Lilly ARBOR Project

The Lilly ARBOR Project is a part of an experimental riparian floodplain reforestation and ecological restoration program, located along the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.

[1] The riparian forest restoration project was performed by the Center of Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) with support from the Lilly Endowment.

[2] As part of the riparian zone restoration project, nearly 1,400 trees were planted along the eastern bank of the White River near downtown Indianapolis.

Students and faculty from various universities conduct research and maintain the restoration using the CEES service learning program.

These include American elm (Ulmus americana), box elder (Acer negundo), Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), Catalpa, dogwood (Cornus), goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), red mulberry (Morus rubra), white mulberry (Morus alba), and Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila).