Denver Botanic Garden Inc

BLM-CO: COLORADO PLANT CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION

DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS' VETERANS FARM PROGRAM CREATES OPPORTUNITY OUT OF CRISIS BY PREPARING ALL VETERANS FOR THE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE GAP CREATED BY GROWERS WHO ARE EITHER RETIRING OR LEAVING THE INDUSTRY. LAUNCHED IN 2014 AS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS (THE GARDENS) AND VETERANS TO FARMERS (VTF), THE VETERANS FARM PROGRAM HELPS IMPROVE THE CURRENT STATE OF U.S. AGRICULTURE AS WELL AS THE CURRENT STATE OF VETERANS RE-INTEGRATING INTO CIVILIAN LIFE.VETERANS WHO HAVE ENDED ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY ARE LOOKING FOR MEANINGFUL CAREERS THAT UTILIZE SKILLS GAINED IN THE MILITARY. AGRICULTURE NEEDS NEW, SKILLED FARMERS. THE GARDENS REQUESTED $504,527.00 OVER THREE YEARS FROM USDA-NIFA TO FUND THE VETERANS FARM PROGRAM TO BUILD ON AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS IN PREPARING VETERANS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM SERVING IN MILITARY TO FINDING REWARDING CAREERS IN FOOD PRODUCTION TO FEED OUR GROWING NATION.THE VETERANS FARM PROGRAM PROVIDES A STIPENDTO SUPPORT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTION DURING THEIR TRAINING IN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGIES AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS. THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDESIMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SELF-CARE - ADDRESSING POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, FOR EXAMPLE - AND PROVIDES ONGOING EDUCATION AND INCUBATION PROJECTS TO GRADUATING VETERANS TO HELP LAUNCH/ESTABLISH THEIR FARMING CAREER.

THE PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM HELPS MAINTAIN AND RESTORE WESTERN NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES ON PUBLIC LANDS, SPECIFICALLY IN RESPONSE TO LARGE-SCALE WILDFIRES THAT CREATE LARGE AREAS NEEDING REVEGETATION AND RESTORATION. A LACK OF NATIVE SEED IN DIVERSITIES AND QUANTITIES NECESSARY TO RESTORE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES HINDERS THIS RESTORATION. RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SEEDS FOR GIVEN AREAS AND MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND LONG-TERM PLANT COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT EFFORTS ON PUBLIC LANDS. KEY AREAS OF RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE NEEDED INCOLORADO INCLUDE 1) SUPPORT FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS TO RESTORE HABITAT FOR KEYSTONE WILDLIFE AND POLLINATOR AND INCREASE ON-THE-GROUND PROJECT WORK TO REDUCE THE THREATS TO SAGE GROUSE, RARE PLANTS, AND OTHER SENSITIVE SPECIES IN HIGH PRIORITY HABITATS, 2) DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY APPROPRIATE NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL FOR USE IN HABITAT RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION, 3) SUPPORT FOR STUDIES TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSERVATION RESTORATION EFFORTS TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PLANT ECOLOGICAL, PLANT GENETICS, AND ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES, SEED BANK PERSISTENCE, PLANT PROPAGATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AGRONOMIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES, AND TRAIT AND OR SEED SOURCE EVALUATIONS AS WELL AS SEEDING TREATMENTAND TOOL DEVELOPMENT, 4) IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR HIGH PRIORITY RARE PLANT SPECIES, 5) INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF RARE PLANT BIOLOGY AND THREATS, 6) MONITORING, PROTECTING, AND RESTORING HABITAT THAT SUPPORTS RARE PLANTS ON BLM LANDS, AND 7) ASSISTING BLM IN RESTORING PUBLIC LANDS USING NATIVE PLANT MATERIALS.

THE PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM HELPS MAINTAIN AND RESTORE WESTERN NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES ON PUBLIC LANDS, SPECIFICALLY IN RESPONSE TO LARGE-SCALE WILDFIRES THAT CREATE LARGE AREAS NEEDING REVEGETATION AND RESTORATION. A LACK OF NATIVE SEED IN DIVERSITIES AND QUANTITIES NECESSARY TO RESTORE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES HINDERS THIS RESTORATION. RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SEEDS FOR GIVEN AREAS AND MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND LONG-TERM PLANT COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT EFFORTS ON PUBLIC LANDS. KEY AREAS OF RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN COLORADO INCLUDE 1) SUPPORT FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS TO RESTORE HABITAT FOR KEYSTONE WILDLIFE AND POLLINATOR AND INCREASE ON-THE-GROUND PROJECT WORK TO REDUCE THE THREATS TO SAGE GROUSE, RARE PLANTS, AND OTHER SENSITIVE SPECIES IN HIGH PRIORITY HABITATS, 2) DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY APPROPRIATE NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL FOR USE IN HABITAT RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION, 3) SUPPORT FOR STUDIES TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSERVATION RESTORATION EFFORTS TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PLANT ECOLOGICAL, PLANT GENETICS, AND ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES, SEED BANK PERSISTENCE, PLANT PROPAGATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AGRONOMIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES, AND TRAIT AND OR SEED SOURCE EVALUATIONS AS WELL AS SEEDING TREATMENT AND TOOL DEVELOPMENT, 4) IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR HIGH PRIORITY RARE PLANT SPECIES, 5) INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF RARE PLANT BIOLOGY AND THREATS, 6) MONITORING, PROTECTING, AND RESTORING HABITAT THAT SUPPORTS RARE PLANTS ON BLM LANDS, AND 7) ASSISTING BLM IN RESTORING PUBLIC LANDS USING NATIVE PLANT MATERIALS.

RARE PLANT RESTORATION IN COLORADO.

THE DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS WILL PARTNER WITH THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM AND THE MONTGOMERY BOTANICAL CENTER TO PLAN, DESIGN, BUILD, AND DISSEMINATE THREE NEW TOOLS—PLANT EXPEDITION, PLANT ORDERING, AND ACCESSIONING—FOR TRACKING BOTANICAL COLLECTIONS PLANT ACQUISITIONS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE HIRING A PROJECT COORDINATOR, RESEARCHING THE THREE PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE TOOLS, DEVELOPING AND TESTING THE NEW SOFTWARE, AND DEPLOYMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE TOOLS. THESE NEW TOOLS WILL IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION FOR PLANT COLLECTORS WORKING IN THE FIELD, TRACK NEW ORDERS FROM HORTICULTURISTS FOR THEIR GARDENS AND COLLECTIONS, ALLOW PLANT PROPAGATORS TO PLAN GROWING METHODS FOR NEW PLANTS REQUESTED EACH YEAR, AND INTEGRATE THE PASSPORT DATA FROM ORDERS AND COLLECTING TRIPS INTO NEW ACCESSION RECORDS IN THE PLANT RECORDS DATABASE. PROJECT STAFF WILL SHARE THESE TOOLS WITH OTHER PUBLIC GARDENS AND LINK TO THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM’S LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

THE DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS WILL ADVANCE WORK ON THE LONG-TERM CARE AND PROTECTION OF ALPINE PLANTS AND ECOSYSTEMS IN NORTH AMERICA. THE TEAM OF CROSS DEPARTMENTAL STAFF WILL BE LED BY EXPERTS IN SEED CONSERVATION, PLANT CONSERVATION SCIENCE, AND SCIENTIFIC DATA MANAGEMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC GARDEN PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPING A WEB PORTAL, INCREASING CONSERVATION SEED COLLECTIONS, AND MANAGING STORED CONSERVATION COLLECTIONS. THE TEAM WILL ACQUIRE AN X-RAY MACHINE TO CONDUCT A QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE SEED COLLECTIONS CURRENTLY BANKED AND THOSE COLLECTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT. DATA WILL BE SHARED WITH COLLABORATORS WORKING IN ALPINE PLANT CONSERVATION AND THE BROADER BOTANIC GARDEN COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT, THE GARDEN WILL MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF UNDERSTANDING AND CONSERVING ALPINE HABITATS AND PLANTS IN NORTH AMERICA.

DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS WILL INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND DISCOVERABILITY OF ITS NON-LIVING COLLECTIONS BY REHOUSING THEM IN ITS NEW FREYER-NEWMAN CENTER FOR SCIENCE, ART AND EDUCATION. THE GARDEN WILL MOVE, REHOUSE, AND CATALOG HOLDINGS FOR THREE COLLECTIONS: NATURAL HISTORY (PLANT, FUNGAL, ARTHROPOD, AND ETHNOBOTANY COLLECTIONS), LIBRARY (RARE BOOKS, ARCHIVES, AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS), AND ART. THE GARDEN WILL PURCHASE NEW SHELVING, CABINETS, AND ARCHIVAL SUPPLIES, AND THE STAFF PROJECT TEAM WILL WORK WITH THREE GRADUATE STUDENTS FOR EACH OF THE THREE COLLECTIONS. THE STUDENTS WILL LEARN COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SKILLS WHILE PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SUPPORT. SELECT COLLECTIONS WILL SHIFT FROM 30 TO 100 PERCENT PROPERLY HOUSED; 10 TO 100 PERCENT CATALOGED; AND 5 TO 100 PERCENT ACCESSIBLE AND DISCOVERABLE. THE GARDEN WILL SHARE PROJECT RESULTS THROUGH ITS SOCIAL MEDIA, BLOGS, QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, QUARTERLY E-NEWSLETTERS, AND PRESS RELEASES. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOURS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH APPROPRIATE OBJECTS.

THE DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION, WILL DEVELOP RESOURCES THAT ADDRESS THE CONTINUED NEEDS AND BARRIERS THAT LIMIT THE ADVANCE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESS, AND INCLUSION (DEAI) WORK IN PUBLIC GARDENS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ASSET INVENTORY, DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING A DEAI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR GARDEN PROFESSIONALS, ESTABLISHING TWO COHORTS OF TEN PUBLIC GARDENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRAINING, AND SUPPORTING TEN PAID STUDENT INTERNSHIPS FOR TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED APPLICANTS AT PUBLIC GARDENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL RESULT IN NEW MODELS AND TOOLS FOR PUBLIC GARDENS STAFF TO ADVANCE DEAI WORK, MAKING THEIR ORGANIZATIONS BETTER PREPARED TO WELCOME AND SUPPORT STAFF OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: MRA: DISTRIBUTIONS OF MACROFUNGI: QUANTIFYING ECOSYSTEM AND CLIMATE DRIVERS OF FUNGAL REPRODUCTION

TO PROVIDE, COLLECT, STORE, ANALYZE AND SHARE RESOURCE INFORMTION AND EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

SURVEYS AND GENETRIC DIVERSITY ASSESSMENTS

RARE PLANT MONITORING

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

TO SUPPORT THE EXHIBITION "CALDER: MONUMENTAL".

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT SHARE TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE.

TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF ARTS OUTREACH PROGRAMMING AND ARTIST RESIDENCIES.

CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT OF THE RARE BOOKS COLLECTION AT THE HELEN FOWLER LIBRARY

ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF PHYSARIA (LESQUERELLA) CONGESTA. DUDLY BLUFFS BLADDERPOD AND PHYSARIA OBCORDATA, DUDLY BLUFFS TWINPOD

SURVEYS AND GENETIC DIVERSITY ASSESSMENTS

DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR THE CELEBRATE WILDFLOWERS EVENT