Queens Botanical Garden Society Inc

Programs: Education - provides programs, workshops and special events that advance a dual mission of sustainability and cultural expression. In fy17, qbg educators worked with over 35,000 school children and 3,000 teachers through environmental education workshops, tours and teacher training programs. 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 works with families and conducts dozens of family-friendly programs throughout the year, ranging from one-time classes to multi-week sessions during out-of-school times.

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.

visitor services & public programs - promotes a positive visitor experience and welcomed more than 176,881 visitors last year. (qbg served 224,986, which includes 48,105 people reached through our outreach efforts. ) visitor services provides a variety of amenities in the visitor & administration building including the gift shop, touch screen information stations and qbg membership hospitality. Visitor services staff coordinate nearly 200 public programs and events for visitors throughout the 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. Large-scale, seasonal events include arbor fest, harvest fest, halloween in the garden and christmas in the garden, as well as public programs including music in the garden, art in the garden, and newly branded twist & sprout focusing on healthful living and exercise. Special cultural festivals, taiwan: a world of orchids and lunar new year 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. Over 2100 volunteers contributed their time and effort to the garden last year alone.

planning/capital projects - provides oversight of new capital projects and proposes improvement of the existing infrastructure of the facilities which includes the award-winning "green" visitor & administration building (2007) and the environmentally sustainable parking garden (2010). In fy16, we completed the paving of pathways in the entire garden and upgrading of the sidewalks. In fy17 we began on an infrastructure improvement project: the construction of a new building management system to more efficiently run mechanical and electrical equipment within our leed building. On the horizon: construction on our delivery entrance, getting our parking garden off city water, and access to an electrical box on college point blvd. A new education center project and a new kids culture garden are in the early planning stage.