Queens Botanical Garden Society Inc

THE ORGANIZATION IS AN EDUCATIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF QUEENS AND THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA.

GROUNDS CARE AND SECURITY - RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UPKEEP AND SECURITY OF THIS 39-ACRE PUBLIC GARDEN AND LIVING MUSEUM, COMPRISING 18 ACRES OF FORMAL GARDENS AND 21 ACRES OF ARBORETUM. MAINTAINS MORE THAN 20 ORNAMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL GARDENS INCLUDING: AN HERB GARDEN, WOODLAND GARDEN, ROSE GARDEN, WEDDING GARDEN, OTHER PERENNIAL GARDENS AND SEASONAL DISPLAYS. ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES ARE IN PRACTICE THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY: WATER PERMEABLE PAVERS ARE IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN; BIOSWALES ABSORB EXCESS RAIN WATER, HELPING TO EASE THE BURDEN ON NYC'S SEWER SYSTEM; GEOTHERMAL WELLS HEAT AND COOL THE LEED PLATINUM CERTIFIED VISITOR & ADMINISTRATION BUILDING; NATIVE PLANTINGS, INCLUDING THE GREEN ROOF, FEED LOCAL FAUNA AND MIGRATORY BIRDS. COMPOSTING TOILETS AND GRAY WATER SYSTEM RESULT IN USING 82% LESS WATER, PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS HARNESS THE SUN'S ENERGY JUST AS PLANTS DO. ALL FEATURES MENTIONED SUPPORT THE GARDEN'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY.

EDUCATION - PROVIDES PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS AND SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ADVANCE A DUAL MISSION OF SUSTAINABILITY AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION. IN FY21 - A PARTIAL PANDEMIC YEAR - QBG EDUCATORS WORKED WITH OVER 9,600 SCHOOL CHILDREN AND 2,562 TEACHERS THROUGH ONSITE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, TOURS AND TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS. QBG ALSO CONTINUED ITS VIRTUAL PROGRAMS IN FY21. EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOCUS ON STEAM LEARNING (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH) TO TEACH URBAN CHILDREN ABOUT PLANTS, ECOSYSTEMS, TREES, AND BEES. QBG IS HOME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST COMPOSTING EDUCATION SITES IN THE CITY, AND FOCUSES ON OUTREACH TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS IN QUEENS. QBG ALSO HOSTS SEVERAL NATURE-BASED PROGRAMS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, RANGING FROM ONE-TIME CLASSES TO MULTI-WEEK SESSIONS DURING OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIMES.

VISITOR SERVICES & PUBLIC PROGRAMS - PROMOTES A POSITIVE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND WELCOMED NEARLY 162,000 VISITORS IN FY21 IN SPITE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. QBG SERVED 162,575 PEOPLE WHICH INCLUDES 25,440 REACHED THROUGH OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS. THE VISITOR & ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HOUSES A VARIETY OF AMENITIES INCLUDING THE GIFT SHOP, QBG GALLERY, FACILITY RENTALS AND QBG MEMBERSHIP HOSPITALITY. PUBLIC PROGRAMS STAFF COORDINATE NEARLY 50 PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR VISITORS IN A TYPICAL YEAR; PUBLIC PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES IN NATURE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS, PLANT COLLECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN, BEES AND HONEY, CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PLANTS, VISUAL ARTS, PERFORMING ARTS AND GREEN / SUSTAINABLE LIVING. SEASONAL EVENTS, ART EXHIBITIONS, AND SPECIAL CULTURAL FESTIVALS ARE CELEBRATIONS THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF QUEENS AND NYC. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, VISITOR SERVICES PROVIDES MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES FOR HUNDREDS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND COLLEGE INTERNS; SUMMER YOUTH INTERNS SUPPORT THE GARDEN WITH WORK IN HORTICULTURE AND ADMINISTRATION.