The Southern Arboretum Woodlands, or SAW, used to be a tree plantation used to study
entomology. After its abadonment, Arboretum staff and student organizations have worked
tirelessly to clear invasive species such as honeysuckle and from the understory. The ultimate plan is to renovate the SAW to a landscape spectrum consisting of upland hardwood forest to oak savannah to prairie. The Arboretum hopes the SAW will become an outdoor classroom where natural and biological sciences may have field trips, research, and other educational uses.

The SAW hosts several research projects(?) and field sections for several courses in Natural Resources and Environmental Science.