W. Gordon Belser Arboretum

Columbia, South Carolina, United States

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The W. Gordon Belser Arboretum in Columbia, South Carolina, is a 9-acre nature preserve and research site operated by the University of South Carolina’s Department of Biological Sciences.

Donated in 1959 by William Gordon Belser, the arboretum features a variety of native habitats including sandhill ridges, bottomland hardwood forest, wetlands, and a bald cypress swamp fed by natural springs and stormwater runoff. It houses over 100 species of trees and plants, including blight-resistant American chestnuts, Atlantic white cypress, native magnolias, rhododendrons, and a small botanic garden with shrubs and small trees suited for local landscapes.

The arboretum serves as an outdoor classroom and conservation area, hosting monthly public open houses and offering trails such as the 0.35 mile Lindler Circle Trail. A major restoration effort from 2006 to 2016 transformed the site from invasive overgrowth to a vibrant educational and ecological space, highlighting sustainable land use and biodiversity preservation.