News
Arboretum Closed to Vehicles for Winter
Pedestrians are welcome to explore the arboretum every day from dawnto dusk. Vehicle access resumes in spring.
Ithaca Lawmakers to Vote December 6 on Safety Barrier for ‘Ezra’s Tunnel’
Common Council is slated to vote on whether to allow Cornell to build a pair of safety barriers to restrict access to Fall Creek Gorge through the former industrial site known as "Ezra's Tunnel." Read more in the Nov. 30 Cornell Chronicle article.
This Weeked: BIG Holiday Sale and Wreath Making
Friends and Family Holiday Sale at the Garden Gift Shop!
Visit the Garden Gift Shop at the Nevin Welcome Center this Thursday, November 30 through Sunday, December 3, and receive 25% off all merchandise.*
*Exclusions apply
Make an Evergreen Wreath this Sunday
Make a wreath to decorate your home for the holidays! All materials provided. Drop in, or register online.
Date/time: Sunday, December 3; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $25 ($20 for members).
Location: Nevin Welcome Center
Volunteer Symposium Hosted by Cornell Botanic Gardens
The symposium was attended by over 45 professionals from the public garden field who are involved with volunteer management and supervision. The group included six staff and one volunteer from Cornell Botanic Gardens. Adult Education and Volunteer Coordinator Kevin Moss was instrumental in organizing the symposium with the Association.
The symposium featured a variety of speakers, with sessions on best practices, student engagement, volunteer retention, risk management, and more. The keynote address, “Land Stewardship and the Volunteer Connection”, was delivered by Andrew Zepp, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Tours of the F. R. Newman Arboretum and Cascadilla Gorge, and an excursion to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, rounded out the week.
One attending Volunteer Manager had this to say, “This gathering is so vital to us. For volunteer managers at public gardens, this is the only peer networking group that is gardens-based, which means that we have the chance to confer with colleagues sharing the same issues and learn from each other. The sessions and presentations were interesting, and our time at the Ornithological Research Center and Cascadilla Gorge were enlightening and thought provoking (and hiking back up through the gorge was breathtaking in the truest sense of the word…good exercise for mind and body). The planning, location and conduct of the event were wonderfully orchestrated. Our thanks to all those who helped in making this a great success.”
Click here to view images from this event.
Removing cattails requires a team effort and engages students
With the help of Plant Science professor Tom Whitlow, 10 canoes, 5 pairs of waders and sickle knives, the group removed the overgrown cattails that were crowding out other plants and changing the ecology of the ponds. This pilot project helped us understand what it would take to successfully remove cattails in the future. Sam Schultz, Ecology and Biology student, is following up with a research project that will recommend next steps and future maintenance strategies. A local flowering sedge (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani) is being grown at our Plant Production Facility to replace the cattails.
Click here to view images of this effort.
Dunn Part of Cornell’s Delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference
Dunn gave a presentation on community-based adaptations to climate change by the peoples of the Pamir Mountains of Central Asia and the Lakota Sioux (click here to view the presentation). As a delegate, Dunn is also working to raise awareness of the work being done at Cornell Botanic Gardens to raise awareness about climate change and how we and visitors can mitigate its effects or adapt to its impacts.
View Christopher's presentation here.
Read more about the Cornell students and staff who attended COP23 in the November 17 Cornell Chronicle article "Cornell students meet, learn from COP23 world leaders."
We're helping kids discover the (natural) world through our Wildflower Explorations program
Each spring we teach over 500 third grade students about our native wildflowers as part of the Kids Discover the Trail program. Read more about it in this Tompkins Weekly article.
Cornell Botanic Gardens Brings Blooms, Food, and Fun to Presidential Inauguration Festivities
From a tropical container garden, to whimsical flower hats, to culinary herbs, Cornell Botanic Gardens made its stamp on the installation of Cornell University President Martha Pollack.
New presidents of Cornell University are ushered in with pomp and celebration. When President Martha Pollack was installed on August 25, 2017, Cornell Botanic Gardens participated with zest, sharing flowers, herbs, and fun, across three celebratory events.
Trustee’s Lunch
When the Office of the Board of Trustees began planning an inauguration-day lunch, they approached Cornell Botanic Gardens for height-of-season blooms. The Zucker Shrub Collection yielded lush stems of white hydrangeas, hosta leaves, and ornamental grass fronds for 25 table centerpieces. Each was accompanied by a branded card noting Cornell Botanic Gardens contribution. This elevated the presence of the botanic gardens among 275 high-profile trustees, alumni, and friends.
Street Fair
Immediately following the installation ceremony on the Arts Quad, Martha Pollack was feted with a street fair showcasing the best of Cornell University. Cornell Botanic Gardens wanted its display to draw visitors in with the beauty of plants and to convey its educational mission. Above all, guests were to experience plants with surprise and delight, in an interactive activity.
Developing and executing the display leveraged the expertise and creativity of staff across the organization—horticulture, education, facilities, and communication. The result was a lush tropical container garden on the Arts Quad, and a photo booth, where visitors donned whimsical hats made from plants and flowers.
At the close of the presidential installation ceremony, more than 7,000 people flocked to the street fair. Many lined up to have their photos made with the hat creations, including CALS Dean Kathryn Boor, Soumitra Dutta, dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Fred Van Sickle, vice president for alumni affairs and development, and Kathy Zoner, Cornell’s chief of police.
Watch for a behind-the-scenes view of how Cornell Botanic Gardens created a tropical container garden and photo booth with living hats to celebrate the installation of Cornell University President Martha Pollack in this short video.
Inauguration Dinner, Barton Hall
Some 600 people filled Barton Hall in the evening for a gala dinner honoring Martha Pollack. In his welcome remarks, Joel Malina, vice president for university relations, recognized Cornell Botanic Gardens for providing herbs and edible flowers for the celebratory meal. The prior day, Tim Oltz, executive chef for Cornell Catering, visited the Robison York State Herb Garden. He and Horticulturist Pam Shade selected culinary herbs for dishes such as boursin- and herb-stuffed mini zucchini. “The herbs took the menu to the next level of flavor,” Oltz said. “We can’t get these herbs in a store.”
Lecture on climate change adaptation by National Geographic Explorer Alizé Carrère, Nov. 8
Alizé Carrère, National Geographic Explorer & Cultural Ecologist
With the persistence of climate change, people across the world are experimenting daily with different adaptive methods on the ground. At a time when doomsday narratives dominate the current climate conversation, adaptation plays an increasingly vital role for both its practical application and as a hopeful reminder of our resilience as a species. Alizé Carrère, an Ithaca native and a National Geographic Explorer, will be sharing her experiences from the field looking at remarkable examples of human adaptation. With support from National Geographic, she has been documenting case studies in places such as Madagascar, Bangladesh, India, Norway and the United States to create a web series that reveals human ingenuity and resourcefulness in the face of environmental adversity. Collectively, the story they tell is far grander than the sum of its parts: it is one that reminds us of the single most important trait that has allowed for survival for as long as life has existed on earth.
Interview with Alizé
Here is an insider's look at Alizé, her work, and her insights on human ingenuity in this interview written by Cornell intern Diana Buckley.
Date/time: Wednesday, November 8; 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public
Location: Statler Hall, Cornell University
Sneak a peak at the menu for "A Taste of the Harvest!"
Date/time: Saturday, November 4; 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $50 ($45 for Members) Pre-registration is required.
Location: Nevin Welcome Center
Get a sneak peak at the menu and plants used from our gardens in this two-minute video with horticulturist Emily Detrick.
Click here to register.
Cornell Botanic Gardens supports hemlock tree conservation and research with New York State grant
The grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation expands control of an invasive pest that threatens hemlock trees. Read more in a Cornell Chronicle article on October 20.
We're voted "best place for peace and quiet"
In the 2017 Ithaca Times "Best of Ithaca" we were recognized for the restorative qualities of our gardens and natural areas. Click here to read the full article.
Fall Foliage Arboretum Hike this Saturday
Date/time: Saturday October 21; 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 suggested donation; no registration required
Instructor: Peter Davies, Cornell Professor Emeritus, Plant Biology and Horticulture
Location: Meet at the Nevin Welcome Center
Lecture on prescribing Nature to prevent and treat chronic disease
This lecture is in partnership with Nature Rx @Cornell, Cornell Health, Horticulture Section, Masters of Public Health degree program
Date/time: Monday, October 23; 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public
Location: Statler Hall, Cornell University
Join a lively discussion on why urban forests are important
Join us for our second Biophilia: ITHACA forum for a lively presentation and discussion.
Jeanne Grace, Ithaca City Forester, will share the inside scoop on what drives tree management decisions, why urban forests are important, and how Ithaca’s urban canopy stacks up against other cities. As forester, Jeanne interacts with tree lovers and tree skeptics on issues related to nature in the city and our connection to it on a daily basis.
Date/time: Tuesday, October 10; 5:00 -6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public; no registration required
Location: Just Be Cause Center, 1013 W. State Street, Ithaca
What is Biophilia: ITHACA?
Biophilia is the human affinity for interacting with nature. The term “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life,” was coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm and popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson.
Biophilia: ITHACA is modeled after the Biophilia: PITTSBURGH which is a “pilot chapter for a global Biophilia Network of
creative minds dedicated to strengthening the bond between people and
the natural world through education, discussion and action.”
Our Mission:
To strengthen human connections to nature and to advocate for policies
and practices that benefit the local natural environment.
Our Goals:
•
To create a supportive and inclusive network that fosters collaboration
and learning about biophilia among people with diverse backgrounds and
viewpoints
• To welcome and inspire others with the concept of biophilia
•
To explore new approaches to strengthening human connections to nature
and to discuss their application to our local community
• To use
our collective voice to advocate for and to assist in the implementation
of policies and practices that benefit the natural environment
Free and open to all. Refreshments will be provided. This forum is sponsored by Ithaca Children's Garden, and the biophilia:ITHACA chapter is comprised of numerous individuals and organizations.
Our mission is to strengthen human connection to nature. All are invited to attend this forum and become active with biophilia: ITHACA. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.
Capture the beauty of fall in our “Autumn Hues” painting class
Date/time: Saturday, October 14; 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $72 ($65 for Members)
Instructor: Camille Doucet, artist
Location: Nevin Welcome Center
Click here to register.
Chocolate and family fun this Sunday!
Date/time: Sunday, October 29; 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person, children 5 and under are free
Location: Nevin Welcome Center
Cornell Botanic Gardens featured in the Christian Science Monitor
The Climate Change Demonstration Garden is featured in this story on how botanic gardens are working to help visitors see and understand how climate change may affect them. Click here to read the September 25 article, "Sowing common ground: Botanical gardens tell the story of climate change."
Lecture: The Art of Gardening at Chanticleer
Date/time: Wednesday, September 27; 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public
Location: Statler Hall, Cornell University
Come to weed dating tonight!
It’s a drop-in volunteer night for singles and couples! Come get down and dirty in our garden beds and meet someone new, or bring your significant other for a unique date night. Relax and unwind, learn about plants from a knowledgeable staff horticulturist, and help keep our gardens looking beautiful. Wear comfortable clothes and bring your own garden gloves and hand tools, if you have them. Light refreshments provided. Open to ages 18 and older. Cancelled in the event of rain.
No pre-registration required.
Location: Meet by the Nevin Welcome Center parking lot on Plantations Road