NYBG Herbarium + Community Gardens Initiative

The NYBG Herbarium + Community Gardens Initiative is dedicated to amplifying community access to scientific resources and fostering dialogue surrounding plants and ecologies. Our mission centers on documenting and commemorating the vibrant biocultural diversity in our city.

Recognizing community members as vital stakeholders in biodiversity conservation and ecological stewardship, the Initiative seeks innovative and community-driven ways to celebrate, preserve, and promote biocultural knowledge and plant relationships in New York City. The initiative brings together NYBG’s Bronx Green-Up program, Humanities Institute, and Herbarium to forge meaningful collaborations with the community, including for the support of botanical arts and sciences through access to Garden resources. As part of this Initiative, our goal is to establish an ongoing dialogue with community members to guide the documentation of the diverse biocultural landscape of our boroughs, facilitate access to NYBG’s wealth of research resources, and establish community-based biocultural collections to preserve and honor the rich narratives of community members. You can read more about the history of the Initiative on NYBG’S Plant Talk blog.

Sign up for the Herbarium + Community Initiative newsletter to receive monthly updates and upcoming events. We also hold bi-monthly planning meetings virtually that all are welcome to join.