Nichols Arboretum

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Nichols Arboretum (123 acres, 49.7 hectares) is operated by the University of Michigan. It is a mosaic of University and City properties operated as one unit. The arboretum is open daily from sunrise to sunset with no charge for admission.

The Huron River separates a northern section of the arboretum's floodplain woods; the railroad marks the northern border. The arboretum is popularly known as "the Arb" by locals.

The arboretum was designed in 1906 by O. C. Simonds, and he used the steep glacial topography to include areas both for collections and natural areas.

Many of the older plantings date from the 1920s and 1930s. It is particularly known for its Peony Collection, Heathdale Collection (species primarily from Appalachia), the Centennial Shrub Collection and the Dow Prairie. The University of Michigan conducts controlled burns of the prairie each year in an attempt to maintain native species and habitat.