Nota Bene: Norfolk Botanical Garden Partnership

By now you have heard of the many stunning features inside the walls of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center—but the beauty of the building doesn’t stop there. On its exterior, visitors will find a series of teaching gardens created with native plants inspired by the ecosystems of the Eastern Shore, two upland meadow gardens, three wetland gardens, and nearly 60 different plant species, including trees, shrubs, groundcover, ferns, perennials, and aquatic plants. Set within a 145,000-square-foot site area, we knew a unique approach would be required to maintain this beautiful landscape. And to that effect, I am pleased to announce a collaborative new partnership with our neighbors at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

As part of this new relationship, a Director of Living Landscapes, employed by the Norfolk Botanical Garden, will be appointed to work with Virginia Wesleyan staff, faculty, and students to provide guidance and proper care of all living landscapes and campus horticultural initiatives, particularly the area surrounding the Greer Environmental Sciences Center. While much of that landscape is intended to be low maintenance, special attention will be required to monitor establishment and progression.

The partnership is intended to be of a scholarly nature, as our two organizations pursue jointly the development of research, educational and outreach programs in the botanical sciences. Cooperative activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Virginia Wesleyan faculty may conduct research at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in association with NBG staff.
• Faculty may carry out teaching activities and field trips at Norfolk Botanical Garden.
• Norfolk Botanical Garden staff may be speakers in Virginia Wesleyan classes.
• Students may carry out educational and advocacy internships with the support of Virginia Wesleyan faculty and Norfolk Botanical Garden staff.
• Students may carry out sea-level rise research and environmental monitoring research in the waterways surrounding Norfolk Botanical Garden.
• Virginia Wesleyan undergraduate students may conduct research at the Norfolk Botanical Garden under the supervision of VWU faculty and NBG staff.

Thank you to all who developed this valuable partnership, especially Michael Desplaines, President/CEO of the Norfolk Botanical Garden, and Dr. Maynard Schaus, Associate Provost and Professor of Biology at Virginia Wesleyan. We are thrilled to welcome our friends from the Norfolk Botanical Garden to campus and will officially mark the agreement with a signing ceremony later this month.