The Retree Nebraska Initiative is a matching grant, so community support is vital. No village or county funds or taxes may be used to fund the Taylor effort. Supporters may dedicate a tree for $100. This includes a small plaque (see right) with your name or your designated honoree's name plus the tree information.

To dedicate a tree, please print this Tree Dedication Application.

Return the completed form along with a check to Terry DeGroff's office located in the Management Informations System building on the square in Burwell. You can also mail the completed form and check to Terry DeGroff (see application for details).

At this time, members of the Taylor Community Arboretum include: Colt Kraus, Loren Sandoz, Jean Harden, Tom & Sue McNeil, Shirley Armbruster, Ken Sheets, Amy Ritchie, Jolene Skalsky, Cindy Dunbar, and Dick Brown.

To see a list of Current Tree Dedications, please click here.

Taylor Community Arboretum

In the summer of 2009, the Taylor Arboretum committee reformed after nearly 20 years. This organization worked toward improvement of the Taylor Village Park circa 1990. Caring individuals thought that the park again needed some extra attention, not only in beautification but for safety reasons as well.

The Taylor Community Arboretum (TCA) applied for and received a 2009 Trees for Nebraska Towns grant, part of the Retree Nebraska Initiative, from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA). Justin Evertson, NSA director, and Bob Henrickson, NSA staff member, came to Taylor to meet with the committee. From that meeting, NSA officials suggested to not only target the village park in the effort but make it a community-wide arboretum including the Tourist Park, Visitor Center, public library, Historical Pavillion Hotel, and museum as well as the Taylor Park. Being a part of the statewide arboretum initiative, Taylor is now included on the Arboretum register which helps encourage more visitors to the area.

By the end of 2010 six "condemned trees" had been removed, a new sign proclaiming Taylor as an Arboretum and the "Home of the Taylor Juniper" had been installed with native plants surrounding the base, and over fifty trees had been planted with plaques installed next to them containing their common and scientific names (and any dedication information). Also a new "Welcome to Taylor" sign was installed at the entrance of the community near the junction of highways 183 and 91 surrounded by Taylor Junipers and native plants.

In December of 2010, the Taylor Community Arboretum received an additional $2,500 for the project. With these funds the committee installed the "commemorative brick" flower bed around the Arboretum sign. The additional grant money was also used to purchase 100 small Taylor Junipers that were sold to area residents and planted at various locations around the community including the high school. This "Baby Juniper Project" helped to spread not only the Taylor Juniper, but also expand the Community Arboretum all across the county and surrounding areas.