2017
Photo credits: Missy Bidwell, Tony Cenicola, University Photography, Jay Potter, Paul Schmitt, Tim Stewart
ANNUAL REPORT
“The world demands that we engage with communities and peoples to save plants and their habitats. We are committed to raising awareness, inspiring action, and sowing messages of hope.” — Christopher P. Dunn, Ph.D.
Clockwise from top left: Tending our Climate Change Garden; Cornell’s Presidential Inauguration photobooth with living hats; smartphone photography workshop; National Volunteer Symposium.
Bequests received this year from the estates of Eugene Leinroth and Clara Yager allow us cultivate beautiful gardens.
2017 MILESTONES In 2017, Cornell Botanic Gardens received considerable international and national acclaim. We were invited to showcase our conservation efforts at the International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen China, at Botanic Gardens Conservation International’s Congress in Switzerland, and at the United Nations’ Convention of Parties, COP 23, in Germany. Nationally, we were highlighted in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal, The Weather Channel, and by the Center for Plant Conservation. Regionally, Life in the Finger Lakes, Syracuse’s WSTM, Cornell Daily Sun, Ithaca Times, Ezra, and more all prominently featured Cornell Botanic Gardens. With the approval of our new name in October 2016, we spent this past year changing and updating our visual identity and logo. This included replacing hundreds of interpretive materials, including outdoor signs, indoor exhibits, online platforms, brochures, maps, merchandise, and vehicle decals. We took the opportunity to renew the content of many of these products and invite you to come see how wonderful they look. We completed a new Strategic Plan (2018—2023) that puts in motion the goals and strategies necessary to further our increased prominence and impact, and to ensure that we have the institutional capacity to achieve excellence in all our programs. Our success, in all we do, requires the intense efforts of our talented staff, whose accomplishments are summarized within. It also requires the support and engagement of our dedicated members, generous donors, enthusiastic volunteers, and selfless Advisory Council. Thank you all for ensuring our continued growth and relevance.
Christopher P. Dunn, Ph.D. The Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director
2018 | 2K | JP932
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Achievements • Land Conservation: Thanks to the generosity and conservation ethic of David and Lenore Bandler, the Fisher Old-Growth Forest was expanded by their 42-acre gift of land named the Bandler Family Forest. The preserve, which now totals 100 acres, contains mature plant communities and enhances the educational value of the preserve for forest ecology study. • Rare Plant Recovery: Through seed collecting, plant propagation, and science-informed plantings, we completed a seven-year population augmentation project for the rarest member of our local flora, Trollius laxus ssp. laxus (American globeflower). We are increasing its overall genetic diversity and growing the population from 160 plants to nearly 500. • Preserving Biodiversity: We were awarded a $70,000 Invasive Species Grant from New York State to protect more than 1,250 hemlock trees from the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. This will ensure that priority trees in our areas will remain healthy, while efforts to develop effective biocontrol measures continue. We finalized a response plan for protecting our 35 accessioned ash trees against the Emerald Ash Borer, now present in Tompkins County. • New Gardens: Plans for the new gardens in front of the Nevin Welcome Center will feature Asian cultures, peonies, and perennials, and will provide much needed spaces for events and biocultural interpretation. With the construction feasibility study completed, we now have approval for fundraising. • New Plants: We added 154 plants to our garden collections, representing 88 new cultivars and 12 new species. Additions include seedlings of Betula, Carpinus, Malus, Primula, and Thymus. Our staff designed and oversaw an innovative mechanized planting of 70,000 new spring and summer flowering bulbs in our gardens. • Infrastructure Improvements: We enhanced our physical facilities by replacing the split-rail fence in the Robison York State Herb Garden; repairing the boardwalk over Houston Pond in the arboretum; replacing steps above Hemlock Gorge near Beebe Lake; and rebuilding a 20-year-old boardwalk in the Dewey Preserve. • Controlling Cattails: Our staff along with students from Cornell’s EcoHouse tested the effectiveness of removing invasive cattails, which are displacing the biodiversity of Houston Pond in the F. R. Newman Arboretum. With canoes, waders, sickle knives, and lots of elbow grease, partners from Cornell Outdoor Education, Professor Mark Whitlow, students, and staff removed many cattails.
Cornell students in the arboretum helping to control invasive cattails.
Monkey Run Natural Area
Achievements • Land Conservation: Thanks to the generosity and conservation ethic of David and Lenore Bandler, the Fisher Old-Growth Forest was expanded by their 42-acre gift of land named the Bandler Family Forest. The preserve, which now totals 100 acres, contains mature plant communities and enhances the educational value of the preserve for forest ecology study. • Rare Plant Recovery: Through seed collecting, plant propagation, and science-informed plantings, we completed a seven-year population augmentation project for the rarest member of our local flora, Trollius laxus ssp. laxus (American globeflower). We are increasing its overall genetic diversity and growing the population from 160 plants to nearly 500. • Preserving Biodiversity: We were awarded a $70,000 Invasive Species Grant from New York State to protect more than 1,250 hemlock trees from the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. This will ensure that priority trees in our areas will remain healthy, while efforts to develop effective biocontrol measures continue. We finalized a response plan for protecting our 35 accessioned ash trees against the Emerald Ash Borer, now present in Tompkins County. • New Gardens: Plans for the new gardens in front of the Nevin Welcome Center will feature Asian cultures, peonies, and perennials, and will provide much needed spaces for events and biocultural interpretation. With the construction feasibility study completed, we now have approval for fundraising. • New Plants: We added 154 plants to our garden collections, representing 88 new cultivars and 12 new species. Additions include seedlings of Betula, Carpinus, Malus, Primula, and Thymus. Our staff designed and oversaw an innovative mechanized planting of 70,000 new spring and summer flowering bulbs in our gardens. • Infrastructure Improvements: We enhanced our physical facilities by replacing the split-rail fence in the Robison York State Herb Garden; repairing the boardwalk over Houston Pond in the arboretum; replacing steps above Hemlock Gorge near Beebe Lake; and rebuilding a 20-year-old boardwalk in the Dewey Preserve. • Controlling Cattails: Our staff along with students from Cornell’s EcoHouse tested the effectiveness of removing invasive cattails, which are displacing the biodiversity of Houston Pond in the F. R. Newman Arboretum. With canoes, waders, sickle knives, and lots of elbow grease, partners from Cornell Outdoor Education, Professor Mark Whitlow, students, and staff removed many cattails. • Education and Service: We welcomed more than 80,000 visitors to our sites and had nearly 10,000 learners attend our lectures,
Clockwise from top left: The New York Times feature including Cornell Botanic Gardens; Cultures and Cuisines program; Trollius laxus spp. laxus; bulb planting tractor.
73%
2017 ANNUAL REPORT
INCOME
EXPENSE Horticulture
$990,070
27%
Education*
$645,261
18%
University Allocated Costs
$586,670
16%
Administration
$583,453
16%
16%
Natural Areas
$397,395
11%
$87,227
2%
Development
$207,745
6%
$334,308
9%
Facilities, Equipment, Supplies
$200,192
6%
$3,610,786
100%
$3,610,786
100%
$1,709,143
47%
$641,677
18%
$79,988
2%
Grants and Contracts
$199,043
6%
University Allocations
$559,400
Earned Income Use of Reserves
Endowment Income Gifts and Memberships Prior Year Gifts & Bequests
Endowment income, gifts from alumni and friends, and grants provide the lion’s share of the support we need to sustain our gardens, natural areas, and educational programs.
*(includes Communications & Visitor Services) Fiscal Year July 1, 2016—June 30, 2017
Cascadilla Circle & Tower Club ($5,000+) Elaine and John Alexander John and Laura Almquist Anonymous David and Lenore Bandler Nancy Bartels Philip Bartels Ruth and Peter Bleyler David Brittenham and Carolyn Summers Butler Family Foundation John Butler Deborah and George Chapman Anne Church Susan Cosmopulos Robert and Vanne Cowie Patricia DeCoursey Estate of Norma Edsall John and Diana Gilbert
James and Wendysue Prout David and Jane Pyle Corey and Douglas Ralston Robert Ramin and Denise DeConcini Ingrid Rankin John and Pat Richards David and Joyce Rivas Frank and Jeannine Robertson Robison Family Foundation Celia Rodee and Peter Cooper David and Patricia Ross Debra and Jan Rothman Carolyn Sampson Alan and Geraldine Schechter Margaret Schroeder Barbara and Robert Seraphin Anne and Robert Shaw
William Gratz and James Bruno Susan Halpern Brigitte and Michael Harney Marilyn Hicks Neil Janovic and Cathleen Hull L. William and Brit Kay Estate of Eugene Leinroth Florence and Howard Loomis Friends and Family of Dr. Eugene L. Madsen Deborah and Nels Magnuson Adriano Manocchia Edwin and Linda Morgens Herbert and Stephanie Neuman Barbara Goldman Novick and Barry Novick Virginia Panzer and Harold Wiener Park Foundation Daniel and Jean Pope Kamalakar Rao
Frederick and Jean Siefke Eric and Mary Smith John Smith and Cornelia Saltus Barbara and Harold Stewart James and Patricia Stocker Judith Stoikov and Richard Miller Triad Foundation Jan Upalakalin Katherine and William Van Wie John and Ruth Vaughn David Weinstein and Christina Stark Stefani and Steven Weiss Gray and Paul Wexelblat Kenneth and Sharon Wilson Gertrude and Theodore Winsberg
The Robison Fund Elizabeth and Jean Rowley David Russo and Mary Gail Gearns Pamela and Paul Salvatore Arthur Seibel Sirus Fund J. Allen Smith and Katherine Megrue-Smith Peter Stifel Song Tan Estate of Edward and Nancy Ten Eyck Roger Thomas Lisa and Michael Ullmann Estate of Clara Yager
Oak & Cornell Quadrangle Club ($1,000–$4,999) Robert H. Abrams Suzanne Aigen Phyllis Allen Philip Ammirato Claudia Anderson and Lewis Buckman
Trillium & Cornell Charter Society ($500–$999) Jewelle and John Allen Elizabeth Anderson Peter Arden Donald and Dorothy Armstrong Oliver and Allison Bajracharya Robert Bauer Gary and Judith Baum Lois and William Black Jeff and Sandra Bricker James and Terry Byrnes Robert Camp and Marjorie Smart Marilyn Cane Sherry Carr Anthony and Gail Cashen Brian Chabot and Kathleen Rasmussen Donald Christiansen Hsiao-Ching Chen and Philip Peng
Recognizing those who gave $500 or more to Cornell Botanic Gardens, January 1–December 31, 2017
James and Nancy Baker Donald Barnes Susan Basile Douglas Bates and Mini Pathria Nancy and William Bellamy Madeleine Miller Bennett Jacqueline and Richard Bower Richard and Elaine Bushey Charles and Kathryn Camisa Marjan Carasik Thomas Carroll Center for Plant Conservation Jean Craig Linda Craugh Peter Davies and Linda Denoyer Nancy and William DeCou Carol des Cognets Roberta DeVries Christine and Thomas Dombrowski
Susan Egloff
John and Karen Coffin Josephine and Roy Curtiss Robin Daly Susan and William Day Sharon Detzer Christopher and Mei-Ran Dunn Linda and Richard Ely Donald and Carol Fellner James and Kathleen Gaffney Aviv Goldsmith and Donna Pienkowski Robert Goodman David and Suzanne Grumman Constance and Richard Haggard Mary and Stephen Hamilton Dana Harris Michael and Doris Haruk Burnett and Nancy Haylor Michael Hintsa
Peter Horton and Jane de Leon
Joan Egrie Jane Engel Jennifer Engel and Lawrence Young Suzanne and Phillip Ergastolo David Fernandez and Elizabeth Lawson Francille and John Firebaugh John Foote Jr. and Kristen Rupert Christina Foulkes Julia Foulkes Susan Foulkes Laura Fratt and Michael Isby Gail and Thomas Giordano Andrea Glanz and James Irish Fairfax and Frederick Gouldin Bradley and Mary Grainger Howard and Joanne Greenberg
Luella Johnson Paul Skeen Jones Philip Jones Robert Joyce Marie Kautz Gary Knackmuhs Frederick Korz Daniel Lane Peter and Susan Le Vangia John Lebens and Florence Higgins Robert Lefkowitz Frances Li and Carl Schaefer Janet and William Lutz Gregory and Susan Martin Margaret Mathewson and Duane Nordick James and Susan McCullough Diane Meakem Wayne and Elizabeth Mezitt James and Betty Mitscher
Alfred Hamilton and Diana Wainrib Nellie Hay Betta and James Hedlund Peter and Susan Henry Vincent Herman Carrie and Richard Higgins
Todd and Jill Marshall Lucy Masterman Anne and Ed McLaughlin Camille and Ian McLeod Wayne Merkelson and Nancy Roistacher
Matthew Hintsa
Doris and Lawrence Merson
Moira Hintsa Elizabeth and John Howell
Jon Minikes and Susan Backstrom
David Jordan Alan and Julie Kanders Beatrice Kanders and Jeffrey Hoffman Jeanne Kanders Malvin and Susan Keller
Lester and Sue Morss Dorothy Mullestein Martha Nakamura Joseph and Patricia Neafsey Nancy Neal Marian Nease
Lee Laden Estate of Bertha Lewis Beverly and Joseph Libretti Beth and Peter Marks
Christopher and Suzanne Nolan
Anne and Keith Moffat Sue and William Morrill Agnes Moy-Sarns and David Sarns Aravind Narasimhan and Chetna Bansal Carolyn and John Neuman Antoinette Ottobre Mary Ann Oyer Lillian and Robert Panagulias Carole Parnes Anthony and Nanci Paroubek William Pinchbeck and Joanie Kilton Marilyn Pukmel Christine and Christopher Rakov Donald and Sue Rakow Scott and Tricia Reines Denise Rempe and Mark Wilson Frank and Rosa Rhodes Leonard Richards and Maureen McClure
Stephanie Richards and Robert Goitz Thomas Richardson Marga Rogers Daniel and Pauline Roh Ashley Seidman John Semmler Mary Shuford Stefan Singer and Sarah Rombom Indrani Sinha William and Virginia Taylor Margot Tohn Andrew and Sarah Topus Jeanne and Charles Townsend Charles and Nancy Trautmann Jacob Tsang Dorothea and Terry Warren Andrea and Winthrop Wetherbee Carolyn and Rittner Will Sally Williams Yukang Xu and Weiling Li
Gregory Page and Barbara Rauschenbach Roy Park Jr. Joanne and Richard Pirret