News
The Center for Plant Conservation highlights our efforts
Explore how our Botanical Garden and Arboretum are used for Cornell Research
“Cornell Plantations’ Botanic Gardens and Arboretum are a community gateway to an engaged Cornell. As a living laboratory, we are an incredible asset to the students, faculty, Ithaca community, and beyond” says Rhoda Maurer, director of horticulture at Cornell Plantations. “In our gardens and arboretum, people can feel the human-plant connection and understand the importance of natural conservation and education.”
Click here to see what goes on in these beautiful outdoor classrooms.
Take the "Endangered Species Mystery Tour" on May 20
Date/time: Friday, May 20, 1:00 - 4:30 PM.
Cost: $15; $10 for Plantations Members
Location: The field trip will depart by van from Plantations Nevin Welcome Center parking lot at 1:00 PM and will return by 4:30 PM.
Register here.
Fischer Old-Growth Forest: Dedication and Hike on May 18
Date/time: Wednesday, May 18; 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: Free; Registration is not required
Hike Leader: Todd Bittner, Natural Areas Director
Location: Fischer Old-Growth Forest Natural Area, Newfield.
Click here for directions.
Learn more about the new property in the Tumblr article "Land Protection Expands Cornell Botanic Gardens Fischer Old-Growth Forest."
We're hiring!
We are accepting applications for our Director of Development and Department Business Administrator. Learn more here.
Cascadilla Gorge is open for the season!
The Cascadilla Gorge is now open following the construction of a new concrete staircase that stretches from the gorge up to the Collegetown entrance of the trail. Read what it took to complete this last step in the eight years of renovation work in the April 27 Ithaca Journal article.
On Display: "Weeds: Untamed Wonders"
Join us for an artist reception on Sunday, May 15 from 2 - 4 p.m. to meet the artists and hear their perspective on how they approached the subject matter for this exhibit. This event is free and open to the public and no pre-registration is required.
Celebrate Mother's Day at Cornell Plantations
In the Botanical Garden
Hundreds of daffodils are in bloom on Conifer Slope.
Many varieties of tulips are blooming in the Young Flower Garden.
The first of the rhododendrons are blooming on Comstock Knoll, including Rhododendron 'Mary Fleming,' planted last season (shown above). This is one of 12 varieties planted in the rhododendron collection that were bred by Guy Nearing, whom the Nearing Summerhouse was named in honor of.
In the F. R. Newman Arboretum
Magnolias, crabapples and cherries have just started blooming in the Flowering Tree Collection and Flowering Crabapple Collection.
In the Mundy Wildflower Garden
Now is the time to visit the Mundy Wildflower Garden to enjoy the delicate early-blooming woodand wildflowers. Trilliums, hepaticas, trout lilies (shown above), bellwort and dutchman's britches are just a few of the dozens of species growing there.
Register for the 5k fun run in memory of Elizabeth Garrett at the F. R. Newman Arboretum
Please preregister online by Friday, May 6th, 2016. Day of registration will be available for $25. The first 100 registrants will receive an event t-shirt. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Student Scholarships in memory of President Elizabeth Garrett and the President Elizabeth Garrett Fund for Colon Cancer Research. If you'd like to make an additional gift in memory of President Garrett, you can do so here.
Learn more here.
Arbor Day Tree Walk, Friday, April 29 at noon
Date/time: Friday, April 29; noon - 1:30 p.m.
Cost: Free, no registration required
Instructor: Daniel Weitoish, Staff Arborist
Location: Meet by the Sculpture Garden in the central portion of the Arboretum.
Evening Wildflower Walk, Wednesday, May 25
Date/time: Wednesday, May 25; 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free, no registration required
Instructor: Krissy Boys, Staff Gardener
Location: Meet at the entrance to the Mundy Wildflower Garden located at the intersection of Caldwell Road and Forest Home Drive.
Explore how our Natural Areas are used for Cornell research
The Cornell Plantations' Natural Areas steward 3,400 acres of land, including 20 on-campus and 24 off-campus locations. Each area is maintained and protected to support academic research and conservation goals of the Cornell Plantations' Natural Areas staff. Eight of our natural areas are featured in Cornell Research's "Life in the Lab" blog.
Click here to see what goes on in these beautiful outdoor classrooms.
(Beebe Lake in fall shown left)
Article in "National Geographic" describes the Ecological Calendars and Climate Adapation in the Pamirs (ECCAP) project
The National Geographic article "Climate Change is Making Calendars Run Amok" describes how communities in the Pamir Mountains have been affected by climate change.
Happy Spring! Read below for current trail and road openings
When the calendar moves into spring, we begin preparations to open trails and other areas that are closed during the winter. Even though we experienced a mild winter, the Cascadilla Gorge Trail will remain closed until remaining gorge repairs are complete. We are replacing a wooden staircase and reinforcing four adjacent retaining walls to better stabilize the slope— the last of the comprehensive effort to restore trails and other infrastructure in Cascadilla Gorge, which began in 2009. We anticipate the Cascadilla Gorge trail will be opened by the end of April.
Nature Rx wants you to take it outside
Read more in the article "Nature Rx wants you to take it outside."
Presentation explores the impact of our Climate Change Garden
Click here to view tihs 45-minute presentation.
Condolences from Director Christopher Dunn
- Christopher Dunn, PhD.
E. N. Wilds Director
Student artwork on display until the end of the month
On display March – April.
More artwork by Greg Page’s students…
Greg Page’s “Introduction to Print Media” class has visited many areas of Plantations over the past several years. This semester, the class is drawing inspiration from the Mundy Wildflower Garden and the art from this class will be on display at the Johnson Museum of Art starting March 11.
Read more about the focus of this class on our Tumblr blog.
New partnership with The Cornell Store
Get ready for spring gardening with these winter workshops
Gardener Krissy Boys will share proven techniques and step-by-step instructions for growing native plants from seed.
Click here to learn more and register.
Pruning Fundamentals, Saturday February 27
Arborists Lee Dean and Daniel Weitoish will share the basics of pruning plus some advanced techniques in this hands-on workshop.
Click here to learn more and register.