretum—Texas’s first arboretum cemetery and Waco’s only arboretum accredited through ArbNet.
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
— NELSON HENDERSON
