Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Causes: Environment, Garden Clubs

Mission: Horticulture, research & conservation, and education. Fairchild tropical botanic garden is a unique cultural and scientific institution for miami-dade, a botanic garden that explores the relationship between people, plants, landscape and the arts. Our unique tropical location, the cultural vibrancy of miami, and the international linkages of our science programs create an institution that draws strength from its local community and from throughout the tropical world. Fairchild tropical botanic garden is an institution of learning for all ages, a garden gallery and museum for the 21st century.

Programs: See schedule o horticulture - acquisition, maintenance, propagation & display of plant collections to be used as basis for research, conservation, education, & public display. Assembling and maintaining an outstanding botanical collection has been a fundamental part of the institution's existence since 1938. Fairchild is dedicated to collecting, documenting and studying tropical and subtropical plants from around the world, especially the palms and cycads which are the most significant fairchild collections. Recognized by the american public garden association as a collection of national significance, fairchild curates & displays the world's greatest collection of palms in any botanic garden. Our palm collection is the world's largest in public display, & is an invaluable resource for horticulturalists, researchers & conservationists worldwide.

see schedule o research & conservation - study of tropical plants (biology, propagation, adaptation to the environment); surveys of endangered habitats & species; development of recovery strategies. The conservation programs include palm research, south florida plants & habitat conservation, caribbean biodiversity & tropical fruit crops. For more than 77 years, fairchild has been a global center for research & conservation. Accredited by the american association of museums, fairchild is a participant in many national & international professional networks & is a founding member of the center for plant conservation, the u. S. National network of facilities that support the conservation of our nation's most threatened plant species. Fairchild's conservation programs work to save some of the world's most threatened species & habitats while educating and inspiring the citizens of miami-dade county.

see schedule o education/auxiliary - community outreach, continuing education, school programs, interpretation & publications, volunteer & visitor services programs. Fairchild is the region's leading source of environmental, horticultural and botanical education. Fairchild is also a leading regional cultural institution and favorite visitor destination for both tourists and local residents. Our festivals such as the international mango festival and the international chocolate festival are more than just spectacular events; they also have an education component with local and global experts giving lectures, talks and classes. For more than 130,000 students from over 300 schools annually it takes the form of the fairchild challenge for elementary, middle or high schools. The fairchild explorer & discovery programs engage more than 7,200 students from over 280 schools. The programs immerse young people in hands-on activities as they experience the science & beauty of fairchild. The "lifelong learning program" offers more than 2,000 participants, attending more than 200 classes, the opportunity to experience new & diverse concepts about the beauty & value of nature. There were more than 216,000 visitors to the garden & close to 1,400 dedicated, energetic and talented volunteers supported fairchild's programs by donating more than 77,000 hours of their time. In 2014 fairchild's state-of-the-art dimare science village and hsiao tropical plant laboratories, celebrated its second anniversary. Covering more than 25,000 square feet, the science village features five buildings including the clinton family conservatory's wings-of-the-tropics exhibit, glass house cafe, windows to the tropics conservatory, the whitman tropical fruit pavilion and the kushlan tropical science institute. In the wings of the tropics exhibit and the windows to the tropics conservatory, visitors can enjoy thousands of exotic butterflies along with fish and some of the world's most beautiful rare plants. Construction of the adam r. Rose and peter r. Mcquillan arts center was completed. This art exhibition center will provide a venue for temporary exhibitions and permanent displays of the garden's botanical illustrations and watercolors.

art at fairchild program - draws visitors' attention to fairchild's aesthetic beauty and the conservation, education and research work that has been taking place for more than 77 years on a local, regional, national and international scale. It is designed to merge fairchild's unique tropical landscapes and sweeping vistas with diverse, world-class art. Art is made accessible to visitors while explaining the importance of tropical plants, environments, and cultures. The 2013-2014 art at fairchild season featured sixteen pieces by hugo franca. Based in brazil, franca uses all natural materials to create functional and sustainable design pieces, like chaises and benches. Recent exhibits have included influential artists such as dale chihuly, fernando botero, roy lichtenstein, mark di suvero, yayoi kusama, francois-xavier and claude lalanne, yoko ono's wishing grove, the art of will ryman's oversized, brightly colored roses and chapungu: custom and legend, a culture in stone. Three sculptures by dale chihuly and one from daisy youngblood are permanently installed at fairchild.