ANNUAL REPORT 2020
In reflecting on the past year, I recall the opening lines of Dicken’s “A Tale of Two Cities,” "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…" Some say that 2020 was a lost year. I beg to differ. We slowed down, we reconnected with friends, family, and with what is important to us. We certainly suffered, too, as some lost dear ones to COVID-19, to other maladies, and to age. But we are now in spring. And for many of us it is, indeed, the spring of hope. As I write this, the forsythia and daffodils outside my home office window are exploding in exuberance. The despair that many of us felt at times last year is melting in the warmth of hope. Even in the midst of a crisis, we planted seeds of hope for the future. The amazing individuals who comprise our horticulture and natural areas staff, for instance, were enormously thankful to be designated as essential staff in order to care for our living collections. Cornell Botanic Gardens was one of only a handful (4 percent, actually) of public gardens in the U.S. to keep its grounds open for all to use throughout 2020. We made adjustments in how we work, what we asked of visitors with respect to masks and distancing, and how we presented our programs. Gone, for the time being, are the days of in-person events, tours, and classes. Instead, our communications and education teams sent you gifts via email (our Little Presents of Hope videos, collections, and stories) and met with you via the internet (our Verdant Views webinars), connected with youth electronically, and provided necessary spaces for Cornell’s outdoor instruction. All told, we reached 1.5 million of you! And in 49 countries! It amazes me, and is very touching, that so many of you in such faraway places still come back here even if remotely. We cannot wait to see you again in person and to thank you for the constancy of your support. When you do come back, you might notice some changes. While you were away, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) began its ravenous attack on ash trees on our campus, in our gardens and arboretum, and in our natural areas. In response, we established the Future Forests Initiative to increase forest health and resilience by planting more than 200 native trees and shrubs throughout the botanic gardens. Someone once said, “don’t let a good crisis go to waste.” Our response to the Covid pandemic and to the EAB infestation has been strong, forward-looking, and always hopeful. Our ability to deliver is as much a testament to the grit and determination of our staff as it is to your dedicated support and encouragement. Our success is your success. Thank you from us all.
Christopher P. Dunn, Ph.D. The Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director Cover photo: Brian Maley. Photo contributions by: Todd Bittner, Melissa Cox, Alison Falkenburgh, Jason Koski, Jay Potter, Pam Shade, Sonja Skelly.
Clockwise from left: Horticulturists Alison Falkenburgh, Emily Pratt, and Kathy Vidovich; Fisher Old Growth Forest; visitors in the Robison Herb Garden; Trillium erectum in the Mundy Wildflower Garden.
Clockwise from left: Natural Areas Steward Jules Ginenthal enjoying one of our many trails that remained open, Nevin Welcome Center as seen from the Bioswale Garden, Allium cernuum in the Mundy Wildflower Garden, pickled vegetables from the Pounder Garden.
GROW Aiding COVID-19 containment with safe outdoor spaces Thanks to the cooperation of visitors and designated essential staff working on site, Cornell Botanic Gardens stayed open and accessible throughout COVID-19 restrictions. In early spring and summer 2020, when other outdoor areas and local cultural institutions were closed, (or open with limited capacity), we saw a greater number of visitors than typical. This pattern continued throughout the warm-weather months and into the fall, as community members and students sought opportunities to be outdoors safely. We welcomed between 500 and 1,100 users daily to our gorge trails, arboretum, gardens, and Beebe Lake natural area. Access to Cornell Botanic Gardens’ 3,600 acres and 32 miles of trails contributed to Tompkins County achieving one of the best responses to COVID-19 containment in New York State Empowering personal action to mitigate climate change Climate change is an overwhelming global problem, and it is difficult for individuals to identify ways they can personally make a difference. Plantings and interpretation in the Pounder Vegetable Garden demonstrated how individuals and families reduce global carbon emissions by making different food choices and by growing and storing some of their own food. Eating plant protein cuts down on emissions from the meat industry and reduces impacts from processing and transportation. The garden titled “A plant-rich diet: a climate-conscious choice,” displayed plants that are significant sources of protein. Another garden, “Pickling for a sustainable world,” showed how food waste contributes to greenhouse-gas emissions, and encouraged pickling as a means of food preservation that prevents unnecessary spoilage, reducing the amount of food that ends up in landfills. This garden displayed crops with fruits, stems, roots, or leaves that pickle well.
INSPIRE Fostering hope in troubled times In March 2020, with in-person programming cancelled and visitation restricted, Cornell Botanic Gardens quickly developed and launched the “Little Presents of Hope” content campaign to remind audiences of the restoration and hope found in plants and the natural world. Weekly messages with multimedia features brought the gardens, arboretum, and natural areas to audiences, and engaged them with our strategic objective—connecting plants and peoples for a world of beauty, diversity, and hope. Audiences experienced early spring, through video slide shows, soared over off-campus natural areas through aerial video, and learned about sustainable landscape features and practice, with a narrated virtual tour. One of the campaign’s most powerful features was that it leveraged Cornell University communication partners to reach well over 1.5 million Cornell students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. Bringing plant education to remote classrooms During a typical spring, more than 600 area third graders participate in Wildflower Explorations, which includes in-classroom preparation and an instructional site visit to the Mundy Wildflower Garden. With school and campus closures and the cancellation of on-site programming in spring 2020, Raylene Ludgate, youth education coordinator at Cornell Botanic Gardens, was determined to bring Wildflower Explorations to the students and teachers, now in virtual classrooms. She developed a rich educational experience, featuring engaging “homegrown” videos and downloadable activities and worksheets. Wildflower Explorations at Home is accessible to teachers, parents, and grandparents seeking engaging educational activities for homebound children. Cornell Botanic Gardens brought numerous other programs to adult audiences, through the new Verdant Views online webinar series. More than 1,700 people viewed 34 programs during 2020. One of the successes—transitioning the annual winter solstice in-person program to a virtual format. More than 700 people from 8 countries participated online in 2020.
Clockwise from left: Hydrangea paniculata in the Zucker Shrub Collection, daffodils in the Groundcover collection, aerial view of Purvis Road Wetlands natural area, Youth Education Coordinator Raylene Ludgate filming a Wildflower Explorations lesson in her backyard.
Recognizing those who gave $500 or more to Cornell Botanic Gardens, January 1–December 31, 2020
Director's Circle ($10,000+) Elaine and John Alexander John and Laura Almquist Nancy Bartels Philip Bartels Susan Bird Butler Family Foundation John Butler Anne Church Patricia DeCoursey Andrea Glanz and James Irish Adelaide Park Gomer Anna Lowi and Dan Ferguson Jason Lowi Wayne Merkelson and Nancy Roistacher Park Nobel Park Foundation Roy and Tetlow Park Daniel Pope James and Wendysue Prout Kamalakar Rao Nan and Richard Rideout Catherine and William Rideout Robison Family Foundation David Russo and Mary Gail Gearns Anne and Robert Shaw Peter Stifel Triad Foundation Pauline Wamsler Estate of Elizabeth Weaver David Weinstein and Christina Stark Chris Wien
Cascadilla Circle ($5,000–$9,999) David Brittenham and Carolyn Summers George Chapman Amy and Tom Cullen James Cullen Scott Doig Elliot and Toby Eisenberg William Gratz and James Bruno Rosemarie Harness Holly Isdale and William Ryan Neil Janovic and Cathleen Hull Estate of Bertha Lewis Florence and Howard Loomis
Jeffrey and Julie McPeek Marcia and Thomas Morton Allen Newman Barry and Barbara Novick Robert Ramin and Denise DeConcini Pamela and Paul Salvatore Judith Stoikov and Richard Miller Workday Xiaolin Zang
Oak ($1,000–$4,999) Robert H. Abrams Claudia Anderson and Lewis Buckman Auraca Herbarists Douglas Bates and Mini Pathria William Bellamy Jeffrey Berg and Debra Paget Lois and William Black Eric Blair-Joannou Peter and Ruth Bleyler Jeff and Sandy Bricker Richard and Elaine Bushey James and Terry Byrnes Charles and Kathryn Camisa Marilyn Cane Center for Plant Conservation Marie Christensen and Bruce Cunningham Alice Corbin Anne Cowie and Amy Graves Estate of Rhoda Curtiss Peter Davies and Linda Denoyer Susan and William Day Carol des Cognet Christine and Thomas Dombrowski Paul and Virginia DuBowy Estate of Norma Edsall Joan Egrie David Fernandez and Elizabeth Lawson Elizabeth Fillo and Chris Coucill John Foote Jr. and Kristen Rupert Laura Fratt and Michael Isby Joseph and Johanne Gatto Jeffrey and Judith Gelfand Walter Gezari Arthur and Elizabeth Goldsmith Emily Goldsmith Bradley and Mary Grainger Constance and Richard Haggard Alfred Hamilton and Diana Wainrib
Betta and James Hedlund Vincent Herman Marilyn Hicks Richard and Carrie Higgins Matthew Hintsa Elizabeth and John Howell Dustin James and Helen Kim Julie and Rory Jurman Daniel Lane Robert Lefkowitz Frances Li and Carl Schaefer Estate of Roland Lieber Huaiyu Liu Beth and Peter Marks Anne and Ed McLaughlin Camille and Ian McLeod Doris and Lawrence Merson Lester and Sue Morss Agnes Moy-Sarns and David Sarns Dorothy Mullestein Carol and Charles Mund Martha Nakamura Nancy Neal Christopher and Suzanne Nolan Gregory Page and Barbara Rauschenbach Joanne and Richard Pirret Jane Pyle Inge and Uwe Reichenbach Scott and Tricia Reines John and Pat Richards David and Joyce Rivas Frank and Jeannine Robertson John Roche and Laura Dake Roche Paul Rong Liou Stanley Rosen Carolyn Sampson Vaughn Sayles Alan and Geraldine Schechter Margaret Schroeder Ashley Seidman Barbara and Robert Seraphin Pises and Sawanee Sethsathira Eric and Mary Smith J. Allen Smith and Katherine Megrue-Smith Joseph and Marlene Stregack Martin Tang Andrew and Sarah Topus John and Ruth Vaughn Huazhi Wang and Li-Qun Xia Stefani and Steven Weiss Nicholas White Sally Williams
Kenneth and Sharon Wilson Theodore and Gertrude Winsburg Shuqiao Zhao
Trillium ($500–$999) Suzanne Aigen Jewelle and John Allen Philip Ammirato Beth Anderson Peter Arden Donald and Dorothy Armstrong Robert and Sandra Armstrong Chetna Bansal and Aravind Narasimhan Dorothy and Philip Bartlett Robert Bauer Gary and Judith Baum Anita and Stefan Belman Jennifer and Scott Bergen Jacqueline and Richard Bower Alice Brown Colton and Natasha Brown Coleman Burton Jay Cantor Brian Chabot and Kathleen Rasmussen Stephen and Susan Chamberlin Karen and Mark Colonna Jeffrey and Susan Cook Maya Crone and Scott McNulty Roy Curtiss and Josephine Clark-Curtiss Sharon Detzer Roberta DeVries Mary Douglas Christopher and Mei-Ran Dunn Susan Egloff Jennifer Engel and Lawrence Young Barney and Julie Feinblum James and Kathleen Gaffney Brent Goldman and Lauren Bence Aviv Goldsmith and Donna Pienkowski Frances Gotcsik Bruce Graev Min Hui Guan Mary and Stephen Hamilton Dana Harris Ian Harrop Michael and Doris Haruk Karen and Marc Harwitt Katsu and Yumi Hayashi Amy and Richard Heinrich
Mikey Hearne Hintsa Peter Horton and Jane de Leon Ronald Javitch Paul Skeen Jones Philip Jones Robert Joyce Eric and Martha Kinder Teri Klein Frederick Korz Jonathan and Julie Kukk Charlotte Lee and Jacob Tsang Janet and William Lutz Joanne Maguire and Joyce Rotheram Margaret Mathewson and Duane Nordick Wayne and Elizabeth Mezitt Anne and Keith Moffat Sue and William Morrill Louise Mudrak Marian Nease Marcia Neuburger Robert and Sharon O’Brien Adam and Alyssa Orgel Lillian and Robert Panagulias Carole Parnes Roland Philip and Linda Sandhaus William Pinchbeck and Joanie Kilton Loyd Powell Rachael Przybyla and Richard Hayashi Kun Qian Christopher Rakov and Christine Lydon-Rakov Donald and Sue Rakow Denise Rempe and Mark Wilson Marga Rogers Carol and Sander Ross Hillary Ross Posternak Ellen and Martin Sampson Peter Schwartz and Kathleen Lacson Kent Sheng Stefan Singer and Sarah Rombom Lynn and Mark Swain Natalie Teich Rebecca and Scott Tucker Elissa and Scott Turcotte Jan Upalakalin Ben Valentin Fred and Susan Van Sickle Margaret Walbridge Dorothea and Terry Warren Carolyn and Stephen Whitman Penelope Wickham Carolyn and Rittner Will Warren Zipfel and Rebecca Williams
Cayuga Society The Cayuga Society at Cornell honors friends and alumni who establish planned gifts to the university or provide for Cornell in their wills. Cayuga Society members listed here have specified gifts to Cornell Botanic Gardens. Elizabeth Anderson Robert and Sandra Armstrong Beverly Baker William Bellamy Jonathan and Toni Black Ruth and Peter Bleyler David and Mary Call Jay Cantor Charles Cawley Brenda Colthart Glenn and Madolyn Dallas Susan and William Day William DeCou Paul DuBowy Elizabeth Fillo Maralyn Fleming Bradley and Mary Grainger Howard Greenberg and Joanne Burke Margaret Hampson Torrance Harder Ellen Hayes Carrie Makover Shirley McGrath Anne Moffat Marcia Morton John Norelli William Osgood Cora Parsons Roland Philip John and Pat Richards Barbara Rissmeyer Elizabeth and Jean Rowley Robert and Anne Shaw Theodore Sneed James and Patricia Stocker
Clockwise from left: Cornell students learning about Restoration Ecology in the Mundy Wildflower Garden, Cayuga speaker and Cornell instructor Steve Henhawk with his heritage beans in the Pounder Garden, Interpretation Coordinator Sarah Fiorello instructing a Cornell class, the perennial garden along the North walk.
CONNECT Facilitating on-campus instruction After sending students home in March 2020 for remote instruction, Cornell University developed a strategy to bring students back to campus for the fall 2020 semester. Outdoor instruction in whole or in part was one of the ingredients for successful in-person instruction. Cornell Botanic Gardens saw a 44-percent increase in the number of classes that used its spaces. Our staff experts Todd Bittner and Robert Welsey taught Restoration Ecology, which took place in on-campus natural areas, and Sonja Skelly and Sarah Fiorello taught Museum and Park Interpretation. Bill Miller, professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, regularly brought students in Annuals and Perennials in the Landscape to the gardens, where horticulture staff shared their expertise. Other classes that utilized the botanic gardens, arboretum, and natural areas include Introductory to Photography; Magic & Witchcraft in the Ancient Greco-Roman World; Ag, Food, Sustainability and Social Justice; and Freshman Writing Seminars. Conserving indigenous language and culture In 2020, Cornell Botanic Gardens strengthened its collaboration with the Cayuga Nation, helped conserve its language and culture, and brought the richness of the Native American experience to broader audiences. In observation of Indigenous People’s Day, Steve Henawk, a ¸ native speaker and historian, recorded the traditional thanksgiving address of the Gayogohó:no − (Cayuga Nation), the “Words Before All Else,” in the Cayuga language. The address gives thanks to all living things and is recited at the beginning of community gatherings and events. We are honored to work with Steve, who has brought his people’s seeds home to be planted in the Pounder Garden at Cornell Botanic Gardens in the soil of his ancestors. Steve’s plantings are used in Cornell's first-ever Cayuga language class, taught by Steve.
Clockwise from left: Floriculture War Memorial Trail, Groundcover Collection outside the Lewis Building, Natural Areas Horticulturist Krissy Boys teaching about native pollinator plants, visitors the Robinson Herb Garden.
INCOME Endowment income, gifts from alumni and friends, and grants provide the lion’s share of the support we need to sustain our gardens, natural areas, and educational programs.
$1,670,911
44%
$756,267
20%
$65,267
2%
Grants and Contracts
$369,638
10%
University Allocations
$485,373
13%
Earned Income
$97,285
2%
Use of Reserves
$252,913
6%
Prior Year Fund Balances
$135,112
3%
$3,832,766
100%
$1,053,281
27%
Education
$525,555
14%
Allocated Costs
$499,614
13%
Administration
$531,895
14%
Natural Areas
$402,608
11%
Facilities, Equipment, Supplies
$262,714
7%
Communications
$90,708
2%
Visitor Services
$47,427
1%
Development
$219,181
6%
Restricted Gifts in Holding
$199,783
5%
$3,832,766
100%
Endowment Income Gifts and Memberships Bequests
EXPENSE Horticulture
Fiscal Year July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020 Income includes carry-forward balance
76%
SUPPORT In 2020, support from our members and donors provided the means to make connections in many impactful and beautiful ways, from growing our gardens and stewarding natural areas, to inspiring people to understand and appreciate plants, to making connections across Cornell and local communities. The year 2020 was a year of adaptation by our staff to a changing environment, much as plants adapt to changes in sunlight, rainfall, and soil conditions. Many staff, including the development team, worked remotely, while frontline gardening and natural-areas employees were in the field, maintaining collections, landscapes, and natural areas. Donors continued to support this work. Many projects funded in 2020 will become a reality in 2021. Look for new gates to the arboretum; a pocket garden across the boardwalk at Houston Pond; benches in Mundy Wildflower Garden and on the north shore of Beebe Lake; a shade arbor in the Young Flower Garden; and the completion of the Lowi Lawn outside the upper level of the Nevin Welcome Center. In 2021, we will continue to advance our strategic initiatives that connect plants and peoples, cultivate gardens and steward natural areas, and secure endowments that support the foundational work that makes Cornell Botanic Gardens possible. We depend on your financial support for all our programs, to remain free and open to all, and to bring the wonder of plants to the Cornell and broader communities. Join us in 2021 with your gift to Cornell Botanic Gardens. Help us make progress toward a world of beauty, diversity, and hope. Cornell Botanic Gardens Advisory Council members support the gardens by contributing, volunteering, and networking as ambassadors. Renee Alexander David Brittenham Diana Buckley Anne Cowie Carol des Cognets Andrea Glanz James Irish Justine Kwok Susan Lacerte
Christopher Nolan Suzanne Nolan (Chair) Gregory Page Matt Palumbo James Prout (Vice Chair) Robert Ramin Todd Robinson Carolyn Roche Kristen Rupert
David Russo (Vice Chair) Christina Stark Carolyn Summers Catherine Thrasher-Carroll Andrew Topus Gerald Torres Charlotte Lee Tsang Pauline Wamsler Jeannie Yamazaki
Clockwise from left: Zucker Shrub Collection, Anemone hupehensis and Hakonechloa macra in the Groundcover Collection, Cornell students crossing Sacket Bridge over Beebe Lake, Veterans Jase Base and Emily Franco ’92 at the Floriculture War Memorial Trail.
2021 | 500 | JP932