2009 • ISSUE THREE | 1 Pu blicGar de n Editor Madeline Quigley American Public Gardens Association (APGA)

Editorial Advisory Board Karl Lauby , Chair, The New York Botanical Garden Nancy Chambers Glass Garden, Rusk Institute Linda Eirhart Winterthur Museum & Country Estate Susan T. Greenstein Growing Minds Consulting James P. Folsom Huntington Botanical Gardens Virginia Hayes Ganna Walska Lotusland Thomas Hecker EcoBotanic Designs Sarah King Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Carol Line Fernwood Sharon Loving Longwood Gardens Janet Marinelli Blue Crocus Publishing + Interpretation David Michener University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum Donald A. Rakow Cornell Plantations Lisa Wagner South Carolina Botanical Garden

Issue Reviewer Lisa Wagner South Carolina Botanical Garden

APGA Board of Directors

PRESIDENT Nicola Ripley Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

VICE PRESIDENT Paul B. Redman Longwood Gardens

PAST PRESIDENT Christopher P. Dunn Harold L. Lyon Arboretum TREASURER Bill LeFevre Sarah P. Duke Gardens

SECRETARY Barbara W. Faust Smithsonian Institution

DIRECTORS AT LARGE Patrick Larkin Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Caroline Lewis Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Luke Messinger The Dawes Arboretum Wilf Nicholls MUN Botanical Garden David M. Price Bok Tower Gardens Jennifer Riley -Chetwynd Rain Bird Corporation Kenneth J. Shutz Desert Botanical Garden

American Public Gardens Association 351 Longwood Road Kennett Square, PA 19348 610.708.3011, Fax: 610.444.3594 www.publicgardens.org

2 | PUBLIC GARDEN 7 Pu blicGar de n

cTHE JOUoRNAL OF THnE AMERICANtPUBLICeGARDENnS ASSOCIATIOtN | V sol 24, N o 3 • 2009

UTILITY OF DIGITAL TOOLS

5 About This Issue 16 The New Media Lexicon Technology and Public Gardens Nick Leshi Dan Stark, Executive Director, APGA From “blogs” to “WI-Fi,” test your knowledge of 25 some of the latest new media lingo. 7 The Digital Asset Management System and Beyond: 17 Harnessing the Power of Considerations When Selecting Social Networking Technology to Manage Visual Resources Sabina Carr Atlanta Botanical Garden harnessed the power of Venice Bayrd YouTube, Facebook, and blogging to improve exposure, Creating a digital image library of any size requires increase visitation, and measure results. careful planning. Longwood Gardens shares their approach and lessons learned along the way. 19 A Conversation about Two 9 Digital Mapping: Small Gardens’ Adventures in Beyond Living Collection Curation Digital Marketing DEPARTMENTS Mary T. Burke and Brian J. Morgan Michelle Provaznik and Sarah King 25 NAPCC Collection Profile Learn more about digital mapping systems and Two pioneers in social media at their gardens show how they can be used at every level of institutional how small gardens can integrate social media and The Cycad Collection of Montgomery operation. e-newsletters to build membership and attract visitors Botanical Center Michael Calonje, Chad Husby, and Patrick Griffith 11 Cell Blogging 21 Seeds of Success: The largest collection in the Western Hemisphere of Jessica Blohm Using Technology to Help Build a cycads –our planet’s oldest seed plants –continues to The New York Botanical Garden’s interpretive National Collection of Native Seed develop as a major world resource. specialist for public education relates how a new Mary K. Byrne networking tool takes advantage of a previously Learn more about the extraordinary effort, now in its untapped resource: guests. 28 Colors of Success: tenth year, to log native seed collections using special software linked to a national data management system BG-BASE and Plant Records: 12 Using Podcasts to Expand A Twenty-Five-Year Retrospective Your Audience Michael J. O’Neal and Kerry S. Walter 23 Online Learning: Engaging New BG-Base’s US and UK directors take a look back Heather Marie Wells and Existing Audiences in at the evolution of their biological collections The podcast producer at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark documentation software now used by 188 History shows how easy it is to start a podcast that will Garden Education institutions worldwide. strengthen the impact of your programs, exhibits, and Using Technology to Help Build a interpretive materials and expand your audience. National Collection of Native Seed Douglas C. Needham, PhD, 31 Growing Greener 14 How We Did It: and Susan A. Caldwell Answers to Your Questions Our First Year Producing a Blog The flexibility and accessibility of online courses About Sustainability Carol Capobianco enhance the learning experience for instructors and Janet Marinelli The New York Botanical Garden took a team students at Longwood Gardens. A framework for suc - An exploration of the effectiveness of green approach with their first blog, Plant Talk , now cess is shared. roof systems. celebrating its one-year anniversary. 24 Advertisers Index

Cover: UC Davis student, Mark Miller, maps the native plant collection at the UC Davis Arboretum. Photo Courtesy Mia Ingolia, UC Davis Arboretum

Volume 24, Number 3, 2009. Public Garden (ISSN 0885-3894) is published quarterly by the American Public Gardens Association (APGA), 351 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348. ©2009, American Public Gardens Association. All rights reserved. Public Garden is indexed in The Bibliography of Agriculture . Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of APGA. Public Garden welcomes editorial submissions but assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. APGA The American Public Gardens Association serves North American public gardens and horticultural organizations by promoting professional development through its publications and meetings; advocating the interests of public gardens in political, corporate, foundation, and community arenas; and encouraging gardens to adhere to professional standards in their programs and operations. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription is automatic for APGA members. For membership rates, call 610-708-3014. Non-member subscriptions are $40 a year. Residents of Canada and other countries, add $10. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send new address, zip code, moving date, and old address label to APGA, 351 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348. ADVERTISERS For information about advertising, contact Madeline Quigley, Director of Marketing, APGA, 610-708-3011 or [email protected].

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 3 4 | PUBLIC GARDEN ABOUT THIS ISSUE

t is amazing how much technology has address. We developed an online news- Technology transformed our lives in just the last letter, and used Facebook as a tool to raise I twenty-five years. Nearly anything we awareness of National Public Gardens Day. and Public could ever want or need is just a click away, However, we believe there are even more and yet, public gardens continue to be ways we can leverage emerging technolo - Gardens places where we interact with nature in a gies to provide value to you, our members. setting that is generally free from the tech - Over the next year, we will be taking a nological trappings that are so common in comprehensive look at how we can better Sharing Our Message, our everyday lives. This raises an important enhance your membership experience Growing Our Future question for gardens. With future genera - through the use of technology. tions being brought up with technology as In addition to using technology as a an integral part of the way they see the tool to run your association better, we also world, how can public gardens create an think it is extremely important to provide experience that integrates the technological you with information on how you can expectations of young people, while also leverage technology to improve your own maintaining the important interaction operations. This issue of Public Garden is between people and nature that exists in but a first step in that direction. It contains public gardens? lots of good information about how gar - This issue of Public Garden explores dens are using technology to reach the ways in which today’s gardens have public, and future issues of Public Garde n adopted new technologies to enhance the will contain a department dedicated to the visitor experience, engage new audiences, use of technology. The APGA will host an build and manage collections, and increase education symposium on February 5-6, in educational opportunities. Similarly associ - Orlando, Florida. This symposium will ations like APGA are finding themselves include sessions on how to use technology looking for ways to embrace emerging as an interpretive tool at your garden. Visit technology as a strategy to provide value to the APGA web site for more information. their members through enhanced network - ing opportunities, educational experiences, Enjoy this issue! and information sharing. At APGA, we have begun a process of looking at new technologies and their applicability to our membership. This year, we offered our first-ever webinars, and a live video stream of the Grounds captions?? Management Symposium’s keynote Daniel J. Stark

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 5 6 | PUBLIC GARDEN The Digital Asset Management System and Beyond

The Digital Asset Management System and Beyond

VENICE BAYRD

Longwood Gardens Digital Asset Management System provides a detailed page with associated data about images like the one seen here. Image credit: Larry Albee.

Considerations When Selecting Technology to Manage Visual Resources

2. ike many cultural heritage to devote a project to improving access to first became our project goals, and then institutions, Longwood Gardens its images. A twelve-person cross- the functional requirements of our Request Lmaintains image and audio-visual departmental team was created to conduct for Proposals (RFP). We then repurposed collections used internally for everything a needs analysis and define functional our functional requirements, using them from marketing to presentations, requirements for the selection of a Digital to develop yes/no criteria for evaluating publications, and archival documentation. Asset Management (DAM) system systems. DAM systems all tend to offer In 2007, we launched an institution-wide designed for image management. For the similar basic functions. Core functions visual resource management project to needs analysis, we used an ideation tool include adding images to the system, doing determine how best to manage those called an Affinity Diagram to generate and data entry, and then searching and resources in an electronic environment. collect ideas around the question: retrieving those same images. The real What follows is an overview of our What does the institution need to effectively question for software selection then technology selection process, future manage, enable use of, and preserve image- becomes: How well does this system serve directions, and a couple of lessons learned. based materials? Five general questions for its intended purpose? To narrow the each team member followed: selection pool, we therefore returned to • What images do you currently have? our project goals, noted a strong need for a Lesson One: Stakeholder needs to • How do you use these images? system that everyone could easily use, and define the project goals. Project • How do you manage these images? thus chose to distinguish the systems based goals define the technology. • What can you currently do with these on their usability and flexibility in meeting Given the importance of visual images? our unique needs. Jakob Nielsen (2005) communication in landscape architecture • What would you like to be able to do offers a basic set of usability heuristics that and horticulture, and given we have many with these images? can be invaluable when used in a group for thousands of images in varying formats, in The answers the group composed to “quick and dirty” (and effective) interface varying locations, and in varying degrees those questions in a three-hour time span usability evaluations. of accessibility, it was logical for Longwood

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 7 The Digital Asset Management System and Beyond

Lesson Two: Ease of use promotes thirty non-library staff to do image a blend of centralized and decen - uploads, data entry, and more. tralized system management. Longwood staff recognized the benefits Future directions of an easy-to-use system, and also The future of Longwood’s digital image recognized an opportunity to develop management project is bright. Through collaborative potential through shared data efforts to clearly identify and meet the entry. Sharing data-entry efforts across institution's image management needs, our organizational staff is one of our project team was also able to identify ways to goals, and is a way to achieve shared improve workflows, expand the potential ownership while maximizing staff for outreach, and increase the capacity for expertise. And there are risks to a more collaboration both internally and with open, collaborative approach. A system other institutions. As we move forward with a good set of permissions controls with a visual resource specialist, scanning can, however, allay many of the risks and technology, the Asset Bank DAM system, challenges of decentralized management. and an established project plan, the true For instance, if a centralized system success of the project is beginning to management team is the only group able emerge: beyond being on time and on to delete images from the system, much budget, the project is generating risk is avoided. Most of all, it is important enthusiasm and anticipation across the Screenshot of the branded DAM system interface. to understand the power and value of Note the left-most thumbnail under Promoted Items. Gardens, as evidenced by the number of accurate data in image retrieval and use, as new initiatives growing out of the original well as the time and skill required to create project scope. Building largely on the By clicking on the pumpkin image under Promoted it. A collaborative blended approach can technological foundations now Items, an Item Details page shows the data associ - help to achieve data creation as well as established, we look forward to addressing ated with the image. Note the download button data accuracy. beside the picture. those new initiatives and taking this Finding a DAM system that will project in new directions. support this collaborative management approach is another matter, especially References across a diverse user group of subject Bright Interactive. 2008. Asset Bank. specialists (e.g. designers, horticulturists, http://www.assetbank.co.uk/ performing arts staff, graphic designers), in Colet, L. S., et al. 2000. Guides to Quality in addition to the librarians and Visual Resource Imaging. photographers toward whom most DAM http://www.diglib.org/pubs/dlf091/ Colet systems are geared. After reviewing eight offers an excellent overview for planning an imaging project. leading DAM systems in our collections Nielsen, J. 2005. Ten Usability Heuristics. niche, we decided on Asset Bank from http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic Bright Interactive, a UK-based company. /heuristic_list.html We needed a system flexible enough to Sitts, M. K., ed. 2000. Handbook for Digital meet the needs of a decentralized Projects: A Management Tool for Preservation management group of staff doing and Access. http://www.nedcc.org/resources /digitalhandbook/dman.pdf specialized data entry and image uploads, while still supporting centralized management for general tasks including Venice Bayrd is the information services setting security and rights permissions, coordinator at Longwood Gardens in managing users, performing software Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. For more updates, and general administration. Asset information on visual resource management, Bank has met that need, and with a you can contact Venice at surprisingly straightforward and [email protected]. deceptively simple interface – it has allowed us to successfully train nearly

8 | PUBLIC GARDEN Digital Mapping DIGITAL MAPPING MARY T. BURKE AND BRIAN J. MORGAN Beyond Living Collection Curation

ince the establishment of the (Left) At the UC Davis Arboretum, a team of undergraduate students are trained to use world’s first botanical gardens in the sub-foot accuracy GPS and laser range-finding Ssixteenth century, maps have played equipment to map the collections. an important role in the documentation PHOTO COURTESY OF of the living plant collections at these MIA INGOLIA, UC DAVIS ARBORETUM scientific institutions. Originally used as a tool for curators to track and manage their collections, botanical garden maps have evolved into a comprehensive tool for information management and decision-making that can be used at all levels of institutional operation. Today’s enterprise mapping systems can integrate information from plant records databases, asset management systems, image archives, and many other information sources to create a seamless environment for fund raising, planning, management, and education. The digital mapping systems employed by today's botanical gardens fall into two major categories: computer-aided drafting systems (CAD) and geographic (Right) Garden Mapping information systems (GIS). CAD-based PHOTO COURTESY OF systems such as Autodesk’s AutoCAD REBECCA SUCHER, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN software and BG-Map provide specialized graphics tools for the creation and manipulation of electronic drawings. plants and other site features. Unlike CAD, capabilities of GIS, it makes up for in These digital drawings can have multiple GIS maps can also be used to perform simplicity and cost-efficiency. layers (e.g. roads, irrigation systems, complex analyses such as determining the At botanical gardens, digital mapping plants) that can easily be displayed or best location to site a new microclimate- tools are mostly used to produce simple hidden, as needed. Sometimes linked to sensitive exhibit or the most efficient collection maps. These maps typically external databases, like Access or BG-Base, emergency evacuation plan. Finally, include only the locations of living plant CAD systems can produce accurate digital “internet mapping,” a relative newcomer to specimens, along with major landscape collection maps that are easier to edit and the digital-mapping scene, is emerging as a features such as buildings and pathways. keep up to date than paper-based maps. useful device, as illustrated by the new However, an enterprise mapping system is GIS software such as ESRI’s ArcGIS and tool, PlantMapper. This technology uses the future of digital mapping. It extends open source solutions (e.g. Quantum GIS) the free online aerial photographs and the value of maps across the organization, take the concept of the digital map a step maps supplied by Google Maps as a base as multiple garden departments further by integrating each graphically rich map. Curators place digital points or tags, incorporate all records into one integrated map layer with the information storage which can be labeled and linked to data system. For example, educators might map and querying capabilities of a database. sets on the maps to highlight the location exhibits and tour routes, plus note Both approaches, when tied to rich of key specimens or site features. What this educational information about specific data sets, result in “smart maps” that can technology lacks in the accuracy of CAD plants and exhibits in the linked database. contain a wealth of information about and the information storage and analysis In the same system, facilities managers

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 9 Digital Mapping

might map utilities, roadways, and critical choose GIS as your mapping system, ESRI, zoo and botanical garden staff to share infrastructure, and link work orders, the world leader in GIS software, has information and questions about digital purchase orders, and digital instruction partnered with the American Public mapping with their peers. To learn more manuals to mapped features (e.g. Gardens Association (APGA) to provide about each of these resources, refer to the irrigation control boxes); curators can link free software and training grants to public web sites listed below. PDFs of scientific papers or herbarium gardens that maintain APGA institutional images to mapped specimens, and the base memberships. If you have a committed Resources map itself might integrate complex site staff person to serve as a leader, student Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) data, often available for free from national internships and volunteers are a great way http://www.imls.gov data sources, about soil, water, and to cut the costs of mapping the garden and Alliance for Public Gardens GIS topography. Some nonprofits even use GIS the collection; digital mapping skills are http://www.apgg.org to analyze the demographics and addresses highly marketable skills, so recruitment is Autodesk of their membership list and then design easy. Get to know the GIS professors at http://www.autodesk.com targeted fundraising drives to reach likely your local community college or university, BG-Map new supporters. The limits of the and explore the idea of a formal internship http://www.bg-map.com information an enterprise mapping system program with them— you supply the real- Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) can contain are constrained only by the world problem, and they and their students http://www.esri.com availability of existing data or the provide the solution. If you need additional ESRI-APGA Software Donation Program To receive more information about this resources to capture and integrate any training in digital mapping, the APGA program, please send a blank e-mail to needed new data. periodically offers workshops at their [email protected]. Most botanical gardens do not have annual conference that provide hands-on PlantMapper the funding, time, and trained staff to experience with various mapping systems http://www.plantmapper.com/ develop a full-fledged enterprise mapping and data-capture methods. The Alliance for Quantum GIS system; however, there are a number of Public Gardens GIS (APGG) is a http://www.qgis.org resources available to get started. Grants nationwide group of zoo and botanical are a great way to fund the launch of your garden staff that is working together to Mary Burke is the director of planning and mapping project. Organizations like the develop the ArcGIS Botanical Garden & collections at the UC Davis Arboretum. Institute of Museum and Library Services Zoological Park Data Model, a free and Brian Morgan is the GIS manager at the UC (IMLS) fund mapping projects if you open source template for launching an Davis Arboretum and a lead member of the demonstrate the benefits of the end enterprise mapping system. The APGG also Alliance for Public Gardens GIS (APGG). product to the larger community. If you hosts a Google Groups user community for

Enterprise GIS. PHOTO COURTESY OF ESRI

PHOTO COURTESY OF UC Davis Arboretum Collection Maps BRIAN MORGAN, UC DAVIS ARBORETUM

10 | PUBLIC GARDEN Cell Blogging

CELL BLOGGING JESSICA BLOHM he New York Botanical Garden are asked either to leave a comment— chance to participate in directed recently implemented a new simply by pressing a key and speaking—or discussions on related topics. During "The Ttechnology called cell blogging as to listen to other visitor comments. Edible Garden"—an exhibit that celebrates part of its exhibition, "The Edible Administrators can then incorporate the the diversity of edible plants and the Garden." Without it, a woman from most compelling and relevant ones into benefits of growing great food—visitors Rochester would not have been able to the audio tour. The New York Botanical may use cell blogging to share stories and share an emotional moment from her Garden is the first public garden in the traditions about edible plants (like corn, childhood: “I grew up in an Italian- country to use this form of visitor cardoons, and sage) or about their own American family, and when I was a little communication. families’ gardening traditions. They then girl, my grandpa and I used to go out in What’s great about cell blogging is that have the opportunity to listen to stories on the fields and dig up cardoons. We would there is virtually no cost to the visitor, the same topic from others. bring them home, boil them, and peel except for cell phone minutes, and no In this way, patrons get to be them, and then my mom would fry them equipment to take care of since visitors use teachers—to share family wisdom and up. It is delightful to see something so their own phones. The cost for cell valuable cultural knowledge. This process beautifully displayed in your garden and blogging is cheap, just twenty-five dollars a expands the educational knowledge the to evoke such a beautiful memory of my month in addition to whatever you pay for garden has at its disposal by tapping into a grandpa.” your cell phone tour. Staff commitments previously untapped resource: its guests. Cell blogging—created by the are also minimal. It takes just one Hence, the institution is not only California-based company Guide by dedicated staff person a few minutes each providing facts and educational messages; Cell—offers the Garden a chance to hear day to listen to and approve tour with cell blogging, "The Edible Garden" is stories like this one directly from its comments through the Guide by Cell open for discussion. To join the visitors, and for visitors to hear stories administration web page. conversation, call our audio tour number: from each other; consequently, it is Cell blogging is a networking tool 718-362-9561. changing the way that patrons which demonstrates that the lives of communicate with the Garden. This is visitors overlap—with each other and with Jessica Blohm is the interpretive specialist at how it works: after calling the audio tour the collective life of the garden. It also The New York Botanical Garden. number and listening to a prompt, visitors helps to facilitate dialogue, giving people a

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 11 Using Podcasts To Expand Your Audience

Using Podcasts To Expand Your Audience

HEATHER MARIE WELLS

odcasts are audio files available on Our podcast is also a great way to share did an eight-minute video tour of a new the Internet for downloading. news and activities that might not be exhibit to provide access to those who PPodcasts are an easy inexpensive appropriate for public events. For instance, could not come, and to pique the interest way to provide interesting content to a when Caddo Indian representatives came of those who could. wider audience, even for a small to reclaim remains from us in accordance Podcasting is a team effort. We have institution. By being creative about how with Native American Graves Protection thirteen staff members, five of whom podcasts are produced, institutions can and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), they (including me) are part-time. Many of expand the impact of programs, exhibits, were gracious enough to agree to an our lecturers are guest speakers, which and interpretive materials. interview. Although their visit was not saves us time in research and writing. We How much time does it take and appropriate as a public event, podcasting ask our volunteers to read through our what’s inexpensive? Our experience as a made it accessible to our patrons, and it interview transcripts looking for specific relatively small institution with a number became a great opportunity for the public topics for us. Everyone comes up with of part-time staff serves as a good example. to learn about NAGPRA. We have also content ideas. Our Outreach Coordinator used our podcast as another outlet for creates the artwork, writes the Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and descriptions, and uploads the episodes to Time other special announcements. our web site. I edit all the episodes, and Save time and resources by looking In addition to traditional exhibit can usually listen to them while at what your institution is already audio tours, podcasts can provide cataloging artifacts (my main doing. Shiloh Museum of Ozark History supplements for temporary exhibits. responsibility). Sharing the workload has a monthly lecture series, but not When you have more information than helps prevent burn-out and stress, but it everyone can come to every lecture. can be included in an exhibit, why not also lets everyone participate in an Podcasting these programs allows us to use the extra material for a podcast? For exciting program. reach a much wider audience. These example, we have used excerpts from our Be realistic. Set definite goals and stick programs are not time-consuming, since oral history interviews as first-person to them. There is a learning curve, so they are recorded in one take during the accounts to supplement exhibits. allow plenty of extra time at first. Our presentation, and little post-production We also examine our education initial goal was to produce a new episode a editing is needed. We also post PDF programs for potential podcast content. month, which we felt was realistic for us. versions of our newsletters and annual For some schools, especially in rural areas, In two years, we have become more reports on our podcast feed, allowing the cost, time, and logistics of physical proficient and have been able to produce content we’ve already spent time and visits can be prohibitive, so podcasting can content on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. money producing to pull double duty. provide a way to reach those students. We

12 | PUBLIC GARDEN Whatever goals you set, be sure to let the Results public know what to expect. We were Since we started podcasting, we get open with our community when we inquiries from people unable to attend started podcasting by discussing the lectures asking if these events will be Examples of project on our web site and in our podcasted. At least once a month, we have current garden newsletter. We asked the public to be visitors who specifically mention they are podcast programs patient with us as we learned, and they avid listeners who decided to visit because were. They even sent encouraging letters of the podcast! Often these new patrons about this new technology we were are college-aged or young San Francisco Botanical exploring. professionals–demographics we often Garden’s Botanical Buzz miss. One of our college-aged listeners podcast offers insight into their even became a volunteer. Cost events and exhibits, and they use Even on days with few visitors, we Know what equipment you already episodes to highlight their volunteers always have downloads, and our daily have. All you need is a good-quality and supporters. average is around thirty. microphone, a computer with the ability We also receive e-mails from around to record, and an application to do the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has the state and country regarding our editing and transformation to an MP3 file. two exhibit tours on their podcast podcasts. A few of these e-mails are from When we started, we plugged our PA feed; their content works well even people who have moved out of the area for system directly into our laptop, then outside of the exhibit. whom the podcasts are a way to reconnect recorded and edited the presentation with to their roots. The best compliment we a free program called Audacity. Mac users Missouri Botanical Garden offers have received was from a listener who said, can use GarageBand to do the same thing. at least seven different podcast feeds “When I listen to your podcast, I don’t feel Staff time. This can be an expense in ranging from specific exhibit tours to so homesick anymore.” podcasting, but does not have to be. their annual orchid show and an Volunteers can help. Also, since there is a index of what plants are in bloom. learning curve, your efficiency will Conclusion Royal Botanic Gardens improve over time. Most experts estimate Podcasting can be an excellent way Cranbourne in Victoria, Australia, that it takes several minutes of editing for for museums, libraries, and gardens to covers everything in their podcasts. every minute of audio recorded. attract new visitors, make programs Listeners learn about the research Look for free services. We use a free available to visitors at their convenience, taking place, how the garden is blogging service (Blogger.com) and a free accommodate different learning styles, and governed, what to expect when they feed-formatting/statistic-tracking service reach wider audiences geographically. For visit, activities available, the history (Feedburner.com) to publish our podcast further information on equipment of the garden, and more. as well as providing links on our suggestions and ways to budget, please institution’s web site. The city of visit http://hmbwells.googlepages.com/ . Springdale provides server space, necessary for podcasting. If you do not have server Heather Marie Wells is the collections space available, there are reliable free assistant/podcast producer at the Shiloh providers. Museum of Ozark History, a small to Invest in equipment that can multi- mid-sized regional history museum located task. After we had been podcasting for in Springdale, Arkansas. The Museum about six months, we decided to record launched its podcast program in 2006 (the two symposia at the museum. Recording first museum podcast in the state of five one-hour lectures back-to-back Arkansas), and has since won the Arkansas proved difficult with our laptop, so we Museum Association 2006 Adult & Family decided to invest in a stand-alone digital Educational Program of the Year and the recorder for around six hundred dollars. American Association of Museums Media & This has been the biggest purchase for our Technology Committee 2008 Bronze MUSE podcasting program, but we also use it to Award. Wells was named the 2008 Emerging record oral history interviews in the field. Museum Professional of the Year by the USB microphones can also be added. Southeastern Museums Conference.

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 13 How We Did It: Our First Year Producing a Blog

How We Did It CAROL CAPOBIANCO

Our First Year Producing a Blog

he New York Botanical Garden’s Whereas in the beginning days we blog entries, reality set in. We quickly blog, Plant Talk , reached its first were scrambling to find writers, realized that since Plant Talk (the name Tanniversary this past summer. I use depending heavily on two summer was tossed about for a while before settled the word “reached” because publishing interns for copy, now, with a clearer upon) was an institutional blog, not a original content five days a week without understanding of what we want to personal blog, it needed to reflect the high a staff dedicated to that purpose is indeed achieve, we have a steady flow of standards of the Botanical Garden and be an accomplishment. contributions. As of this writing, a few written by more than one voice. The key to our achievement—and to weeks into our second year, we had The entries would need to be edited the blog’s continuation—has been in our posted blogs by more than eighty (some people were aghast at this thought, approach and our commitment to making different people, including staff from but it’s necessary for accuracy, grammar, it a success. Today, we have the respect and around the Garden, students and and clarity), topped by clever headlines, following of Garden staff, who use the blog instructors in our Continuing Education and examined for appropriate content. A as a way to learn what’s going on elsewhere program, featured event speakers, and story schedule and writers would be at the Garden; we’re getting pickup from even our president, Gregory Long. needed to continually feed the blog. Photos other blogs and Web sites; and we’re would be needed to illustrate the stories. promoting the blog through daily tweets Clearly, running a blog would be a job for (via Twitter) and occasional blasts to How We Went About It staff with experience in producing content. targeted media. When a year of talk about producing a The questions of who, what, when, and blog gave way to a few weeks’ worth of trial how needed to be answered. And so a team

14 | PUBLIC GARDEN comprised of staff from Editorial, Public Gardener for Public Education. Relations, Creative Services, and Public In many ways a blog is like running an Education was appointed to direct the online newsletter. The biggest challenge is content of the blog. finding writers to provide content. For The team immediately drafted a those times when a story doesn’t come mission statement, institutional goals, and through as planned, we try to have writer’s guidelines that set the tone and “evergreen” pieces on hand such as a direction of the blog. The mission keeps us profile of a plant in our collections or on target: We aim to promote the Garden current exhibition with text from and its work but without a “hard sell” and interpretive signage. to offer fun, interesting stories that before In terms of staff resources, I estimate had no venue. We decided to tap into all that the administration (scheduling, our resources at the Garden and provide meeting, editing, finding photos, inside stories on a broad range of topics audience; to showcase the people, plants, reviewing, uploading) of the blog adds up from a large field of contributors. programs, and scientific research of the to about forty to fifty hours a week. Add to We urge our bloggers to write three Garden; to promote further media that the amount of time each contributor hundred to four hundred words from a coverage of the Garden; to draw traffic takes to write an entry and resolve any personal point of view and in language through online search engines; and to editorial questions, and you have the total understandable to the layperson. Each create a dialog with visitors through time required. entry is accompanied by a headshot of the comments and other reader interaction. We are continually looking for ways to writer and a brief byline telling who they (e.g., we've asked readers to vote for their further streamline and simplify the are, what they do, and any other pertinent favorite type of orchid using a widget process, to promote our rich content, and information; this personalizes the stories function.) to attract new visitors. As we get settled even more. What’s nice about using many Besides written entries that are usually into our second year, I’m confident we’ll different contributors is that they each accompanied by a still photo, periodically reach those goals and continue to grow. introduce a new group of readers—their we post vlogs—video blogs—which are own personal fans—to the blog. The always popular. Topics have included To check out Plant Talk go to bloggers cross-pollinate on their own Web seasonal segments on what’s in bloom at http://www.nybg.org/wordpress sites or blogs, which increases readership the Garden, how-to information such as of Plant Talk . For instance, the Continuing caring for orchids, and a tour of the Henry Carol Capobianco is editorial content Education registration pages link to Moore sculpture by a knowledgeable manager for The New York Botanical appropriate blog entries so that when a guide. When time doesn’t allow for a Garden. She heads up the team responsible potential student goes to sign up for a class video, we post slide shows of several still for the institution’s blog, Plant Talk . in that discipline, she can click and read photos, such as we have done for some about a related experience. fundraisers or special exhibitions. And Other benefits of the blog have been to each week we have a regular feature: a reach out to a potentially younger gardening tip of the week from our

Some other APGA member institutions that have blogs

Denver Botanic Gardens Cleveland Botanical Garden http://www.botanicgardensblog.com/ http://www.cbgarden.org/blog/

University of British Columbia Botanical Garden Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/gardenblog/ http://lewisginter.wordpress.com/

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden http://danielstowebotanicalgardenblog.blogspot.com/ http://www.fairchildgarden.org/livingcollections/blogs/

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 15 The New Media Lexicon

THE NEW MEDIA LEXICON NICK LESHI

Blog: A Web-based online journal that is Home Page: The main point of entry easier for people – and blog search engines easy to update, requires no programming, or the main page of a Web site. – to organize and look for information in and allows readers to add their own the right places. comments. Page Views: Also called Page Impressions, measuring how many times a Thread: A series of posts on a single Blogosphere: All blogs, or the blogging Web page is seen by a user. topic. community. Podcast: Audio (and sometimes video) Trackback: A piece of programming Blogroll: A list within a blog, usually in a content that can be downloaded to iPods that shows bloggers who is linking to their vertical menu along the side, that links to or other MP3 players, or accessed online. blogs and delivers snippets of what was other blogs. said. Podcasting: The method of distributing CGM: Consumer-generated media multimedia files, such as audio or video Vblog or Vlog: Video blog. A blog that (CGM) describes word-of-mouth behavior programs, over the Internet using uses video as its primary content. The that exists on the Internet in the form of syndication feeds. video is linked to a post and is usually blogs, video, audio, or social networking accompanied by supporting text, images, content created by consumers and the RSS: Really Simple Syndication. A form of and additional metadata to provide general public rather than by media programming that allows end-users to context. professionals, businesses, or marketers. subscribe to Web sites or blogs and have updates fed to their Newsreader Visits: Commonly referred to as a User Digital: A digital signal is a language of automatically. The content can be anything Session, it is all the activity performed by 1s and 0s that can be processed by from small bits of information to press one user on a Web site. mathematics, available in electronic form; releases or entire blogs. readable and manipulatable by computer. Widget: A third-party item that can be Social Media: A common term used to embedded in a Web page and executed Digital Assets: Any form of content encompass the current Web trends, online within any separate Web page without and/or media that has been formatted into tools, and available platforms that allow requiring additional compilation. A widget a binary source which includes the right to users to share information, opinions, and can be compared to a plug-in desktop use it. experiences with other users (e.g. operation. Facebook, Flickr). Feed: Also known as Web feeds or blog Wi-Fi: The abbreviated form of Wireless feeds, a feed is a widget that contains Social Networking: Services that Fidelity — the technology that allows content items, often summaries of stories allow members to connect with each other laptop computers to wirelessly connect to or blog posts that include Web links to for sharing, collaborating, and networking. the Internet, among other capabilities. longer versions. Feeds are subscribed to directly by users with aggregators (or feed Tag Cloud: A visual depiction of content Nick Leshi is the associate director of public readers that combine the contents of tags used on a Web site. Selecting a single relations and electronic media at the New multiple Web feeds for display on a single tag within a tag cloud will generally lead to York Botanical Garden. He compiled, edited, screen or series of screens). a collection of items that are associated and wrote the above list using the with that tag. following Internet resources: Dictionary.com, Hits: Measurable interaction with each OgilvyPR.com, Centric.com, element of a Web site (graphics, text, links, Tags: Tags are basically used as categories NetLingo.com, Wikipedia.org, and interactive content, etc.). or subjects in Web logs. Tagging makes it YourSocialMediaScore.com.

16 | PUBLIC GARDEN Harnessing the Power of Social Networking

Ha rnessing the Power of Social Networking SABINA CARR

ou hear about it all the time – help users of all sorts communicate relatively new. There are no ground rules social networking. How can we frequently and in real time with fellow or even loose guidelines for successfully Yuse it to best impact our garden’s users or members.” Once an online connecting your organization—or visibility and bottom line? Today, thanks obsession for teens and Gen Ys, social yourself—with your target audience to the power of the Internet, social networking has now attracted older through online social media. The Atlanta networking has expanded beyond generations. With hundreds of millions Botanical Garden wanted to build this schools, clubs, sports and similar viewing sites like Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, marketing tool over time and measure organizations and exploded onto LinkedIn, and YouTube, and reading results to track our success. We knew this thousands of Web sites. It’s become an and/or writing blogs every day, it was only could be a great way to build new important new tool by which we can natural for these networks to expand to communities that love our organization market our institutions in exciting and include organizations and individuals and want ways to express it. For a small creative ways to reach out to new looking for networking and marketing investment in money and a bigger one in audiences. opportunities. time, our goals were to harness its power According to one blogger, “…social The biggest challenge for any to impact our organization with improved media sites have become ubiquitous, and professional wanting to use these sites may exposure, increased visitation, and a it’s impossible to ignore their power to be in figuring out how best to do so. As a greater return on investment that marketing tool, social networking is still measures its success.

YouTube At the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we began our own relationship with social networking when we launched our first YouTube channel last year. YouTube is the most popular Web site devoted to sharing videos created by anyone and everyone. Forbes.com writes that the young founders of YouTube soon discovered it “wasn't just a video-sharing Web site--it was a portal, an addictive time-sink, a monumental marketing platform, and a public commons, all rolled into one attention-deficit- disorder-friendly format.” We launched our channel during the "Sculpture in Motion" exhibition in May 2008 as a way to show the beautiful kinetic sculptures being swayed, undulated and moved by the natural elements of wind, solar, and water. We created links from the garden’s exhibition page directly to YouTube so people could experience the captivating nature of kinetic sculpture, something we couldn’t afford to do with traditional television advertising. Later that fall, we added the burning of our native bog gardens on the channel which attracted much viewer interest. All it took to get started was a web-savvy staff member investigating the YouTube site’s information on how to create a channel. It’s free; you just have to have some great video ready to post.

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 17 Harnessing the Power of Social Networking

Facebook The Atlanta Botanical Garden created its first Facebook page in summer 2008. With over 250 million users, Facebook is currently a primary social networking site. We started the page with only seven fans, and now, just twelve months later, we have over 2,000 garden fans. Although Facebook is free, we were fortunate to receive the pro bono marketing services of a terrific interactive public relations agency to help guide us through setup and maintenance. But if you have a media- savvy person on your staff, they could easily manage these steps. We grew the fan base by creating a Facebook Photo Contest to help launch a new Atlanta Botanical Garden exhibit, "Moore in America, the Monumental Sculptures of Henry Moore." To enter the contest, people first had to become fans of the Garden’s Facebook page. Then they could submit their best photos of "Moore in America." In just three short months, we had over eighty entries with more than 250 comments (i.e. “votes”) made. In return, the Garden now has the right to use these beautiful new photographs in perpetuity. This relieved our marketing budget of at least three thousand dollars towards photography for the show and increased our fan base by almost 50 percent from when the contest began in May 2009. To help drive visitation and revenue, we plan to offer special discounts exclusively to our Facebook fans in the near future. We have also just started “virtual scavenger hunts” on our page that invite our fans to learn more about the Garden in return for prizes, thus engaging them at a deeper level.

Blogging In early 2009, we entered the world of blogging via "Moore in America" as a way to give people a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring an exhibition of that caliber to Atlanta. We hoped to create dialogue and chatter among exhibit fans so that they in turn encourage others to come see it in person. To start our blog, we used a simple blogging tool called BlogSpot.com and focused on everything "Moore." With a narrow focus we were able to easily fine-tune the blog in response to our readers. We found it successful to “blog” (write) once a week on different subjects including the installation, the artist and those who knew him, the curators, and more. People not only found the blog, but they started to pull photos from it to use on their own blogs or media outlets. Blogs are a great way to get out information about your site and to elicit public commentary. Just remember to adjust your blog settings to allow you to moderate those comments.

In some ways, social media is a bit of a “jungle” that takes time and skills to navigate but with enough effort can be tamed to your advantage! We plan to expand our presence in the world of social media over the years and will carefully track results in terms of increased visitation, participation, and perhaps even donations. For now we’re focused on it being a means by which people can have a conversation about our brand and feel connected with us. We highly recommend you harness the power of this interactive world – its easy, fun, and (mostly) free. Sabina Carr is the director of marketing & communications at Atlanta Botanical Garden. She can be reached at [email protected]

18 | PUBLIC GARDEN A Conversation about Two Small Gardens’ Adventures in Digital Marketing

A Conversation about Two Small Gardens’ Adventures in Digital Marketing

Sarah King

MICHELLE PROVAZNIK AND SARAH KING Michelle Provaznik

Michelle Provaznik: Web sites are a adapted to any organization’s needs. This critical first step to establishing a digital was a much more cost-effective alternative marketing program. Our web site, to hiring a web designer and starting www.fcgov.com/gardens , is often the first from scratch. Feedback from supporters Michelle Provaznik and Sarah impression made on a potential visitor. We on the Friends’ new site has been extremely King, whose duties include strive to update the site at least once per positive. marketing and communications for week with new content about classes, Our Garden’s web site is a portal to all their respective gardens, reflect on events, and garden expansion. In addition, of the other ways we connect with visitors their use of digital marketing tools the Friends of the Gardens on Spring and supporters. For example, we invite at two young small gardens--The Creek recently launched their own web people to sign up for our e-newsletter to Gardens on Spring Creek and site that links to The Gardens' home page. help build our database and will have a link Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. The primary purpose of their web site is to our Facebook page. membership and fundraising. For approximately two thousand dollars, a Sarah King: I agree that good web sites professional-looking web site was are fundamental! Bgozarks.org has a “join developed using a template with pages, our eBulletin” link at the top of the outlines, and color schemes that can be navigation bar, and this alone drives several

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 19 A Conversation about Two Small Gardens’ Adventures in Digital Marketing

Botanical Garden of the Ozarks started using Facebook to promote events, recognize volunteers, and educate users about plants in bloom.

sign-ups a week. Our eBulletin is full of distributed within our web-based donor presence. We approached her issuing a links back to the web site, especially to our database program. In the days following an challenge—she donated one dollar for each events calendar, where visitors can buy eBulletin's release, I see spikes in traffic to new fan, up to one thousand fans. This tickets immediately. I recently replaced the our web site and in online ticket purchases quickly gave us a critical mass of local fans. “News” sidebar on our web site with the and membership renewals. A volunteer As of early August 2009, fourteen hundred newsfeed widget from Facebook, so that recently introduced me to MailChimp Facebook users follow our updates as status updates and events posted on (www.mailchimp.com), which is more “fans” of the Garden. One great advantage Facebook appear in a box on our economical than the system I currently of Facebook is that “fans” are active homepage. use. It also has more powerful analytical participants—not just consumers of our tools, is easier to use, and will allow people messages, but producers as well. Facebook MP: Several months ago we developed an to sign up for the eBulletin directly from allows people who love the Garden to give e-newsletter that has quickly become an the web site. I’m planning to switch to that first-hand testimonials to their friends— extremely effective tool for class and event program when my current mass e-mail that elusive “word of mouth” has become promotion. Design consistent with other contract ends. I was surprised when “word of mouse” visible to a wide marketing materials is essential to the eBulletin content started appearing in audience. In particular, the Fayetteville Garden’s brand. Beautiful photos, artwork newspapers—it seems that reporters and mayor has been a very supportive fan, to promote events, links to appropriate photographers like the fun-to-read, pretty helping with our drive for fans and re- sites, and short easy-to-read text are format just as much as everybody else! posting Garden events to his network of fundamental to a successful newsletter. For four thousand friends. Maintenance of the a minimal cost, companies such as MP: That’s fabulous. I will make sure that Garden’s Facebook profile does require Constant Contact make it very easy to I include our local media on our frequent tending, but it is not burdensome, send to distribution lists, and track open distribution list! We are now investigating and it’s fun! Part of the appeal is the rates and what links are being used. At The the various social media forums. Don’t you immediacy of the response from fans. Gardens, our open rate averages 35 have a Facebook page? percent, which is huge. Since launching MP and SK: Our adventures in digital the e-newsletter, class attendance and event SK: We started using Facebook in March marketing have proven to be effective participation has increased by almost 20 to promote events, recognize volunteers, communication tools for our emerging percent--the reception desk always knows and educate users about plants in bloom. It gardens. In conjunction with traditional when the newsletter has gone out because was very quick and easy to set up. At first, marketing methods, they help spread the invariably the phone starts ringing. the page functioned only as a placeholder word about our gardens and the value we and gateway to our web site. One bring to our communities. SK: Two years ago, we introduced a benefactor who is an avid Facebook user monthly html newsletter, produced and encouraged us to have more of a Facebook

20 | PUBLIC GARDEN Seeds of Success

BLM Colorado State Office SOS team searches their collection records in the field to target and prioritize species for collection. SEEDS of SUCCESS MARY BYRNE AND PETER GORDON Using Technology to Help Build a National Collection of Native Seed

he first Seeds of Success collection research, and habitat restoration before it Piloting Electronic Field Notes was made on the sandy foothills of is lost. The efforts of sixty-five collecting Tsagebrush steppe in the northern SOS is the national native seed teams across the US, based at numerous Great Basin in 2000. Since that day, Seeds collection program, led by the Bureau of BLM offices and participating botanic of Success (SOS) has seen a dramatic Land Management (BLM) under the gardens, are the foundation of SOS. Each growth in the number of collections. umbrella of the congressionally mandated collecting team follows the SOS Technical Currently, the National Collection Native Plant Materials Development Protocol and uses standardized SOS field includes 9,000 collections (of over 2,200 Program (NPMDP). The mission of SOS data forms. Collectors record and capture taxa). Specialized software linked to a is to collect wildland native seed for the detailed collection site information national data management system has development of genetically appropriate associated with each collection in the SOS made managing these collections much native plant materials for restoration, as National Collection. In 2007, SOS and BG- more efficient and accurate. the current market does not supply the BASE , Inc. developed the SOS Electronic In light of climate change, coordinated diversity and quantity of native plant Field Notes Pilot Project to reduce the native seed banking efforts are increasingly materials needed. SOS is a partnership of amount of duplicative data entry important for maintaining and restoring federal government agencies and non- occurring. The Project's goal was to native plant communities that are essential federal organizations working together to evaluate the possibility of SOS collecting to the ecological services that humans and collect, conserve, and develop native seed. teams entering their collection data into wildlife depend on. Wildland seed A high level of coordination and their own copy of BG-BASE and then collection programs, such as SOS, are collaboration among partners is necessary electronically transferring the data to the conserving plant diversity in seed banks for this program to be successful. SOS National Coordinating Office for for native plant materials development, evaluation and incorporation into the national database.

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 21 Seeds of Success

The project began with an evaluation amount of data including location, Colorado. As part of NPMDP, a of collection data being captured by SOS associated species, population size, number partnership formed between BLM and the collecting teams. From this evaluation BG- of plants sampled, and taxonomic details is Uncomphagre Plateau Project, which BASE , Inc. developed specialized SOS recorded for each collection and is then resulted in an estimated nine thousand Collectors' Software, which allows SOS integrated into the SOS National Database. pounds of Sandberg’s bluegrass seed that collecting teams to capture all associated The SOS Collectors’ BG-BASE technology will be available for purchase in late 2009. collection data electronically and e-mail it has greatly reduced the amount of The source seed for this project was to the SOS National Coordinating Office duplicative data entry. collected on the Uncompahgre Plateau by in Washington, DC. The field laptops give collecting teams the SOS collecting team and will supply In early 2007, customized field laptops flexibility to enter this collection agencies with genetically appropriate seed were loaded with the specialized SOS information and carry a comprehensive for use in restoration. Collectors' Software developed by BG- inventory of past collection records with As the 2009 collecting season comes to BASE , Inc. and a training class was held at them in the field. Current research suggests a close, SOS is gearing up for even more Desert Botanical Garden. Seven SOS that to develop genetically diverse native activity in 2010. Next up: ten thousand collecting team leaders from across the plant materials from wildland native seed collections and a new mapping system! country learned how to enter collection collections, at least twenty populations information into their laptops and export from across the range of a species need to For more information about Seeds data for transfer to the SOS National be sampled. Having previous collections’ of Success contact: Coordinating Office. One of the SOS data helps teams target the needed number collecting teams that participated in the of collections. Mary Byrne is the SOS National Collection pilot training course was the BLM's The SOS-coordinated multiple Curator, and can be reached at Colorado State Office in Denver, Colorado. population sampling approach has been [email protected] or 202-912-7233. The BLM Colorado State Office has put to use in the collection of over 3,200 Peter Gorden is a botanist for coordinated over five hundred wildland taxa, including Sandberg’s bluegrass ( Poa Colorado BLM and can be reached at native seed collections from very diverse secunda ), which has been a focus of [email protected] or 303-239-3715. habitats, ranging from sub-alpine forests Colorado’s collecting efforts on the and sand dunes to shale cliffs. A large Uncomphagre Plateau in western

Need for Seed

In Colorado the need for native plant materials was highlighted by the results of a survey run by the Uncompahgre Plateau Project: 75 percent of those surveyed cited availability as the main limiting factor to purchasing native seed for landscape restoration projects.

22 | PUBLIC GARDEN Online Learning ONLINE LEARNING Engaging New and Existing Audiences in Garden Education

DOUGLAS C. NEEDHAM, PHD, AND SUSAN A. CALDWELL

re your garden’s guests and Systems (LMSs), a.k.a. Course centered learning, and hybrid courses are students asking for access to your Management Systems (CMSs), are robust ideal for maximizing in-person Ainstructors’ slides or PowerPoint software that manage access to course instruction. Introductory materials and presentations, course reserve readings, content. There are many LMS vendors, reading materials can be posted online, videos, journals or indexes, and WCET EduTools thus freeing the instructor to use valuable assessment/study tools, and more? (http://www.edutools.info/) provides a classroom time for discussion. Instructors Longwood Gardens surveyed its guests tool for comparing the relative strengths can post supplemental and review material and students to answer some of these and weaknesses of each. However, we for students to study and assign group questions. The Zoomerang-delivered recommend a custom-developed rubric projects, which can include online survey posed statements about online specific to your garden’s needs. collaboration and discussion; assignments learning to which respondents rated their Online learning can be accomplished can then be submitted online for grading. agreement via a Likert scale. See Figure 1 as either hybrid learning (a.k.a. blended Hybrid courses can include student self- showing how important electronic access learning) or immersive learning (a.k.a. assessments, quizzes and exams, and is to our respondents. fully online learning). Hybrid courses students can monitor their own progress How can you ensure that your garden’s supplement classroom instruction, and grades throughout the course. and instructors’ intellectual property is whereas immersive courses replace Immersive courses expand learning protected and only students enrolled in classroom instruction with wholly online opportunities worldwide. People who courses or only guests paying for teaching and learning. See Figure 2 for the want to learn about gardening and lectures/seminars have access to your results of our survey about online classes. horticulture, for example, can participate course content? Learning Management Online courses promote student- from anywhere as long as they have a

Figure 1

100% 90%

80% Survey of respondents’ interest in having electronic access 70% to course resources 60%

50% Strongly Disagree 40% Disagree

30% Neutral Agree 20% Strongly Agree 10%

0% Instructor’s Course Videos Journals/ Plant/ slide/ reserve Indexes Cut flower ID Power Point readings

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 23 Online Learning

computer with Internet access. This type of offer our Professional Gardener courses course requires creativity to ensure that the and select Continuing Education courses learning experience is applicable regardless as hybrid learning. The Professional Advertisers Index of geography. Gardener online courses include ASSOCIATIONS Whether developing a hybrid or PowerPoint presentations and handouts, *ifc American Public Gardens immersive course, instructors need to re- discussion forums, assignment dropboxes, Association (APGA) purpose their content for online delivery. quizzes, exams, grade book, glossary, *bc American Public Gardens For example, a presentation shown in class videos, and more. Less formal Continuing Association (APGA) should be modified for viewing and Education courses focus on improving the

CONSERVATORIES & GREENHOUSES printing online, and digital images should guest experience through strategic 1 Rough Brothers, Inc. be optimized for displaying on screen to selection and use of the components that reduce file size and download time. improve accessibility to resources and GARDEN FURNITURE Importantly, interface and content must be encourage social interaction among the *ibc Tiburon Effects organized in a way that students and guests enrolled in the course. Both 1 Country Casual instructors can easily navigate and process students and instructors are praising the the information. Longwood Gardens accessibility and flexibility that online INSURANCE employs an instructional designer to learning has brought to Longwood 1 Berends Hendricks Stuit Insurance Agency, Inc. administer its LMS and guide instructors Gardens’ courses, and we look forward to in the transition from traditional engaging new audiences through IRRIGATION SERVICES classroom instruction to online learning. additional hybrid and immersive courses *bc Rain Bird Corporation The instructional designer plays a critical in 2010. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS role in deployment of the LMS by 2 Cloud Gehshan Associates managing online courses and users, Dr. Doug Needham is head of the 6 Mesa Design Group training faculty and students in use of the Education Department at Longwood LMS, providing pedagogical and technical 4 M. T. R. Landscape Architects Gardens in Kennett Square, support for instructors, and promoting Pennsylvania. He can be contacted at 4 Oasis Design Group best practices for online learning. [email protected]. 32 Rodney Robinson Longwood Gardens launched Susan Caldwell is the instructional Landscape Architects LongwoodLIVE (http://longwoodlive.org) designer at Longwood Gardens. 2 Terra Design Studios in summer 2009 as its hosted system To contact Susan, e-mail her at PUBLICATIONS provided by Desire2Learn, Inc. [email protected]. 6 Old City Cemetery (http://www.desire2learn.com/) via the vendor’s Learning Environment LMS. We RETAIL SERVICES 6 visualopathy

*bc Back Cover 100% Survey respondents’ interest *ifc Inside Front Cover 90% *ibc Inside Back Cover in online learning in hybrid 80% vs. immersive (fully online)

70% mode for lecture vs. lab/studio courses 60%

50% Strongly Disagree 40% Disagree

30% Neural

20% Agree Strongly Agree 10%

0% Fully Hybrid Fully Hybrid Online Lecture Online Lab Lecture Lab

24 | PUBLIC GARDEN NAPCC COLLECTION PROFILE DEPARTMENTS

The Cycad Collection of Montgomery Botanical Center MICHAEL CALONJE, CHAD HUSBY, AND PATRICK GRIFFITH

Introduction Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) in Coral Gables, Florida, stewards a botanical treasure — the largest cycad collection in the Western Hemisphere. This collection is the fulfillment of Colonel Robert H. Montgomery’s dream of growing a wide diversity of cycads and palms at his estate. MBC now has two thirds of extant species, with 3,191 plants on the grounds, and about twice that many in the nursery. Ongoing fieldwork is steadily increasing these numbers and contributing new discoveries. Cycads Cycads are exceptional among living plants, surviving for nearly 300 million years since the Paleozoic. The world’s oldest seed plants, predating the dinosaurs, they peaked in abundance and diversity in the Mesozoic. Although cycads have cones, they are not closely related to conifers and ginkgoes. Whereas today only one Ginkgo species remains, there are around three hundred known cycad species, with more being described. Cycads mostly have restricted ranges today. Although cycads have persisted, slow growth rates and long reproductive cycles limit their ability to regenerate. Thus, cycads are in great need

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 25 DEPARTMENTS NAPCC COLLECTION PROFILE

of conservation efforts to survive human Macrozamia moorei , Dioon spinulosum , population-based approach provides impacts (Donaldson et al., 2003). Cycas media , Encephalartos altensteinii , E. greater depth of utility. One example is in In terms of antiquity and uniqueness, lehmanii , and E. longifolius , and also more the case of Panamanian plants which were cycads have been likened to the Rosetta Microcycas . Mr. Adolph Jordahn, the long considered to be Z. fairchildiana until Stone, demonstrating “connections Colonel’s superintendent, reported that they were described as Z. elegantissima . between the early origins of seed plants planting the Macrozamia moorei required Exact provenance ensures long-term and their present-day counterparts three men, and estimated that it was utility for research and increases the (Norstog, 2003).” Cycads share many fifteen hundred years old. conservation value. primitive features with Gingko , ferns, and When the land and collection Geographic scope includes all the lycopods, in aspects of gametes, transferred to the Montgomery world regions where cycads live, but with branching, anatomy, vernation, and Foundation in 1959, thirty cycad species concentration in New World cycads, symbioses, so they are of great interest for were represented. The majority of especially Central America and the science, conservation, and appreciation. accessions date from 1990 forward, a Caribbean Basin (Figure 2). Practical For these reasons, MBC continues its period of high investment in collections considerations influenced past and current tradition of developing the cycad development. During this period, MBC collections strategies; stated simply, South collection as a world resource. found that their collections philosophy and Florida provides excellent habitat for goals were very much aligned with those of Caribbean collections, and MBC collecting the North American Plant Collections logistics in the New World produce more History Consortium (NAPCC). The MBC Cycad outcomes for less investment. However, Cycads at MBC date to the founding Collection was reviewed and recognized by when opportunities warrant travel of the Coconut Grove Palmetum (CGP) the NAPCC in December 2007. elsewhere, MBC commits the needed in 1932 by Colonel Montgomery. That resources. This has resulted in MBC year began an intense procurement effort having the largest collection of Cycas focused on large specimens. One 1932 Scope (an Old World genus) in the Western collection that remains of great Montgomery cycad collections Hemisphere. Conservation efforts detailed importance is Microcycas calocoma represent a majority of the world’s below provide an important example. (Figure 1). This plant, brought from Cuba diversity (Table 1); MBC holds 214 species in 1915, was purchased in October 1932 and 39 subspecific taxa. Currently, 303 from industrialist James Deering's nearby species of cycad are recognized (Hill et al., Conservation estate, Villa Vizcaya. Through decades of 2007), but MBC’s work has discovered Cycas micronesica is critically care and propagation, this individual additional species (Calonje, 2009; Calonje endangered and limited to several Pacific plant is either the father or grandfather of et al., 2009). Breadth of species provides a islands. Introduction of an exotic insect many Microcycas in cultivation (Calonje, quick diversity measure, but given the (Aulacaspis yasumatsui ) in 2003 greatly 2007). July 1936 saw the addition of tentative nature of cycad systematics, a reduced native populations. On Guam, less than 20 percent of the original population survives, and seedling recruitment is near zero, despite efforts to control the insect. This provides a straightforward example of how ex situ botanic garden collections are crucial for conservation efforts. Montgomery collected C. micronesica in 1997 and 1998. Although these collections were important, they were of

Table 1

MBC CYCAD COLLECTIONS Species in MBC collections ...... 214 Wild collected species ...... 202 Figure 2. Provenance of living cycad collections at MBC, Species known (Hill et al., 2007) ... 303 with significant representation of New World cycads. Total Accessions ...... 1,282 Wild Collected Accessions ...... 1,202 Plants in ground ...... 3,191 Plants in nursery ...... 6,154

26 | PUBLIC GARDEN 26 | PUBLIC GARDEN narrow provenance. In response to the increasing threat, MBC obtained further collections from Guam (and nearby Rota Island) in 2007, with support from the Association of Zoological Horticulture and the University of Guam. Collaboration between MBC, University of Guam, and The New York Botanical Garden (Cibrian et al., 2008) focused on broad population assessment and collecting. The resulting collection has maximum geographic breadth and genetic diversity and represents the largest single-species cycad planting in our living collection. Reproductive success is already occurring in the 1997 and 1998 collections. Since 2007, 282 seeds have been distributed through ongoing hand-pollination efforts. Growing these living treasures widely helps ensure against extinction. Zamia decumbens. Valentino Tzub, Michael Calonje, and Geoff Hoese are studying this unique cycad, which favors sinkhole habitats in Belize. Prior to MBC fieldwork in Seeds 2008, fewer than one hundred plants were known. . Cycads were long assumed to be wind-pollinated, like other ancient plants. Researchers recently discovered that References insects are primary pollinators. Outside Calonje, M. A. 2007. History, growth rate, and native ranges, cycads must be hand phenology of Microcycas calocoma in South Florida. The Cycad Newsletter 30: 20-21. pollinated, unless their pollinator is Calonje, M. A. 2009. A new cliff-dwelling species present. Montgomery produces seeds of of Zamia (Zamiaceae) from Belize. Journal of known parentage for all genera except the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 31: Zamia , which are pollinated by weevils 23-29. (Rhopalotria spp. ), and the native Zamia Calonje, M. A., J. Meerman, M. P. Griffith, and floridana which are pollinated by a G. Hoese. 2009. A new species of Zamia (Zamiaceae) from the Maya Mountains of clavicorn beetle ( Pharaxonotha zamiae ). Belize. Journal of the Botanical Research Individual cycads produce either Institute of Texas 31: 31-41. pollen or seed cones, but never both. Hand Cibrian, A., T. Marler, and E.D. Brenner. 2008. pollination requires seed cones to be Development of EST-microsatellites from the receptive. Pollen cones and seed cones are cycad Cycas rumphii, and their use in the recently endangered Cycas micronesica. often not mature at the same time, so Conservation Genetics. DOI 10.1007/s10592- pollen must be stored at freezing 007-9447-3. temperatures. Pollen stored in the MBC Donaldson, J. S., B. Dehgan, A. P. Vovides, and pollen bank is exchanged with other W. Tang. 2003. Cycads in trade and sustain - able use of cycad populations. In Donaldson, botanical institutions and distributed to J. S. (ed.). Cycads: Status Survey and Action researchers. Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Hill, K. D., D. W. Stevenson, and R. Osborne. Figure 1. Microcycas calocoma. 2007. The world list of cycads [La lista mundial This prized plant (RM384) was Treasures de cíadas]. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 97: obtained in 1932 and remains As true living fossils, cycads attract 454-483. prominent in the Montgomery land - intense research interest, require effective Norstog, K. 2003. Foreword. In Donaldson, scape. In seventy-five years, the conservation, inspire devoted J. S. (ed.). Cycads: Status Survey and plant has grown to over sixteen feet Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, and is the largest Microcycas in the appreciation, and deserve special Switzerland. US. Fewer than one thousand consideration. For all of these good Microcycas persist in the wild. reasons, Montgomery is committed to this collection of unique plants.

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 27 DEPARTMENTS COLORS OF SUCCESS BG-BASE & PLANT RECORDS a twenty-five-year retrospective MICHAEL J. O'NEAL AND KERRY S. WALTER

botanic garden (83) arboretum (28) university campus (22) municipal garden (15) private estate (8) government agency (6) herbarium (5) museum (4) zoological park (4) conservation body (3) other (3) horticultural society (2) research station (2) cemetery (1) greenhouse complex (1)

August 2009 library (1)

Types of institutions using BG-BASE.

he extent to which collections are documentation needs and practices than mented as they occur before they are documented is a very good things that separate them, despite the lost for all time; Tmeasure of how "botanic" a many disparate computer systems in use • Public gardens attract an enormous botanic garden really is. 2010 marks the and despite the many different types of and diverse visitorship, with a wide twenty-fifth anniversary of BG-BASE , institutions using them. range of expectations and information software designed specifically for the needs; utilizing your plant records sys - documentation of biological (primarily tem in conjunction with your educa - Why plant records? botanical) collections. On the fifteenth tion and outreach activities can help Documentation of botanic garden anniversary of BG-BASE, we also wrote an fulfill the obligations your institution collections is critically important for a article for Public Garden . In reviewing that has towards these visitors; variety of reasons: article it struck us that much of what was • Many plants grown today will not be • living collections (unlike collections true back then regarding plant records is available in the future, either because found in art and natural history still very true today. Working with a wide of species extinction or because museums) are dynamic; although the range of institutions around the world changes in horticultural taste mean change may seem slow, it is relentless, over the last quarter century, we have that most cultivars have a shelf life that and those changes need to be docu - found many more things that link our is far shorter than often imagined; if

28 | PUBLIC GARDEN COLORS OF SUCCESS DEPARTMENTS

we do not keep – and pass along – adequate time, resources, or encourage- the world. This community approach has good records, those who follow us will ment. If you really want to fail, make sure meant that the system remains focused on be none the wiser about our activities that person thinks he/she only has time to meeting real-world requirements; it also and collections today. ‘do’ plant records when the weather is means that the way in which the system bad, or that other staff have no works and in which it encourages its users However, despite these compelling accountability to report changes in the to work represent a form of ‘best practice’ arguments, we frequently hear statements collection, particularly when material is in our community. concerning cost and time that undervalue newly acquired, is moved to a new From the outset the system was or undermine the importance of an location, or has died. We would not find it conceived as a tool for managing both institution’s plant records. acceptable for the person running payroll large and small collections in multi-user to do the job when there is time, so why and stand-alone computer environments. do so many institutions accept this for We purposely design the system with the Successful vs. unsuccessful plant records? high-end site in mind, making the plant records Another common inefficiency is to use maximum capabilities available to all Institutions with the most successful a series of different systems to track institutions regardless of whether they are plant records systems are those in which information that is inherently linked – we able to use all of these functions documentation is considered an frequently see institutions using one immediately. As a matter of course,

...plant records are not something that are done for themselves but because the institution as a whole needs—and benefits from—them.

institutional (not merely departmental or database for their living collections, institutions tend to grow into BG-BASE as personal) priority. Good record keeping another for their herbarium, a third for their collections and documentation requires an unwavering commitment by their images, etc. Our approach has been activities mature. Unused functionality can the institution, as well as an understanding to integrate all of these into a single be turned off until it is needed. by the staff of the central importance of application, thereby reducing Another primary objective has been this activity. Finding this balance might development, training, and support costs to maintain compatibility among all mean restructuring some staff, educating while maximizing the sharing of BG-BASE sites. To this end, sites share a the director and/or the board, dealing with information across the institution. [Please common design that uses a combination departmental walls and rivalries, and refer to www.bg-base.com for further of "standard" as well as "user-defined" encouraging staff to share their knowledge information about how this integration fields. This allows sites to exchange data and responsibilities, all of which not only has been accomplished.] (for example, many larger sites allow helps documentation per se but also helps newer sites to use their existing set of build a strong and healthy institution. In scientific names), yet still allows fine- other words, plant records are not Twenty-Five Years of BG-BASE in tuning to meet specific institutional needs. something that are done for themselves the botanic garden community This standardization also makes system but because the institution as a whole As of August 2009 BG-BASE has been enhancements and upgrades easier (and needs – and benefits from – them. installed in 188 institutions in 30 less costly) to distribute and support. The best way to not succeed? Give an countries. Even though the two authors of From the start, we have also been individual the responsibility for this paper are the ones actually committed to incorporating maintaining information about the programming BG-BASE , it has been international standards for managing collections (either manually or developed by means of creative input botanical information. This has helped electronically) but not give that individual from literally hundreds of users around

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 29 DEPARTMENTS COLORS OF SUCCESS

us share data outside the BG-BASE breadth of the existing system, there are years, which have helped enhance what by community with organizations such as still a great many things we wish to add to today’s standards was a relatively small The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. support the BG-BASE community. system in 1985. We look forward to Department of Agriculture, the Increased functionality in managing ongoing and continued collaboration in Secretariat of the Convention on images (arguably the greatest the future. international Trade of Endangered documentation crisis facing most of us) as Species of Flora and Fauna (ClTES), the well as the desire by some institutions to References: US Bureau of Land Management, link to ESRI GIS software are two O'Neal, M.J., Kerry S. Walter. 2000. Update: PlantCollections, Botanic Gardens examples of user requests that now form BG-BASE - a tool for the 21st century. Conservation International (BGCI) and new components for the next upgrade. Public Garden 15(4):21-25. the Global Biodiversity Information Not far behind is work already underway Walter, K.S. 1989. Designing a computer- software application to meet the plant-record Facility (GBIF), among others. on a new online documentation system, needs of the Arnold Arboretum. Arnoldia new reporting tools, tree hazard 19(1):42-53. Future directions assessments, tracking IPM activities, and a www.bg-base.com BG-BASE will never be “done’”. re-thinking of our multi-site search web Michael J. O’Neal is the director Hardware and software continually change, site, http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/ of BG-BASE , Inc., and can be contacted at and new versions of BG-BASE are released multisite/multisite3.php approximately every other year, while a few [email protected] institutions receive smaller updates on an As we undertake new projects and Kerry S. Walter is the director of BG-BASE as-needed basis in the interim. With every ongoing challenges, we would both like to (UK) Ltd., and can be contacted at institution we visit or with every take this opportunity to express our [email protected] conference we attend, we invariably bring gratitude to the entire botanic garden back new ideas for potential inclusion in community for the many suggestions and the software. Despite the enormous thought-provoking discussions over the

DISTRIBUTIONS SPEC_CHARS GENERA IMAGES

Summary of the living collection at Royal Botanic Garden DS [DATA NAMES COLL_BOOKS VERIFICATIONS Edinburgh as generated from BG-BASE. SOURCES]

GERMPLASM ACCESSIONS SHIPMENTS SPECIMENS

MICROSATS, PROPAGATIONS LABEL_REQUESTS QUARANTINES SEQUENCES

CITES_NOTICES, DESIDERATA, JOB_NUMS, EU_DECISIONS, CONTACTS DESITEMS MP_PROTOCOLS LAWS, QUOTAS

BERN_NAMES, CORINE_NAMES, EEC_NAMES, INTERACTIONS LIBINDEXES PROJECTS HAB_DIR_NAMES, UNECE_NAMES

CONSNAMES, AWARDS, CONS_AREAS- NURSERY_ITEMS PF_NAMES TRIALENTRIES, Tables associated with the NAMES table in BG-BASE . _LINKS, TRIALNAMES CONSTASKS

30 | PUBLIC GARDEN GROWING GREENER DEPARTMENTS

Answers to Your Questions About Sustainability JANET MARINELLI

Q: There are so many different green roof systems. Are they all effective?

It’s easy for us plant enthusiasts to be seduced by the idea of verdant A: rooftops. Aesthetically, living roofs are a major improvement over typical asphalt or tar roofs, which are about as hospitable to humans and most other life forms as Death Valley on a mid-summer day. But before falling head over heels for green roofs, it’s worth asking whether they really, as touted, help insulate buildings and thus save energy that would other- wise be consumed for heating or cooling, counteract the urban heat island effect, remove particulates from polluted air, detain and cleanse storm water, and more. Green roofs certainly seemed too good to be true to Steve Windhager, director of landscape restoration at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and his colleagues, so they compared the performance of six extensive green roof systems from six different manufacturers to each other as well as to traditional non-reflective blacktop and somewhat performance among the different green lawn—the more fertilizer in the planting cooler reflective white roofs. The study was roofs. They were much better at preventing medium, the worse the water quality, conducted on hot-tub-sized mini roofs, the temperature of the air below from although after the first growing season, each thirty square feet. Each of the test spiking on warm days, compared to both water quality dramatically improved. In green roofs was planted with the same the conventional and reflective roofs. But short, no one system excelled at providing eighteen native plants chosen for their while so me of the roofs were able to all the benefits conventional wisdom says wide tolerance of both drought periods capture a lot of storm water, others green roofs are supposed to provide. and saturation after rainstorms, and the weren’t significantly better in this respect The Wildflower Center’s research is plants were provided with the same than the white or blacktop roofs. And important in part because, although a host amount of irrigation when necessary. while some of the roofs had nearly no of studies have been done on green roofs Steve and his colleagues were surprised adverse effect on water quality, others in temperate environments, Austin’s to find that there was a wide variation in were worse than the typical suburban climate is significantly drier, hotter, and

2009 • ISSUE THREE | 31 DEPARTMENTS GROWING GREENER

more prone to flash flooding than other savings, and provide valuable additional study locations. To what extent does the gardening space,” Steve says, “but these Center’s research apply to other regions expectations need to be made explicit at and climates? “I think that the storm water the outset of the project, or it will have an retention numbers will be pretty uniform unfortunately high chance of not no matter where you go,” says Steve. He achieving all of these goals.” adds that the study of green roof performance in Austin’s subtropical After sixteen and a half years at Brooklyn climate is useful “particularly if we are Botanic Garden, Janet Marinelli started her seeing a warming trend in our more own planning, interpretation, and publish - temperate climates.” ing company, Blue Crocus Consulting. She When asked what advice he can give has written several books and numerous other public gardens considering green articles on sustainable buildings and land - roofs, based on the Wildflower Center’s scapes; you can find many of them on her research, Steve pointed out that it’s website, www.janetmarinelli.com. Send any important to determine why you want a questions you would like answered to Janet green roof, then make sure that a green at [email protected]. roof is the most efficient way to achieve your goals. Once you have decided that you’re going to pursue a living roof, make sure the manufacturer you’re working with is aware of your goals. “Green roofs can certainly be designed to capture storm water, have clean runoff, provide energy

32 | PUBLIC GARDEN