Authors Published Book on Penn Campus Arboretums

Frederick Steiner and Ignacio Bunster-Ossa chronicle the historical evolution of University of Pennsylvania foliage.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Botany

Authors Published Book on Penn Campus Arboretums

Live Poll

Should urban colleges prioritize preserving green spaces within their campus landscapes?

Frederick Steiner and Ignacio Bunster-Ossa have released a new book titled Penn's Sylvania that documents the growth and management of trees on the University of Pennsylvania campus. The work features nearly fifty photographs detailing the vegetation that has defined the school's landscape over the decades.

Why it matters

The book project aims to document the history and management of a campus arboretum within a dense urban environment. It highlights the school's commitment to maintaining its greenery, which earned official arboretum accreditation in 2017.

The collection features nearly 50 images of campus trees. This botanical study documents the ongoing management of the landscape following the university's official arboretum accreditation in 2017.

The players

Frederick Steiner

He is an academic author who first arrived at the University of Pennsylvania as a graduate student in 1975.

Ignacio Bunster-Ossa

He is a designer and author who earned a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design in 1979.

Chloe Cerwinka

She has worked as a professional landscape planner at the University of Pennsylvania since 2012.

The details

The project originated when Ignacio Bunster-Ossa began documenting campus vegetation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors collaborated on the book, which notably captures the tuliptrees surrounding the Woodland Walk diagonal through Hill Square, planted to honor 125 years of women at Penn.

Frederick Steiner arrived at Penn as a graduate student in 1975.
Ignacio Bunster-Ossa earned a master's degree from the School of Design in 1979.
Chloe Cerwinka has served as a landscape planner at Penn since 2012.
The University of Pennsylvania received official arboretum accreditation in 2017.
Ignacio Bunster-Ossa began documenting campus vegetation post-pandemic.

The Big Picture

The work reflects a paradigm shift in urban planning where campus landscapes are treated as structured, scientific arboretums rather than merely decorative greenery. This follows the precedent set by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program by validating the institutional standards required for Penn's 2017 recognition.

Readers and campus visitors can use this documentation to better identify local flora like the tuliptrees located at Hill Square. The study provides a blueprint for how academic institutions can balance urban development with ecological preservation.

The takeaway

This project emphasizes the historical value of maintaining biodiversity within a bustling city center. Visitors and students can implement a deeper appreciation for urban canopy management by exploring the specific historical plantings identified in the volume.