This fall a group of local first graders toured the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. Associate scientist, Pati Vitt, gave them a tour of the seed bank and answered their questions about plant science.
Tag: plant
Obama Homes Featured in Wonderland Express
Check out the three new features of the Wonderland Express exhibition surrounded with beautiful holiday plants! Watch for Michelle Obama’s childhood home, the Obama family’s Kenwood home and the Union Stockyard’s Old Stone Gate. Over 80 Chicago landmarks are featured in the exhibition. Learn more at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.
Plants of Concern
We went to a virgin prairie remnant in south suburban Chicago and talked with Susanne Masi about the Plants of Concern project. Susanne and her research associates work with a team of dedicated volunteers to monitor the Chicago Wilderness region’s rarest plants, assess trends in their populations, and provide important data used to conserve our rapidly declining floral heritage.
Plants of Concern is coordinated by the Chicago Botanic Garden, having strong partnerships with local, state, federal and non-profit agencies. Currently, this project is funded through a grant program supported by the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area, State and Private Forestry, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, in support of Chicago Wilderness. USFWS and USFS grants of federal monies are administered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation & Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie–USDA Forest Service.
On the Beach with Pitcher’s Thistle
Conservation scientist Jeremie Fant tells us about his attempt to restore Pitcher’s thistle to its native habitat. He and his team are studying the plant and its DNA to learn more about rare plant restoration and how to make it more successful.
Sustainable Features of the Plant Science Center
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Plant Science Center with Bill Brown, the Garden’s vice president of facilities and planning. The building was designed using materials and systems to earn a gold LEED rating for sustainable design from the U.S. Green Building Council. Bill will tell us what that means for the Garden and how he and his team made it happen.