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Become a Volunteer Tour Guide at Cornell Plantations!

Published: 
4 years 6 weeks ago
Cornell Plantations is offering a spring training program for those interested in becoming a volunteer garden docent (tour guide) for our adult group tour program. Docents interpret the diverse plant collections, unique landscapes and compelling history of Cornell Plantations, and educate adult visitors about the importance and interdependence of plants, people and the natural world. Docents serve as ambassadors to a large and diverse audience throughout the spring, summer and early fall.
 
Applicants are asked to commit to a weekly training program, which will take place on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 am to 12 noon, at the Nevin Welcome Center, from April 1 through May 13, as well as three additional trainings over the summer. Training is free and all materials will be provided.
 
A love of plants, gardens and the natural world, and a desire to share that love with others is an essential qualification! Additionally, applicants should possess good oral and interpersonal communication skills, as well as a flexible schedule and availability to lead tours on weekdays, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays. General knowledge of or interest in plants, gardening, horticulture, botany, natural history and/or related areas is extremely helpful; public speaking, teaching or related experience with adult learners is desirable but not required.
 
If interested in signing up or learning more, please contact Kevin Moss, Adult Education & Volunteer Coordinator, at [email protected], or call (607) 254-7430.

You can find out more about our volunteer program and other volunteer opportunities, and fill out our online volunteer application form HERE.

Meet the Conifers on Saturday, January 31

Published: 
4 years 9 weeks ago
Join conifer gardener Phil Syphrit on an easy walk through a portion of Cornell Plantations’ conifer collection in our botanical garden. The tour will highlight conifers, both native and non-native to the Ithaca area, including yew, metasequoia, concolor fir, larch and cedar. The walk will last approximately 90 minutes. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

Date/time: Saturday, January 31, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 (free for members, volunteers and Cornell students) Pre-registration is not required.
Instructor: Phil Syphrit, staff gardener
Location: Meet in front of the Nevin Welcome Center

For more information call 607-255-2400

Cyanotype botanical prints on display at the Nevin Welcome Center

Published: 
4 years 9 weeks ago
Now through the end of February, cyanotype botanical prints by Laurie Snyder will be on dislplay in the Nevin Welcome Center. Laurie Snyder is an Ithaca resident and former photography faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. She will be exhibiting botanical cyanotypes (also called blueprints). The cyanotype process is one of the earliest photographic processes, introduced in England around 1840.  The images are based on the light sensitivity of iron salts and are blue and white. Most of the images were made in Ithaca with plant material collected near her home and from Cornell Plantations. 

Happy Holidays!

Published: 
4 years 12 weeks ago

We love the way you've seen us through the years. Click here to view our holiday card featuring pictures taken by visitors.

Pop-up artisan market and holiday sale today!

Published: 
4 years 12 weeks ago
Just in time to wrap up your holiday shopping, we are hosting a pop-up artisan market from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the garden gift shop. Join us for this unique shopping experience and you can enjoy free Gimme Coffee or Harney & Son Tea while you shop.

Local artisans include:

Spirit and Kitsch: paintings, cards and prints
String & Tooth Letterpress: Hand printed goods
Jeri Nyrop: Fabric bowls, aprons and other handmade goods
Laurel O'Brien: Artisan Jewelry
Rachel Philipson Photography and Design: Cards, prints, and other unique photo gifts

Plus, you will receive an extra 20% off most items in the gift shop (40% off for members!)

Youth educator Raylene Ludgate receives CALS Core Values Award

Published: 
4 years 12 weeks ago

For over 30 years, Raylene Ludgate has been an inspiration to others around her. She was recognized for this at the 11th annual Research, Extension and Staff awards on November 10th. Read more in the CALS Notes blog "Plantations youth ed leader Ludgate honored for decades of inspiration."

Arboretum now closed to vehicles for winter

Published: 
4 years 13 weeks ago

The F. R. Newman Arboretum is now closed to vehicle traffic. Please don't let that stop you from enjoying the arboretum this winter. Parking is available at the Mundy Wildflower Garden parking lot off of Caldwell Road at the intersection with Forest Home Drive, which is directly across from the arboretum.

Pedestrians are welcome to explore the arboretum every day from dawn to dusk. Vehicle access will begin again in the srping. Happy winter!

Nevin Welcome Center closing early on December 12

Published: 
4 years 13 weeks ago

The Nevin Welcome Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. - noon on Friday, December 12 for a staff holiday party. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Tree Theft at Cornell Plantations

Published: 
4 years 14 weeks ago
On Thursday, December 4, 2015, Phil Syphrit, Curator of the Conifer Collection at Cornell Plantations, noticed that a white spruce tree (Picea glauca) was stolen from the collection. Sadly, this is an all to often occurrence during the holiday season.

Would you steal a Picasso from the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University? If your answer is no, then you shouldn’t steal a tree or even a plant from Cornell Plantations.  

For the past 70 years, Plantations has served as a living museum on Cornell’s campus. It’s collections have been carefully cultivated to provide visitors with a world class public garden experience. When a tree or plant is lost to theft it is like losing a unique work of art. Please go to your local Christmas tree stand to purchase a tree that was harvested for this purpose.  

“During the holidays, many of us enjoy the tradition of decorating our homes and workplaces with ornaments, trees, and other symbols of the season,” stated Dr. Christopher Dunn, the E. N. Wilds Director of Cornell Plantations. “This is a time of giving. Unfortunately, others seem to see it as a time of taking. It is disappointing that recently, and in the past, some lost souls have deemed it appropriate to steal conifers from our collections, presumably for Christmas trees. Given that we are part of the Cornell University community, of educated and thoughtful citizens, it is all the more disappointing.  Please share the joy of the season with family, friends, and colleagues.”



Click here to view a News 10 Now interview with Phil Syphrit, curator of the Conifer Collection.

If you have any information regarding the theft of this tree please contact Cornell University Police at 607-255-1111. 

Cascadilla Gorge Trail closed for winter

Published: 
4 years 14 weeks ago
The Cascadilla Gorge Trail from Downtown to College Avenue is now closed for winter. The trail is closed due to hazardous conditions from snow, ice, and falling rock that create unsafe conditions. The trail will re-open in the spring when conditions allow.

Although the gorge is closed, you can tour it virtually using Google's Street View feature. Click here for a 360 degree view in front of one of the gorge's waterfalls. To view more points in the gorge, click on the yellow “pegman” in the bottom right corner and drag it to a point on the trail!

Read more about the Google Street View project here.

Tour Plantations' gorges and natural areas with Google Street View

Published: 
4 years 14 weeks ago
People are now able to virtually explore many of the Plantations and the Ithaca area's gorges and natural areas with Google's Street View technology. On November 19, Plantations and the City of Ithaca's Geographic Information Systems program announced its partnership with Google to create 360 degree views of these areas, which cannot always be easily accessed. Google staff trained local professionals to hike these areas with 40-pound backpacks with 15 cameras that took images every 2.5 seconds. The images were then sent to a Google satellite. Cornell Plantations staff Zeb Strickland was responsible for capturing images of Fall Creek and Cascadilla Gorges along with Edwards Lake Cliffs Natural Area.

To view these areas in Google Street View, click on the links below:

Beebe Lake from Sackett Bridge

Beebe Lake

Fall Creek Gorge from the trail behind Risley Hall.

Fall Creek Gorge trail from below the pedestrian suspension bridge

Cascadilla Gorge trail

Edward Lake Cliffs Natural Area

To read more about this project, in The Ithacan article, "City of Ithaca reveals new Google Street View of off-street areas."

Gift Shop sale today!

Published: 
4 years 14 weeks ago
The Garden Gift Shop in the Nevin Welcome Center will be open for a special holiday sale today from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. (Early bird hours for Plantations members start at 11:30 a.m.). Holiday shoppers will enjoy a 15% discount on most items; Members will receive a 30% discount.

The Shop has many unique offerings such as handcrafted ornaments, locally sourced gift items, high quality gardening books and more! Your purchases directly support Plantations' gardens, natural areas and education programs.
The Shop is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00–4:00, through December 19 for all your holiday shopping needs!

New Garlic Project kicks off in Plantations' vegetable garden

Published: 
4 years 17 weeks ago
On November 8th, 30 people gathered in the Pounder Vegetable Garden to learn about and plant garlic—the first of many planting events that are part of The Garlic Project. This project was initiated by Donna Levy, Plantations' Environmental Outreach Coordinator, and Gary Fine of the Durland Alternatives Library at Cornell University. Describing the Garlic Project's mission, Gary Fine said, "In the small picture, it spreads garlic around your community. But in the larger picture, it’s about education and empowerment around how easy and satisfying it is to grow food and be more in charge of what you eat."

Learn more about The Garlic Project in the November 3 Tompkins Weekly article, "Cultivating Community Ties through Garlic."

Hear what Carol Bradford, Garden Blogger who lives in Syracuse, has to say about The Garlic Project here.

Watch an interview with creator of "Victis acernis" sculpture

Published: 
4 years 18 weeks ago

Click here to view a four-minute interview with Jack Elliot, who worked with Cornell students for two-years to clean the roots of a sugar maple, now a work of art used to convey an environmental message.

Lecture: Introduction to Classical Bonsai Art

Published: 
4 years 18 weeks ago
Join us for the final lecture of our Fall Lecture Series.

Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing miniature trees, has been captivating people for some time. William N. Valavanis, a Bonsai Master, will cover classical bonsai art and its history, philosophy and styles. William Valavanis will show techniques for creating and training bonsai as well as how to maintain them in a healthy environment – all illustrated by striking photos taken during his tours around the world.  A few bonsai specimens will be brought to the program to illustrate fine quality classical bonsai.

Date: Wednesday, November 12
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Statler Hall Auditorium, Cornell University

This lecture is free and open to the public. Click here for the Fall Lecture Series line-up.

Students get research experience at Plantations' natural areas

Published: 
4 years 19 weeks ago
Every Friday afternoon, professor Anurag Agrawal takes his Field Ecology class to different Plantations natural areas to learn the principles of ecology through nature observation and hands-on research projects. Get a close-up view of what the students observed in Plantations' Dunlop Meadow in this 5-minute video.

Click here to view this 5-minute video.

Liberty Hyde Bailey's Vision - October 29

Published: 
4 years 19 weeks ago

Join historian Scott Peters this Wednesday evening, October 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Statler Auditorium, to celebrate Cornell Plantations' 70th Anniversary.  Dr. Peter's lecture will focus on the prophetic ecological and civic vision of Liberty Hyde Bailey, Plantation's founder. Join Dr. Peters as he unearths wisdom and lessons in Liberty Hyde Bailey's work that can inspire and guide the ways we approach the ecological and civic challenges of our time.

 

Missed the Cascadilla Gorge opening ceremony? Watch it online.

Published: 
4 years 20 weeks ago
After five years of repair, the Cascadilla Gorge reopened on September 15. Click hereto view the opening ceremony, which includes comments from Plantations director Christopher Dunn, Ithaca mayor Svante Myrick and more.

This show is part of "Walk in the Park," a series produced by Tony Ingraham of Owl Gorge productions, which features parks in the Finger Lakes and throughout New York. It will be aired this Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10:30 or on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Ithaca's public access cable channels 13 and 97.3.

Create your own bonsai workshop, November 13

Published: 
4 years 21 weeks ago
After a short lecture and demonstration of how a bonsai is developed from common nursery stock, master bonsai artist and educator William Valavanis will assist each student increating their own indoor bonsai to take home. Most bonsaiare winter-hardy outdoor species which cannot be cultivated in the home. However tropical species which have been hand selected from Florida growers will be used for this workshop. A few developed bonsai will be used to illustrate the training techniques as well as provide inspiration. Students will select their own plants and will design, prune, wire and pot their own indoor bonsai. Personalized instruction will be provided so each student will develop a beautiful bonsai which can be cultivated indoors. Registration fee includes the tropical pre-bonsai, ceramic container, soil, wire and the use of bonsai tools during the workshop. Pre-registration is required.

 

Date/time: Thursday, November 13, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Instructor: William Valavanis, Bonsai Master
Cost: $100 ($90 for Cornell students, Plantations members and volunteers)
Location: Nevin Welcome Center

Click here to register.

Gov. Linda Lingle to speak on Clean Energy Initiatives

Published: 
4 years 22 weeks ago

WHAT: Linda Lingle, former governor of Hawai'i will be on campus to discuss “How an Energy Outlier Can Become a Role Model for Sustainability: A case study of Hawai'i’s Clean Energy Initiative.”  The lecture is sponsored by Cornell Plantations, and co-sponsored by the David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University.
 
WHEN: Thursday, October 23 at 5:00 pm (reception to follow)
 
WHERE: Warren Hall Auditorium, B45, Cornell University

Gov. Lingle will explain how the Aloha State’s geography, regulatory regime and dire need to end its first-in-the-nation reliance on imported oil coincided with bipartisan political leadership, community enthusiasm for change, and help from the Federal Government to transform itself from the most oil-dependent state in America to a national and international leader and test bed for sustainable, renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.  She will also share her thoughts on how Hawai'i will reach its goal of 70% clean energy by 2030.
 
“As a former resident of the Aloha State, I’m no stranger to the work that Governor Lingle was able to accomplish during her tenure,” stated Dr. Christopher Dunn, the E. N. Wilds director of Cornell Plantations. “The work she spearheaded in Hawai'i can serve as a primer for the rest of the United States, and it’s my distinct pleasure to bring her to Cornell to share her visionary ideas on environmental stewardship.”

Linda Lingle is a founding member and currently serves on the Governors’ Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington DC think tank whose policy initiatives are respected by national leaders of both political parties. She served two terms as Governor of Hawai'i between 2002 and 2010 and prior to that was twice elected Mayor of Maui County. She was Hawai'i’s first woman governor, and the first Republican elected in 40 years.
 
As Governor, Lingle became intensely focused on energy security and sustainability issues while examining chokepoints that had the potential to wreak havoc on Hawai'i’s economy and way of life.  She currently serves as a member of the U.S. Energy Security Council whose mission is to diminish the inordinate strategic importance of oil, which stems from its virtual monopoly over transportation fuels.
 
Governor Lingle became Professor Lingle earlier this year when she returned to her alma mater, Cal State Northridge, to teach a seminar in public policy. She will return to Northridge for the 2015 Spring Semester.
 
Lingle’s lecture is sponsored by Cornell Plantations, and co-sponsored by the David Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University.