Mt Cuba Center Inc

MT. CUBA CENTER WILL COMPLETE THE FINAL PHASE OF AN INTERPRETIVE MASTER PLANNING PROJECT TO DEEPEN THE ENGAGEMENT, ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE, AND SUPPORT LEARNING FOR ITS VISITORS. BUILDING ON TWO YEARS OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND PILOT-TESTING, THE GARDEN WILL INSTALL OVER 100 NEW INTERPRETIVE SIGNS AND A SERIES OF INTERACTIVE WAYFINDING TOOLS THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE LAUNCH OF A NEW MORE-PERSONALIZED DOCENT TOUR PROGRAM AND A NEW LABELING SYSTEM THAT WILL CORRELATE DIRECTLY TO THE PLANTS FEATURED IN CLASSES BEING TAUGHT AT THE CENTER. THE MUSEUM WILL COLLECT DATA AND PRODUCE A SUMMATIVE REPORT THAT ASSESSES CHANGES IN THE BEHAVIOR OF VISITORS AND THEIR MOTIVATION TO BEGIN UTILIZING AND ADVOCATING FOR MORE NATIVE PLANTS IN THEIR HOME GARDENS AND COMMUNITIES.

THE C&O CANAL NHP PROVIDES HABITAT FOR OVER 200 RARE, THREATENED, AND ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES AND MULTIPLE GLOBALLY RARE COMMUNITIES. HOWEVER, MANY RARE PLANT POPULATIONS ARE AT RISK FROM HABITAT LOSS AND FRAGMENTATION AND ARE BEING PUSHED TOWARD EXTINCTION BECAUSE OF THE PARK'S MOSTLY NARROW GEOGRAPHIC WIDTH AND STRESSORS FROM THE SURROUNDING URBAN AND SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT, MORE THAN 5 MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY, AND A CONTINUAL BARRAGE OF INVASIVE SPECIES. MOVING BEYOND ONLY CONTROLLING NONNATIVE INVASIVES, THE PARK NEEDS TO ACTIVELY MANAGE AND EXPAND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE OF RARE PLANT POPULATIONS THROUGH AUGMENTATION. THROUGH THIS WORK, THE PARK AND PARTNER WILL INCREASE THE VIABILITY OF RARE PLANT POPULATIONS IN THE LONG TERM BY (1) COLLECTING FRUIT/SEED FROM RARE, THREATENED, AND ENDANGERED PLANTS WITHIN THE PARK, (2) PROPAGATING THEM EX SITU USING APPROPRIATE AND RESEARCHED HORTICULTURAL PROCEDURES IN PARTNER GREENHOUSE FACILITIES, AND (3) OUTPLANTING INDIVIDUALS INTO CAREFULLY PREPARED SITES. THIS PROJECT WILL AID THE PARK IN FACILITATING AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF RARE, THREATENED, AND ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES. POPULATION SIZE AND DENSITY OF DOZENS OF RARE PLANTS WILL INCREASE UPON COMPLETION OF THE TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AGREEMENT. WE WILL CONDUCT LITERATURE REVIEWS AND ESTABLISH COLLECTION AND PROPAGATION PROTOCOLS FOR NUMEROUS RARE PLANT SPECIES. PROJECT OUTCOMES WILL ALLOW FOR THE PARK TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS LOW POPULATION SIZES AND WILL ALSO FACILITATE FUTURE PROPAGATION AND POPULATION AUGMENTATION WORK.