What will my child do in the Children's Gardening Program?

Throughout the season they are enrolled, Crafters and Sprouts plant and care for a garden and learn about garden-related topics through fun enrichment activities. Each session includes time dedicated to hands-on gardening and time dedicated to learning about a particular theme, through investigations, hikes, discussions, and games. Caregiver accompanying their Sprout actively participates along with their Sprout.

Where does the Children's Gardening Program take place?

The program takes place outdoors at the Edible Academy (EA). The campus is located near the East Gate and includes gardens, classrooms, greenhouse, open air pavilions (offering relief from sun and rain), restrooms, water bottle refill station, and hand sanitizer dispensers. The classrooms and greenhouse will not be utilized during the program. The Edible Academy campus is NOT open to the public during the CGP sessions.

Does my child harvest and keep what they grow?

Many of the crops the Crafters and Sprouts plant and care for are harvested during the season they are enrolled. Some of the crops are left to grow and are harvested by the Crafters and Sprouts enrolled in subsequent seasons. Some of the crops will be harvested by Edible Academy staff and donated to local community-based food providers.

Does my child choose what they grow?

In order to have seeds and seedlings ready each program session, EA staff develop planting plans that include a diversity of crops that are seasonally appropriate. Each season more than a dozen different vegetables, herbs, and flowers are grown.

How does my child get to the Edible Academy?

Crafters and Trams are transported to and from the Edible Academy on the NYBG Trams. Trams depart from the Tulip Tree Allee. Crafters Educators join the Crafters to provide supervision during the ride.

Who teaches my child during the Children's Gardening Program?

NYBG hires and trains Crafters and Sprouts Educators to facilitate the gardening and enrichment activities planned by Edible Academy administrators. Each Educator is assigned up to 12 Crafters or 12 Sprouts and accompanying caregivers and is supported during program sessions by several Edible Academy administrators as well as Assistant Educators.

What efforts are being made to promote my child's safety during the program session?

All activities of the Children’s Gardening Program will take place outdoors; all staff and participants are required to wear face coverings indoors and in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden and the Edible Academy. Hand washing stations and hand sanitizer stations are installed throughout the Edible Academy campus. All garden tools will be disinfected with an alcohol-based disinfectant in between users. Enrichment activities will include hikes and games that promote social distancing.

How do I enroll my child in the Children's Gardening Program?

You can enroll https://www.nybg.org/learn/kids-teens/childrens-gardening-program/ or via phone at 718.817.8181.

When does registration for the Children's Gardening Program begin?

You can register your child for Spring 2022, Summer 2022, and/or Fall 2022 sessions now.

Do NYBG Members receive a discount?

Yes, we offer CGP Crafters and Sprouts at a discounted rate for NYBG Members at the Family Level and above.

Are discounts available for enrolling in more than one season?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount for enrolling your child in three or more seasons. Please use code CGP1022 at check out.

Do you offer financial scholarships?

Yes, you may apply for a https://nybg.doubleknot.com/form/takesurvey.aspx?surveyid=83821&orgkey=3803 .

Who do I contact if I have further questions regarding the Children's Gardening Program?

You can email childed@nybg.org or call 718.817.8181

How can I purchase or renew a Membership?

You can purchase a Membership https://www.nybg.org/join-support/membership/ , on-site at any ticket window, or by calling the Membership Office. To purchase online you’ll have to create a new Member account. Renewing Members have an existing account. https://www.nybg.org/content/uploads/2019/11/ME_Members-Login-Info_2019-Final.pdf

Trade-in Tickets Towards Membership

If you have purchased regular-priced admission to the Garden, during your visit the ticket price can be applied to the cost of a Membership. For Individual and Teacher level, the cost of one regular-priced ticket is applied. The cost of two regular-priced tickets can be applied towards the purchase of a Dual Membership. The cost of two adult and two children’s tickets can be applied towards the purchase of Family–Sustaining Memberships. Please see a Visitor Services Representative on the day of your visit for additional details.

When will I receive my Membership materials?

Please allow 2–3 weeks from the date of purchase to receive your Membership materials. We will assume all proper Membership materials have been received unless notified. Please notify the Membership Office if you have not received your Membership materials 3 weeks after purchase.

Renewals may be processed at any point once your Membership term has commenced. When you renew an active Membership, it will be extended for one year from the current expiration date. The Membership Office does not retain the credit card information. This information must be re-submitted with each renewal.

When can I begin using my Member benefits?

Member admission and discounts can be used immediately upon purchase of Membership. Member Passes for guest admission or parking will be sent with your Membership materials within 2-3 weeks of purchase. Member passes can only be redeemed by presenting the physical pass at the Garden.

What admission benefits do Members receive?

Membership entitles you to year-round admission. Each Membership is allotted a fixed number of complimentary Member tickets per day determined by Membership level.

What discounts do Members receive?

Members receive a 10% discount off purchases at NYBG Shop. Members also receive discounts on education course fees and on select premium events.

Do I have to reserve tickets for timed entry?

Timed tickets may be required for admission to the Garden. This is necessary to alleviate overcrowding, ensure a more pleasant experience, and protect the Conservatory, collections, and delicate exhibitions.

How do I redeem my Member Passes?

To receive complimentary parking, redeem pass to the parking attendant upon arrival on Garden premise. When parking at our secure parking facility at 401 Bedford Park Blvd, Members must validate parking ticket and redeem pass at a Garden ticket window to avoid Event and Standard Weekday non-visitor rates. For guest admissions, passes can only be redeemed at Garden ticket windows; they cannot be reserved in advance. Each pass can be used once. If you do not have your passes when you visit, you will be required to pay regular price (no refunds).

How do I redeem Member Passes for timed-entry admission?

If a Member with a timed ticket brings a friend using a guest pass, Garden Representatives will do their best to accommodate the guest(s) at the same time. Additional timed tickets are available for purchase at regular price if you have exceeded the number of complimentary admissions allowed by your Membership level.

Can I give a friend one of my Member passes?

No. Members are required to accompany their guest(s) when using a guest pass.

Are Member Passes always valid for guest admission?

Member Passes are not valid for guest admission during the Holiday Train Show® or select premium events.

What reciprocal benefits do Members have at participating gardens and arboreta?

Garden Members receive reciprocal benefits at gardens and arboreta throughout the United States through our association with the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program. Benefits vary by organization. Members must contact the Garden they wish to visit confirm what benefits are available. A complete listing can be found https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/ .

Can I access the Garden prior to opening hours?

Early Morning Access is a great way to enjoy the beauty and solace of the New York Botanical Garden’s grounds before the Garden is open to the general public. Supporting, Contributing, Sustaining, and Patron level Members can utilize their complimentary Early Morning Access from Tuesday–Sunday, 6–10 a.m. Please have your Membership ID card or proof of Membership purchase (receipt) available when entering the Garden. Please note that no building entry is allowed with the exception of the Visitor Center and East Gate restrooms and parking is only available at the Mosholu Entrance (2950 Southern Blvd.).

How long does it take to receive my Membership card(s)?

Membership cards and passes will be mailed within 2-3 weeks of Membership purchase. Membership is active upon purchase and is not contingent upon the receipt of Membership materials.

How many cards will I receive?

Individual level will receive one Membership card. Memberships that include two or more individuals will receive at most two Membership Cards, one for each adult named on the Membership. If a Member wishes to add a new second individual to the Membership during cycle, there is a $10 replacement card fee.

Do I need my Membership card to access my benefits?

No. If you do not have your Membership card, a photo ID will be requested by Garden Representatives to receive your Member benefits. Member benefits are for the Member(s) listed on the Membership.

I lost my card. How do I get a replacement?

There is a $10 replacement fee for lost, damaged, or stolen Membership Cards You can purchase a replacement card at any ticket window when visiting the Garden or by calling the Membership Office. Please allow 2-3 weeks for the mailing of replacement card(s).

Membership is valid for one year from the date your application is processed. No refunds, extensions, or exchanges will be granted if you are for any reason unable to utilize your Membership Benefits.

Memberships, Membership Benefits, passes, and Membership Cards are nontransferable.

Membership Downgrades

The Garden does not permit a Member to downgrade to a lower Category once the Membership materials have been received and/or benefits have been used.

Membership Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions apply to all Members of the Botanical Garden. In these terms “you/r” or “Member/s” refer to all people who have purchased or applied for a Membership at the Individual, Individual Senior, Dual, Dual Senior, Family, Family Senior, Friends & Family, Supporting, Contributing, Sustaining, and Teacher categories. The terms “we”, “NYBG”, “the Botanical Garden”, or “the Garden” refer to The New York Botanical Garden. With the exception of the benefit of admission to the Garden, we reserve the right to alter the Membership Categories and Benefits without prior notice. Members and guests are subject to conditions and policies of the Garden. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to refuse entry and/or Membership to a Member and to revoke a Membership without refund if a Member behaves in a threatening or abusive manner toward any person, or damages or threatens to damage any of the collections at The New York Botanical Garden. We reserve the right to amend the terms of these policies at any time. At the time of an amendment, Members will be notified.

What’s the advantage of attending the school of professional horticulture versus earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in horticulture?

The advantage can be summarized with one word—skills! The School’s strength is that it teaches students valuable horticulture skills, which give our graduates a competitive advantage over other programs based solely on coursework. The School’s program combines the theoretical and the practical, teaching not just how to grow plants, but why plants grow the way they do. It is due to this kind of education that our students are highly sought after, not just for internships, but also for full-time employment upon graduation.

As someone who is switching careers, what is it like to work in the horticulture industry?

It is a close-knit community of dedicated and passionate professionals who are willing to share their knowledge, experience, information, and employment opportunities. As a student, you meet many key people in this profession from around the world in diverse areas of horticulture, and as a graduate, you become part of that community. One of the biggest benefits of attending the School is making these lifelong contacts here at NYBG and beyond.

What is the typical demographic of students in the school?

Students come from all over the country and world. Most students have some college background, and many have degrees in fields other than horticulture. The majority of students are career changers and range in age from their late teens to mid-50s.

What is the job placement rate for graduates?

The School has had a job placement rate of 100% for the past 8 years. Our alumni are highly sought after by botanical gardens, public parks, celebrity estates, and even major league sports stadiums. Exceptional students also are often hired at NYBG upon graduation when a position is available. However, the School does not promise or guarantee employment.

What kind of salary can I expect to recieve

Generally, private industry pays more than public parks and gardens. The starting salary range in private industry is typically $50,000–$60,000; for non-profits it is $40,000–$55,000.

How is the two-year program divided?

The program is divided into nine terms. Academic classes are concentrated between rotations and include evening sessions.

What if I have fewer hours of experience by application deadline, should I still apply?

Yes; contact the Director to assess your situation.

How many course hours should I expect to take?

Students are required to complete 630 Course Hours and 1,990 Horticulture Rotation and Internship Hours in order to qualify for graduation.

How many hours of studying can I anticipate?

On horticulture rotation days, students start at 8 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m. On class days, students may start at 10 a.m. and finish at 6 or 9 p.m. Students also can expect to have classes some evenings throughout the year. Some courses require homework and studying outside class hours.

Why are some courses taught in the evenings?

Many courses are taught by our expert Horticulture staff. Due to their daytime schedules, they are only free to teach after 4 p.m.

Is it possible to work part-time while I am a student in the School?

Due to the intense schedule of academic courses and work rotations, in addition to various lectures, field trips, and plant ID walks, it’s nearly impossible to hold a part-time job, find time to study, and stay in good academic standing for the two-year program.

What does one recieve after Graduating from the school?

After successfully completing the program, students receive a Diploma in Horticulture from The New York Botanical Garden.

Housing is available in the Bronx and lower Westchester County within a convenient distance from the Garden. Housing is not provided by the School, and out-of-town and international students are advised to secure housing prior to arriving in New York.

When does orientation start?

Orientation starts the last week in January. New students meet staff and become familiar with the Garden’s philosophies, policies, and facilities. Orientation and special group projects with Horticulture continue through February and March to prepare students for their horticulture rotations in the spring.

Does the school provide computer access?

Computers are available 24 hours a day in the Student Room, M-280. Students may be assigned an NYBG e-mail address if desired. In addition, there is Wi-Fi service in the Watson Building and other buildings on campus.

What study and dining facilities are available to students?

Classrooms and academic facilities are in the Watson and Library buildings. The Student Room is available for meal breaks, studying, drafting, and computer use. Horticulture training is carried out at locations throughout the Garden. The Garden’s Pine Tree Café on Garden grounds is open Tuesdays through Sundays, and students enjoy a 20% discount. The Café serves pizza, panini, salads, snacks, and beverages. The Hudson Garden Grill is a more formal dining option on Garden grounds. There are also several moderately priced diners, cafés, and pizzerias within walking distance of the Garden.

News and Media | New York Botanical Garden

An aerial view of a bright green mountainous valley

COP28: Nature is Part of the Solution

COP28 is the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Held annually, the conference convenes delegates from around the world to negotiate goals for combating climate change and limit Earth’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The climate crisis and biodiversity crisis are intertwined. Climate change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. However, protecting and restoring nature is a key part of the climate solution. According to The Nature Conservancy, natural climate solutions can reduce emissions by one-third to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. NYBG has been advancing plant research and conservation over its 132-year history and leverages its expertise and collections to address the climate crisis. During COP28, NYBG scientists share how their work on key themes at the conference, from nature-based solutions and regenerative agriculture to the roles of Indigenous people, advance solutions for the climate crisis.

NYBG COP28 Resources

An image of the flags of the United Nations

World Soil Day 2023

Associate Curator Brad Oberle represented NYBG at the UN Headquarters for the World Soil Day celebration: “Soil and water: a source of life.” Brad interacted with Food and Agriculture Organization staff, international soil researchers, and members of the community to identify ways to conserve soil and water.

FAO World Soil Day

UN World Soil Day

A person in a denim vest poses for a photo with a brown chicken on their shoulder

Plant One On Me

Influencer Summer Rayne Oakes was interested in featuring NYBG for her YouTube channel series called Plant One On Me. You can see examples of this series in tours she did of Longwood Gardens or Fairchild Gardens. In this video, She highlights the Conservatory, Herbarium and Pfizer Lab, filming at all locations in one day.

At each location, Summer interviewed a staff to learn about the building, the plants, and capture close up videos. Leeann Dabydeen was interviewed for this series, she shared some background on the Pfizer Lab, the type of work the team does, and showed some cool specimens we have in the space. Kelcie Brown from the Herbarium team was also interviewed, highlighting areas such as the mounting room and imaging lab.

Summer Rayne Oakes Channel

HOMESTEAD BROOKLYN

Networking with Plants in the Anthropocene

NYBG Director of the Humanities Institute, Lucas Mertehikian, was interviewed for an episode of the podcast, Networking with Plants in the Anthropocene. It is a newly created network for those involved in research, education, and advocacy for human-plant relationships of care and reciprocity.

In this episode of the Networking with Plants in the Anthropocene Podcast, Kate Brelje interviews Dr. Lucas Mertehikian about his work with plants.

Lucas Mertehikian Website

NYBG’s Humanities Institute

Plant Humanities Lab

Dumbarton Oaks

Dumbarton Oaks Plant Humanities Initiative

An image of a person lying down in a field of grass with the words 'Atmos' over them

The Environmental Wisdom Encoded in Endangered Languages

Assistant Curator Alex McAlvay and Postdoc Stefanie Ramos Bierge‘s project The Language of Land and Life was featured in an article on the news site Atmos in an article titled “The Environmental Wisdom Encoded in Endangered Languages.”

Modernity has brought about the notion that indigenous understanding of the world is rather unscientific. However, the language preservation projects led by Dr. Alex McAlvay demonstrate that these communities around the world actually harbor a rich understanding of the natural world in which we live. Their traditional knowledge and ways are an invaluable contribution to the discussion of climate change and conservation.

Atmos Article

The Language of Land and Life: Connecting Language and Ecology in Wixárika (hch)

A green image of a leaf with the words 'GROWING GREENER'

A Gardening Calendar for the Era of Climate Change

Growing Greener featured Vice President for Botanical Science Michael Balick and Director of the Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics Gregory Plunkett in a 30-minute episode about the research they and their collaborators have done in Vanuatu about “calendar plants.”

“Calendar plants” are used by Indigenous communities in Vanuatu as a signal for the ideal time during the year for planting crops, hunting, fishing, and other activities.

Growing Greener is a podcast hosted by garden writer Tom Christopher, where weekly half-hour programs are hosted about environmentally informed gardening. Each week’s episode features a different expert, a leading voice on gardening in partnership with Nature. Growing Greener‘s goal is to make our landscapes healthier, more beautiful, more sustainable, and more fun.

Listen to the episode here

Read more about Dr. Balick & Dr. Plunkett’s work in Vanuatu

NYBG Team uses DNA data to solve 50-year-old botanical mystery

Solving a 50-year-old botanical mystery, an NYBG scientist and his colleagues have identified a new species of tree in the Amazon rain forest based on an analysis of the tree’s DNA, finally placing it on its own branch of the tree of life with a name that means “mystery of Manu,” after the national park in Peru where it was first collected in 1973.

In a paper published online today by the journal Taxon, NYBG Curator Emeritus Wayt Thomas, Ph.D., and his co-authors name the species Aenigmanu alvareziae and assign it to the bitter-bush family (Picramniaceae), a group of tropical trees and shrubs found mainly in Central and South America, many of which have been used in traditional medicine to treat skin ailments.

NYBG Press Release

Article Abstract

Body of Wonder Podcast: Ethnobotany, The Science of Indigenous Medicine

Plants have provided human beings with nourishment, medicine, fibers, and other resources for millennia. The passing of botanical knowledge through generations not only ensured survival, it shaped how cultures understood their world. Occasionally, this knowledge would be exchanged with neighboring people in the forms of stories, rituals, and daily practices.

To understand this, co-hosts Drs. Andrew Weil and Victoria Maizes welcome Michael Balick, Ph.D., ethnobotanist, and Vice President and Director of the Institute of Economic Botany at The New York Botanical Garden.

Andrew Weil interviews Michael Balick

Green cabbage with mullitple leaves being pulled back.

National Geographic: Answers to these botanical mysteries could help a climate-stressed world

Whether you’re munching spicy kimchi on a Seoul street corner, tucking into a hearty turnip stew to get through a northern European winter, or enjoying crispy collards in a Southern soul food joint, your meal is anchored by one of just two species: Brassica rapa or Brassica oleracea.

For over a century, scientists have puzzled over the origins of these globally important food plants. Now, a team of researchers including NYBG Ethnobotanist Dr. Alex McAlvay has analyzed DNA from hundreds of wild brassicas around the world and declared the mysteries solved. The findings should set off immediate efforts to collect and conserve plants from their places of origin, where unparalleled genetic diversity can help breeders create new, resilient varieties to feed a hungry, climate-stressed world.

National Geographic Article

The Graduate Center (CUNY): Lichens return to New York City, and new book reveals their splendor

The CUNY Graduate Center offers an advance preview of Urban Lichens: A Field Guide for Northeastern North America, which will be available from Yale University Press in October.

The book, all about the colorful organisms you might see on tree bark or the side of a building, was spearheaded by former NYBG graduate student Jessica Allen (Ph.D. ’17) now a professor at Eastern Washington University. Allen collaborated on the project with NYBG Lichenologist James Lendemer and NYBG Graduate student Jordan Hoffman.

The book is not just for academics, but for anyone who is curious about the world around them. One part of the book features a MetroCard tour of all the different lichens a New Yorker could see in one day via public transportation. “The whole idea is that someone with a hand lens and no real knowledge of lichens can use the book to identify the common things they see around them in the city,” Lendemer said.

CUNY GC Article

Person holds handfull of large leafy greens identified as part of brassica napa variety.

Atlas Obscura: The deep roots of the vegetable that took over the world

The plant known as Brassica rapa has quite the history, one that, after decades of debate, is finally emerging. The single species, which humans have turned into turnips, bok choy, broccoli rabe (also known as rapini), and other residents of the produce aisle, began up to 6,000 years ago in Central Asia, most likely in the shadow of the Western Himalayas’ sky-piercing peaks.

Earlier this month, NYBG Ethnobotanist Dr. Alex McAlvay and collaborators published findings from an unprecedented study that pulled together genetic sequencing, environmental modeling, and the largest number of wild, feral, and cultivated samples ever collected. The team’s results are important for more than knowing the genealogy of your next stir-fry: The paper is a significant step forward in understanding how one of the planet’s most important agricultural species might weather climate change.

Atlas Obscura Article

In Defense of Plants: Evolution of the Seed

Seeds are among the most important biological structures on this planet. Seeds have been instrumental in the diversification of plants, allowing them to spread into new habitats all over the globe. In fact, you and I would not be here if it were not for seeds. For these reasons and more, Dr. Cecilia Zumajo is fascinated by how seeds evolved.

By looking at the genetic mechanisms that control seed development in various gymnosperms, Dr. Zumajo is opening new doors into our understanding of the development of these incredible structures.

Evolution of the Seed Podcast

Unraveling Domestication of Brassica rapa

Turnips, bok choy, napa cabbage, mizuna and many other globally important vegetables derive from thousands of years of human selection on a single species, Brassica rapa. Previously, the wild relatives of these crops, their complex domestication history, and their selection into diverse forms has been a mystery.

Through a combination of genetics, ecological modeling, and ancient literature, a team of researchers led by NYBG Ethnobotanist Alex McAlvay was able to distinguish truly wild B. rapa from weedy escaped crops, identify a possible location of domestication in the mountains of Central Asia, and disentangle multiple origins of leafy vegetables out of turnip crops. The identification of wild relatives and a center of origin help prioritize conservation efforts and point to diversity that may be useful for adapting our crops to new pressures like climate change.

(Molecular Biology and Evolution, April 2021
NYBG Contact: Alex McAlvay)

Molecular Biology and Evolution Preprint

NYBG Press Release

The Language of Land and Life: Connecting Language and Ecology in Wixárika (hch)

A new grant from the National Science Foundation will support the research of NYBG Ethnobotanist Alex McAlvay, Ph.D. The project is funded through the Dynamic Infrastructure Program, a funding partnership between the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This project will document the Wixárika language (hch), also known as Huichol, an endangered Uto-Aztecan language from West-Central Mexico. The project is a collaboration between an ethnobotanist (McAlvay), native-speaker language activists, a linguist specialized in Wixárika, Mexican universities, and non-profit community centers. Researchers will focus on the threatened semantic domain of ethnobotanical and ethnoecological knowledge in Wixárika. This interdisciplinary effort will generate a website with a searchable Ethnoecological and Linguistic Database and a physical ethnobotany handbook, an annotated audiovisual corpus of texts, and a body of pedagogical materials that are accessible to the Wixárika language community. These resources will provide the key tools to fill knowledge gaps in Wixárika linguistics and ethnobiology as well as a basis for Wixárika language preservation and revitalization efforts.

More information:
New York Times: National Endowment for the Humanities Announces New Grants
The Language of Land and Life: Connecting Language and Ecology in Wixárika (hch)

Collections Lens (BRIT): Barbara Thiers on Funding Natural History Collections and the Extended Specimen Network

In the Collection Lens series, BRIT Librarian Brandy Watts highlights collection managers from around the world as collections move into the future.

The Blog draws attention to botanical collections in order to facilitate understanding and appreciation of their importance in preserving biodiversity. Tune in for a wide ranging conversation with NYBG’s Barbara Thiers!

Collections Lens blog post

North Creek Nurseries Special Bulletin: DROPPED Carex flacca

When North Creek Nurseries received word from noted NYBG botanist Dr. Robert Naczi that Carex flacca was spreading beyond the garden, we knew we had to do the right thing and eliminate Carex flacca from our gardens and stop selling this plant.

North Creek Nurseries stands by our “Plant Principles” to only carry plants that are “garden-worthy, stand the test of time, and are non-invasive.”

North Creek Nurseries thanks Dr. Naczi for calling attention to this issue. North Creek Nurseries is committed to being part of the solution, not part of the problem. While this plant was a much-requested customer favorite – we must do the right thing and we have discontinued Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’. It is a disappointment but we hope you will join us in the effort to be good stewards of our local environments.

(February 5, 2021)

Follow the link for a complete statement and the original message from Dr. Naczi

North Creek Nurseries Special Bulletin

Nature: My 2020 as an ‘alien’ Ph.D. student in New York

As a Colombian student in the joint Ph.D. program between the City University of New York (CUNY) and The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Cecilia Zumajo is officially an ‘alien’, according to US customs officials and law.

The term made Cecilia laugh when she first heard it, on account of its extraterrestrial origins, but it was not amusing for long, and it became increasingly serious as 2020 progressed. When lockdowns caused laboratory closures, members of NYBG’s Plant Science Research Laboratory took plants home to continue their experiments. Cecilia learned three key lessons as an international graduate student in the United States, and she is optimistic about 2021.

(January 25, 2021)

Nature Career Column: Cecilia Zumajo

Scott Mori (1941-2020): Friend, mentor, and colleague

This past August, The New York Botanical Garden community was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend and treasured colleague, Curator Emeritus Scott A. Mori, Ph.D.

Scott spent the majority of his long and distinguished career at NYBG, arriving in 1975 as Research Associate to work on the systematics and ecology of the Brazil nut family, Lecythidaceae. Some four decades later, Scott retired in 2014 as Nathaniel Lord Britton Curator of Botany in the Garden’s Institute of Systematic Botany. Scott was a prolific researcher, a prodigious plant collector, and an active and passionate teacher and mentor. His legacy lives on in more than 140 scientific publications (including 12 books) and 27,000 herbarium specimens, and in the students, post docs, and interns he mentored.

Since Scott’s passing, his career has been recognized and appreciated by those who worked with Scott for many years and benefited from his influence. Every wonderful tribute adds a different perspective of Scott’s life and contributions.

In remembrance of: Scott A. Mori (1941-2020), Tropical Botanist Extraordinaire
Ghillean T. Prance, Robert Naczi, and Lúcia G. Lohman
(Biotropica; January 24, 2021)

Biotropica Article Preview

The ‘Adopt-a-tree’ strategy – A legacy of Scott Mori (1941-2020)
Pierre-Michel Forget
(Ecotropica; January 5, 2021)

Ecotropica Article

Scott Alan Mori (1941-2020): An Appreciation
Brian Boom
(The Botanical Review; November 9, 2020)

Botanical Review Abstract

The Scientific Legacy of Scott Mori
Brian Boom
(Plant Talk Blog; August 19, 2020)

Plant Talk Blog Post

Times of Israel: EcoFlora Can Save Us All

One blogger’s answer to the question of how to deal with wintertime isolation: contribute to the New York City EcoFlora as a citizen scientist! She finds her own participation in the project interesting and productive, and it carries the added benefit that the natural world is devoid of partisanship.

The author summarizes the objectives of the New York City EcoFlora project and offers pointers for those who want to get involved–even in the depth of winter.

(January 24, 2021)

Times of Israel blog post

CUNY News: Ph.D. Student Simon Verlynde Is Hooked on Orchids

Ph.D. student Simon Verlynde’s path to NYBG and CUNY has taken many twists and turns, including abandoning a plan to become an airplane mechanic, a stint working in a Paris flower market, and visits to the tropical forests of Madagascar. He eventually got a biology degree, and then a master’s degree in tropical plant biodiversity and environments.

Verlynde always wanted to complete his academic training with a doctorate, and The Graduate Center’s partnership with The New York Botanical Garden was a perfect fit. His dissertation will be on the systematics, biogeography, and evolution of Angraecum, a genus of Afro-Malagasy orchids that includes a species studied by Darwin. Once he has his degree, he hopes to carry on the work of helping to expand knowledge and conserve Malagasy orchids.

(January 12, 2021)

CUNY News Story

Foodie Pharmacology: Herbaria & the Natural History of Plants with Dr. Barbara Thiers

Dead plants do tell tales. Over the past five hundred years, plant hunters have scoured the Earth, collecting millions of specimens that are now held in vast collections in New York, London and Paris, complemented by smaller collections found in museums and universities across the globe.

These plants were sought out not just for their beauty and diversity, but also for their potential applications in new foods, medicines, and more. This episode features Dr. Barbara Thiers, Director of the Steere Herbarium at The New York Botanical Garden and author of a new book entitled, “Herbarium: The Quest to Preserve and Classify the World’s Plants.” She discusses the fascinating history of herbaria and recounts the adventurous stories of some of the famous explorers that built these collections.

(January 11, 2021)

Foodie Pharmacology Podcast: Herbaria

Foodie Pharmacology Video: Herbaria

In Defense of Plants: Herbaria: Past, Present & Future

This episode takes a deep dive into the past, present, and future of herbaria. In Defense of Plants sits down with Director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, Dr. Barbara M. Thiers, to talk about her new book Herbarium: The Quest to Preserve and Classify the World’s Plants.

Dr. Thiers has spent a lifetime thinking about and working in herbaria and she recognized the importance of telling their stories. Listen in as we discuss humanity’s impulse to save things.

In Defense of Plants Podcast: Herbarium

NYBG Press Release

NYBG Shop Book information: Herbarium

Plant Talk Blog: Science

From the field to the lab, NYBG’s scientists aren’t just about white coats and microscopes—they’re adventurous and determined globe-trotters who live to discover, understand, and preserve Earth’s biodiversity. The Plant Talk blog exposes the far-reaching work of the Garden’s botanical specialists.

PLANT TALK: SCIENCE

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