Birmingham Botanical Society Inc

TO PERPETUATE AND ADVANCE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND DESTINATION OF BOTANICAL, HORTICULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE CAN HAVE FREE ACCESS TO ENJOY AND APPRECIATE PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE GARDENS' 67.5 ACRES FEATURE MORE THAN 20 THEMATIC GARDENS, EACH CLASSIFIED INTO ONE OF THREE TYPES: GARDENS OF COLLECTIONS, GARDENS OF NATURE, AND GARDENS OF CULTURE. GARDENS OF COLLECTIONS INCLUDE THE ABROMS RHODENDRON SPECIES GARDEN, THE FERN GLADE, THE IRELAND IRIS GARDEN, AND THE DUNN FORMAL ROSE GARDEN. GARDENS OF NATURE INCLUDE THE BARBAR ALABAMA WOODLANDS AND THE KAUL WILDFLOWER GARDEN. GARDENS OF CULTURE INCLUDE THE FORMAL GARDEN, THE JAPANESE GARDEN, AND THE SOUTHERN LIVING GARDEN. THE GARDENS' DIVERSE PLANT COLLECTIONS CELEBRATE THE WONDER OF THE PLANT WORLD, ILLUSTRATE ALABAMA'S BIODIVERSITY, OFFER INSPIRATION FOR HOME GARDENERS, AND PROVIDE SEASONAL INTEREST WITH EVER-CHANGING HORTICULTURAL DISPLAYS. MILES OF WALKING PATHS ENCOURAGE EXPLORATION AND OFFER OPPORTUNITY FOR WALKING AND JOGGING.

EDUCATION/LIBRARYTHE GARDEN'S EDUCATIONAL MISSION PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND IMPACTS NOT ONLY GARDEN VISITORS BUT ALSO BENEFITS RESIDENTS OF THE GREATER BIRMINGHAM AREA. FREE, HANDS-ON, CURRICULUM-BASED SCIENCE PROGRAMMING IS OFFERED TO OVER 10,000 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 6TH GRADE STUDENTS EACH YEAR THROUGH THE DISCOVERY FIELD TRIPS THAT CORRELATE WITH THE ALABAMA STATE COURSE OF STUDY AND ARE ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS. SUMMER CAMPS, TEACHER TRAINING, AND ADULT CLASSES, LECTURES, AND WORKSHOPS ARE ALSO OFFERED. A LARGE CADRE OF VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE MISSION AND PROGRAMS.THE LIBRARY AT THE GARDENS IS THE LARGEST PUBLIC HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IN THE SOUTHEAST. IT IS PART OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY COOPERATIVE AND OFFERS MORE THAN 6,000 CIRCULATING TITLES FOCUSED ON GARDENING, HORTICULTURE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE LIBRARY ALSO OFFERS SUBJECT-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING AND PROVIDES PATRONS WITH FREE INTERNET AND WI-FI CONNECTIONS.

COMMUNICATION & MEMBERSHIPCOMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE AND DYNAMIC PROGRAM THAT ADVANCES THE FRIENDS' WORK IN SUPPORT OF THE GARDENS' MISSION. THIS AREA PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE ORGANIZATION'S FUTURE IN A WAY THAT ATTRACTS AND SERVES DIVERSE AUDIENCES; IS A PART OF THE GARDENS' LONGSTANDING TRADITION OF BEING A PLACE WHERE VISITORS OF ALL AGES AND WITH MANY VARIED INTERESTS ARE WELCOMED; AND COMPLEMENTS THE GARDENS' POSITIONING AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND DESTINATION OF BOTANICAL, HORTICULTURAL AND REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. SPECIFIC AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE: STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND PLANNING - IN CONCERT WITH APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS, SPEARHEADING CREATION OF STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT EXPAND THE FRIENDS' REACH AND IMPACT THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS AND EVENTS, GROWING MEMBERSHIP AND SUPPORT, INCREASED GARDEN VISITATION, AND ENHANCED PUBLIC AWARENESS; COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING - COORDINATING ALL COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS - INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, PRINT AND DIGITAL; MEMBERSHIP - CHAMPIONING A MULTI-CHANNEL PROGRAM THAT DRIVES MEMBERSHIP GROWTH, ENCOURAGES MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND RENEWALS, AND PROVIDES OUTSTANDING MEMBER SERVICE; BRAND AND IDENTITY -ARTICULATING THE FRIENDS' IDENTITY, STRATEGIC MESSAGING, AND QUALITY STANDARDS