The City of Meridian is seeking grant funding to establish an arboretum at Bonita Lakes.

In a meeting Sept. 6, the board heard from City Arborist Kevin Locke about the grant opportunity and the arboretum plan.

The idea of an arboretum at Bonita Lakes was first discussed in 2007, Locke said. While many residents take advantage of the recreational opportunities at Bonita, the area is technically a watershed, he said.

“Bonita Lakes is not a recreation area,” he said. “It’s a watershed, a backup water supply for the city.”

Due to its importance to the city, Locke said large-scale projects that disrupt the area, such as ball fields, can’t be done. An arboretum, however, would have minimal impact on the environment while providing an educational opportunity.

Locke said the arboretum, which he described as “a collection of plant materials, in this case trees,” would be established along the gravel trail in the upper section of Bonita Lakes. The project would identify about 100 trees along the trail and install signs identifying the trees for visitors to read.

“These tags will have QR codes on them that take them to other sites,” he said. “We’re working with tourism to have them put on their website.”

Bonita Lakes is promoted as part of the city’s tourism marketing and Locke said the arboretum would add an educational component to the multi-purpose trail that could be marketed as yet another reason to visit Meridian. As an added benefit, he said the arboretum project would also help the City of Meridian gain a better understanding of the trees it has at Bonita Lakes.

The Urban & Community grant, which is awarded through the Mississippi Forestry Commission would cover 80% or $8,000 of the arboretum project’s $10,000 budget, Locke said. The city’s 20%, or $2,000, match, he said, was provided as a donation.

“Hopefully it will be zero out of pocket for the city,” he said.

The grant applications are due September 15, Locke said, and it normally does not take long for the Forestry Commission to reach a decision.