Integrating Sustainability Into Your Garden’s Culture

A half-day workshop at the USBG classroom (in the Conservatory) during the American Public Gardens Association meeting in Washington, June 2007.

Public gardens can cultivate ecologically sustainable landscapes not only on their own property, but in their local and regional communities as well.  This workshop discussed the historical relationship between botanic gardens and their ecological region. In addition, this workshop focused on programs that demonstrate how botanic gardens can lead by example.  Please click on the name of the individual to view his/her presentation:

Speakers:

• Carol Franklin, Principle, Andropogon Associates, Philadelphia, PA.
  Discussed the history & culture of public gardens, leading us into the mission of public gardens, gardens' culture, all leading to the eventual awakening consciousness of sustainability. 
• Casey Sclar, PhD, Division Leader, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA.
  Described in detail how Longwood has reduced the waste stream inside their gardens through an extensive composting program. Casey will particularly describe how the program was started and the challenges that they had to overcome.  
• Joe Luebke, Director of Gardens and Grounds, Washington National Cathedral. 
  Discussed the three phase restoration of a seven acre urban woodland. The work included water management of the 32 acre watershed, ecologically sensitive installation of a path system and the construction of an amphitheatre built adjacent to the woodland edge.
• David Burney, PhD, Director of Conservation and Horticulture National Tropical Botanic Garden, Hawaii.
  Discussed the conservation work being done by NTBG and partners relative to habitat restoration and worked with threatened endemic plants.
• Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture, Denver Botanic Garden, Denver, CO.
  Described how DBG lowered the water use by a significant percentage, kept great gardens, and in partnership with Denver Water Utility, taught the public about water conservation.  She briefly highlighted the success of their multiple partner approach to a sustainable alpine landscape at 12,200 feet on a sub peak of Mt Evans.

• Steve Windhager, PhD, Director of Research and Landscape Restoration Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX.
  Described the ecological sensitivity that went into the design and construction of the Wildflower Center.  Taking this ethos, how the Wildflower Center formed a fee-based consulting program, which works with a variety of clients (government agencies, corporations, landscape architects, and private landowners) to design ecologically sustainable landscapes while generating net revenue to the organization. 
• Heather Venhaus, ASLA, Environmental Designer and Manager of Sustainable Sites Initiative, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX.
  Unveiled the Sustainable Sites program being developed by ASLA, the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Wildflower Center.  Modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, this program will enable gardens, parks, and other areas with large landscape components to be designed, built and maintained in terms of ecological, social, and economic sustainability.

For more information, contact:

Ray Mims, Moderator

Conservation Horticulture

United States Botanic Garden

rmims@aoc.gov