Laurentian University's Arboretum was conceived in 1982 as a joint project between the Departments of Biology and Communications, to celebrate Sudbury's Centennial year in 1983. It occupies 200 acres of forest and marsh at the north end of the campus, and can be accessed by a network of 18 walking trails covering approximately 5 kilometres. A trail guide is available, which includes a map of the Arboretum and narrative descriptions of 15 of the trails. Also available is a list of the approximately 220 plant species found in the Arboretum, and an illustrated guide to 24 of the commoner species. Approximately 100 of the plant species are labelled with English and Latin names.

Many of the trails pass through Sudbury's unique Birch Transition community, an open, rocky woodland on acidic, metal-contaminated soils, dominated by coppiced white birch and red maple. In some areas, these low-diversity woods have been enriched with species normally found on similar but uncontaminated soils. A lowland area, which includes three ponds, has been allowed to undergo spontaneous colonization, and contains good examples of a cattail marsh, and old-field succession culminating in stands of birches and willows.

Picnic sites and lookouts are situated along the trails. There is a small central building, the Arboretum Pavilion, which is used for displays and seminars. This building was the location for a visit to Laurentian's Biology Department by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1984, when he accompanied the Queen on her visit to Sudbury to open Science North.

The Arboretum is open to the public at all times, and guided tours of the trails are available on request. For further information, contact Dr. P.J. Beckett by phone at (705)675-1151, ext. 2259, or by email at pbeckett@laurentian.ca.