CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN

THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN IS LOCATED ON 10 ACRES IN THE UNIVERSITY CIRCLE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CLEVELAND. THE GARDEN COMPRISES TWO INDOOR GLASSHOUSE BIOMES AND OUTDOOR GARDENS INCLUDING THE HERSHEY CHILDREN'S GARDEN, WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM. THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN IS INTEGRATED WITH THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM AS HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS ("HF&G"). THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM IS LOCATED 25 MILES FROM THE GARDEN, IN KIRTLAND, OH. TOGETHER, THE INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND REPRESENT ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC GARDENS IN THE COUNTRY. THE MISSION OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE WONDER, BEAUTY, AND VALUE OF TREES AND PLANTS, TO INSPIRE ACTION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN FULFILS THIS MISSION THROUGH CORE PROGRAMMING THAT FOCUSES ON HORTICULTURE AND CURATION, EDUCATION, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. FISCAL YEAR 2024 ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 (FY24), WAS ED MOYDELL'S FIRST YEAR AS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO, AFTER JOINING THE ORGANIZATION ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2023. IN FY24, HF&G AFFIRMED ITS MISSION AND VISION AND DEVELOPED A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK FOR 2025 THROUGH 2029. PILLARS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE LANDSCAPES, INSPIRATION, KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNITY, AND EXCELLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, HF&G AFFIRMED ITS COMPREHENSIVE SITE PLAN, COMPRISING KEY PROJECTS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT BOTH CAMPUSES ARE WELCOMING, YEAR-ROUND DESTINATIONS FOR ALL GUESTS THAT MODEL AND CATALYZE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. HF&G ALSO CONTINUED ITS CORE MISSION-FOCUSED PROGRAMS. HORTICULTURE & COLLECTIONS: THE HORTICULTURE & COLLECTIONS STAFF CULTIVATES, MAINTAINS, AND CARES FOR 5,500 PLANTS IN THE LIVING COLLECTION AT THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN, ALONG WITH OVER 100 LIVE ANIMALS INCLUDING BIRDS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, AND MAMMALS, AND THOUSANDS MORE INSECTS, THAT MAKE THEIR HOMES IN THE MADAGASCAR AND COSTA RICA GLASSHOUSES. THE TEAM MAINTAINS THE 10 ACRES OF DEVELOPED AND CULTIVATED GARDENS, ENSURING THAT GUESTS ENJOY A SENSE OF WONDER AND BEAUTY EVERY TIME THEY VISIT. WHILE THE HORTICULTURE STAFF ADVANCED A PHASED REDESIGN AND RENOVATION OF SIGNATURE GARDENS AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN IN FY24, THEY ALSO COLLABORATE CLOSELY WITH THE EXHIBITS & EXPERIENCES STAFF TO DELIVER SPECIAL EXHIBITS AND ANNUAL PRODUCTIONS SUCH AS THE GUEST FAVORITE ORCHIDS" EXHIBIT AND THE NEW WINTER SHOW THAT DEBUTED IN FY24, FROST. THE COLLECTIONS CURATION STAFF CONTINUED ITS TWO-YEAR PROJECT, FUNDED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM & LIBRARY SERVICES, TO MAP AND DIGITIZE DECADES OF DATA, MAKING PLANT RECORDS AND INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF, INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AND THE PUBLIC. THE HORTICULTURE AND COLLECTIONS TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE EDUCATION STAFF TO SUPPORT BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. EDUCATION: THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN PROVIDES A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES, FROM YOUTH AND CLASSROOM-BASED PROGRAMS TO ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. CLASSROOM- AND CAMPUS-BASED PROGRAMS AT THE GARDEN INCLUDE CLE4SCI, WHICH SERVES THIRD GRADE CLASSROOMS IN THE CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE POWER OF PLANTS (POP), AN ASSEMBLY-STYLE PROGRAM FOR UP TO 250 STUDENTS THAT INCLUDES A PRESENTATION AND UP TO FOUR HOURS OF 4 HOURS OF SMALL-GROUP, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. IN FY24 OVER 10,900 STUDENTS TOOK PART IN SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS SUCH AS THESE. IN ADDITION TO FORMAL AND INFORMAL ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL CURRICULA, THE EDUCATION TEAM ALSO MANAGES THE GARDEN'S SIGNATURE NATURE-BASED LEARNING SITE, THE HERSHEY CHILDREN'S GARDEN, AND THE INDOOR, ALL-SEASON HARRINGTON PERENNIAL PLAYSPACE. OVER 13,600 FAMILY MEMBERS TOOK PART IN BUTTERFLY RELEASES, POND DIPPING, NATURE CRAFTING AND PLANTING ACTIVITIES WHILE AT THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN. HF&G'S EDUCATION PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS ADULT CLASSES AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS. AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN, 96 CAMPERS ATTENDED 6 SUMMER CAMPS IN FY24 AND AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SPECTRUM 601 ADULTS TOOK CLASSES RANGING FROM BOTANICAL PAINTING AND DRAWING TO ORCHID CARE TO USING NATURAL PLANT DYES. EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS: IN FY24, THE GARDEN SERVED OVER 183,000 TOTAL VISITORS, ENGAGING THEM IN THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF PLANTS AND SHARING THEIR GREAT VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THE GARDEN CONTINUED ANNUAL, VISITOR-FAVORITE PRODUCTIONS INCLUDING ORCHIDS FOREVER AND UNVEILED THE ALL-NEW WINTER EXHIBITION, FROST. DURING THE SPRING, THE GARDEN HOSTED LIFE IN ONE CUBIC FOOT, A TRAVELING SCIENCE EXHIBITION FROM THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOCUSING ON BIODIVERSITY AND HIGHLIGHTING THE RESEARCH DONE BY HOLDEN SCIENTISTS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, 47 INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, 42 OF WHOM ARE LOCAL OHIOANS, EXHIBITED THEIR WORK IN FOUR SEPARATE GALLERY SPACES THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN. THE GARDEN HOSTED 16 SPECIAL TICKETED EVENTS THAT WELCOMED NEARLY 3,700 GUESTS, AS WELL AS SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS AND INFORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT DRIVE GENERAL ADMISSION, HELPING TO SUSTAIN THE ORGANIZATION'S OPERATING BUDGET, WHILE ALSO DRAWING IN VISITORS AND PIQUING INTEREST IN THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND THE OUTDOOR WORLD. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: IN FY24, HF&G CONTINUED TO POSITION ITSELF AS A COMMUNITY LEADER IN URBAN GREENING AND FORESTRY, ADVANCING ITS PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN TO PLANT 15,000 TREES IN NORTHEAST OHIO BY 2025. THE COMMUNITY'S ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE CONTINUED, NEARLY REACHING THE GOAL BY THE END OF YEAR FOUR. IN ADDITION TO THE PEOPLE FOR TREES CAMPAIGN, HF&G CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE CLEVELAND TREE COALITION THROUGH MEMBERSHIP ON ITS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE AND ACTIVE WORKING COMMITTEES. THE CLEVELAND TREE COALITION IS CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE 2015 CLEVELAND TREE PLAN TO RESTORE THE DECREASING TREE CANOPY IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY. THE TREE CORPS PROGRAM, A PAID ARBORICULTURE WORKFORCE TRAINING EXPERIENCE, SUPPORTED SIX COHORT MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTED TO SEEDS COLLECTED AND TREES PLANTED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY STAFF. BEGINNING IN FY23, HF&G USED A FEDERAL EARMARK AWARD FOR URBAN FORESTRY TO PROVIDE TREES IN CUYAHOGA, LAKE, AND GEAUGA COUNTIES. THE GREEN CORPS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW, FOCUSED ON MENTORING, INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, AND INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. HF&G HOSTED 17 INTERNS IN FY24 WHO COMPLETED 2,887 HOURS OF WORK WITH 20 MENTORS WHILE SUPPORTING 7 DEPARTMENT'S WORK IN ADDITION TO CREATING VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS INCLUDING ADDITIONAL TOUCHPOINTS FOR GUESTS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. WORKING WITH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND, HF&G ALSO OFFERED OVER 46 ONSITE PROGRAMS AT THREE DIFFERENT CITY OF CLEVELAND NEIGHBORHOOD RECREATION CENTERS TO HELP FOSTER AN INTEREST IN PLANTS AND APPRECIATE THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO SERVING ON CLEVELAND TREE COALITION COMMITTEES, HF&G STAFF SERVED ON THE CLEAN OHIO NATURAL RESOURCES ASSISTANCE COUNCIL; HOLDEN PARKS TRUST BOARD; DOAN BROOK WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AND UNIVERSITY CIRCLE INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.