Boyce Thompson
ARBORETUM MEMBER MAGAZINE
FALL 2020
THE WALLACE DESERT GARDEN
NOW OPEN! Revealing the Hidden Bounty of BTA's Plant Collections Special Section: BTA's 2020 Annual Report
Letter from the Director
Dear Arboretum Friends, Welcome to our new and improved Member Newsletter—now BTA’s Member Magazine. We had to take a little hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but we have returned! Thank you for your patience. While this issue of our magazine is also doubling as our Annual Report, future issues will include more briefs about what we are doing, as well as news about conservation issues that affect all of us. As you’ll read in this magazine, we’ve had a challenging year—but overall a good one. You’ve stayed with us and supported us through these tough times, and we are so appreciative. We were able to stay open, and you visited. We established guidelines for visiting, and we thank you for helping to keep all of us safe and healthy. You’ll note that we have entered into a new strategic planning process, our first as an independent entity! We have had many discussions about who we are and what is important to us. What values guide BTA? One phrase that keeps resonating with me is: “All living things are inter-related and interdependent.” As I spend more and more time here, I see that every day. Plants are foundational to ecosystems. Our health and the health of all wildlife depends on plants. We are indeed providing an oasis here, and I’m grateful that we are able to do so. All the creatures here—from lizards to our latest baby javelinas—are important and deserving of protection. Thank you for helping us, and them. Onward!
Lynne Nemeth Executive Director Boyce Thompson Arboretum P.S. As it gets cooler, we look forward to seeing you here, especially now that the Wallace Desert Garden is open.
CONTENTS 4 | BTA and COVID-19: the Latest
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Dara Heward Ann McKinnon Lynne Nemeth COVER PHOTO Baja Desert Trail in the Wallace Desert Garden INSIDE COVER PHOTO David Larsen Image of rose in the Wallace Rose Garden BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jay Ream, Chair Shelly Esque, Vice Chair Kent Ennis, Treasurer Rick Gibson, Secretary Carolyn Baecker Mila Besich Victoria Bever LeRoy Brady Joseph Giacobazzi Dr. Bobbi Lancaster Jared Langkilde Barbara Miller, Esq. Carol Parrott Anne Schrock, Esq.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lynne Nemeth BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM STAFF Leslie Bunchek, Finance Manager Leonard Drayton, Facilities Director Vicki Johnson, Membership Manager Shelbi Lindesmith, Public Programs Manager Ann McKinnon, Director of Membership and Development Jeff Payne, Director of Horticulture Lynnea Spencer, Visitor Center Manager
Protocols
6 | Wallace Desert Garden Update
Now Open!
10 | BTA's Plant Collections 14 | ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020 27 | BTA Wish List 29 | FY 2020 Donors SAY HELLO TO US 37615 E. Arboretum Way Superior, Arizona 85173 520.689.2723 info@btarboretum.org www.btarboretum.org JOIN OUR SOCIAL COMMUNITY facebook.com/btarboretum instagram.com/btarboretum twitter.com/BoyceThompson youtube.com/btarboretum PUBLICATION DATE ©Boyce Thompson Arboretum October 2020 Feedback? Comments? Want to be a contributor? Email news@btarboretum.org. btarboretum.org | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | 3
BTA and COVID-19: The Latest Protocols
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An update from Executive Director Lynne Nemeth regarding Boyce Thompson Arboretum's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
ll of us have been greatly affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, and without question, it has been a very difficult time. This past spring, on March 18, BTA shut down the Spring Plant Sale, closed all indoor spaces, and cancelled all tours, activities and events, including the Grand Opening of the Wallace Desert Garden. However, we have been very fortunate; because of our location and size, we have been able to stay open for visitors to walk and hike—providing a beautiful and restful place in nature. We have also adapted our programs to offer more online classes, virtual events and remote access to the gardens. Please visit our website or Facebook page for current information. Since March, we have modified our protocols repeatedly in response to changing circumstances. As always, your safety is our number one priority. We’re wearing face coverings and we
ask that you do, too. We will provide masks to visitors who don’t bring their own. You can count on us to operate safely. We are frequently sanitizing contact surfaces and high-traffic areas and practicing everyday preventive steps such as washing hands regularly and covering coughs and sneezes. Staff members who have come into contact with someone who is ill are being tested and quarantined at home. We will continue to make informed decisions based on trusted resources, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and Arizona Department of Health Services. And we encourage all community members to follow the advice of the CDC when choosing whether to visit any outdoor venue.
FALL GUIDELINES FOR VISITORS: • • • • •
Maintain 6 feet of distance between other guests not in your party. Face coverings REQUIRED to enter and when inside the gift shop and restrooms. Face coverings REQUIRED on trails when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained. Face coverings REQUIRED for all tours and guided walks. Stay home if you are ill or have recently come into contact with someone who is ill with COVID-19.
GUIDED WALKS & TOURS RETURN! We’re excited to bring back guided walks and tours, and they’ll be better than ever! Pre-registration and face coverings are required and capacity is limited. Visit our website at www.btarboretum.org/events.
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T RS GE
MEMBE
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ANT LL PL OFF A
We have enhanced the layout of our plant sale for improved naviga�on, plant selec�on, and maintaining physical distancing.
Shoppers will be asked to observe and follow all posted signage. Face coverings are required to shop as well as to enter, exit, or pass through the visitor’s center and shopping areas.
For more info visit btarboretum.org
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
FALL Plant Sale
October 9 - 25 btarboretum.org
Wallace Desert Garden
Wallace Desert Garden
As the Wallace Desert Garden Approached its Grand Opening, COVID-19 hit. Join us for the modified opening of this long awaited garden!
TEXT BY LYNNE NEMETH PHOTOS BY JOSEPH PACHECO
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ince we first began responding and adapting to COVID-19 in March, Boyce Thompson Arboretum has let care for people drive our decision making. Sometimes those decisions have been difficult, such as postponing the opening of our new Wallace Desert Garden (WDG). And with new understanding of COVID-19 and its transmission, we have modified our protocols repeatedly in response to changing circumstances.
We decided to open the Wallace Desert Garden on October 1. We are excited—and we know you are, too! For those of you who had purchased tickets to our Garden Party, we are offering an alternative (see box.) Of course, we are taking precautions. We ask that you wear face coverings on the trails if you are unable to maintain six feet of distance from others not in your group. And the Wallace main trail will guide visitors in a single direction, to avoid “traffic jams.”
We hosted a series of micro-celebrations to replace our canceled gala Garden Party. Instead of dinner with 350 guests, we offered private tours followed by elegant picnics served in bamboo Bento boxes by masked and gloved caterers, featuring the same garden-inspired menu and awad-winning wines from Bruzzi Vineyards. Limited to 16 guests per seating on dates through October 16, ticket holders for the March Garden Party had first chance to reserve. Feedback has been so positive; we plan to offer more such events in the future. For details on hosting your own outdoor event or to be notified when future plans emerge, please email support@ btarboretum.org or call (520) 689-4588.
Visiting the WDG The new Wallace Desert Garden offers spectacular views of Picketpost Mountain and the Superstition Mountains. It includes 1.5 miles of new trails and loops, two water crossings, and gathering areas. The main trail is wheelchair accessible. Perfectly situated next to Queen Creek, the new garden expertly exhibits H.B. Wallace’s collection by region. From the Yucca Forest to the Baja Loop, you’ll see plants arrayed in a natural setting along winding trails. Ultimately, of the 9,734 plants at the Wallace Desert Gardens in Scottsdale, 5,848 plants were moved to BTA. Of the 1,223 taxa (species, cultivars, hybrids, varieties) moved, 861 are new to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and 159 species are considered to be of conservation concern. Key regions represented in the garden include the Chihuahuan Desert, Sonoran Desert (including Baja California), Mojave Desert, and deserts of South America and Africa. Other regions represented include arid lands of Australia, China, India, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the Canary Islands, and Madagascar. As you explore BTA’s new garden, take note of the key plant groups in the WDG—and also several delightful and unusual specimens.
Wallace Desert Garden
Key plant groups in WDG: Yuccas: 364 plants, 28 species (35 taxa) | Look for 31 Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia)! Ephedras: 59 plants, 27 species (28 taxa) | BTA now has the largest collection of New World Ephedra in the world Cycads: 37 plants, 14 species | Many are plants of conservation concern Aloes: 340 plants, 166 species (204 taxa) | Many unique specimens Cactaceae: 2,199 plants, 407 plants of conservation concern (102 species) | Includes 21 specimens of Cardon Grande (Echinopsis terscheckii) Eucalyptus: 25 trees, 9 species (10 taxa) | Look for the stunning Ghost gum (Corymbia Papuan)
Exquisite Specimen Plants in WDG: Baja Elephant Tree: An exceptionally large, attractive specimen, located in the Baja California Desert area. Nopal Cardon: Another exceptionally large and attractive plant, located along the main trail just past the apron bridge spanning Queen Creek on the left. Velvet Prickly Pear: A stunningly large specimen, located in the Ephedra Loop/Plant Gallery. Moroccan Mound: Look for a large specimen on the right of the main trail, just past the Main Entrance. Boojum Tree: Among others, one specimen is eight feet tall with two trunks, located in the Baja California Deserts area. Floss Silk Tree/Palo Borracho: Our signature WDG tree, located up on the hillside to the right of the main trail just before the Queen Creek crossing.
Moroccan Mound (Euphorbia resinifera) - Look for a large specimen on the right of the main trail, just past the Main Entrance. The Moroccan Mound is not actually a cactus, but is closely related. It is a low-growing succulent.
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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR BTA’S NEW GARDEN—AND GET A GIFT FROM US!
The NEW Wallace Desert Garden Sustaining Membership Sustainability means meeting our needs and protecting our natural resources without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. To sustain means to support something or keep it going. You can ring both bells by joining BTA with a Wallace Desert Garden Sustaining membership. It includes all the regular benefits of a family membership, plus: • • •
One FREE month An exclusive Wallace Desert Gardenbranded premium gift, and The satisfaction of knowing you’re providing the Arboretum with a steady income stream while reducing waste and cutting administrative expenses.
HOW DOES IT WORK? The cost of the WDG Sustaining membership is $150. When you put $30 down, you’ll receive your exclusive membership gift. It’s our way of saying “thanks” and your way of showing you support and sustain (ding, ding!) an epic garden transplantation. We’ll then automatically charge your credit card just $10/month for a year in an easy, low-cost and secure plan (our online payment processing is PCI DSS-compliant). No need to mail a monthly check. You’ll also receive the BTA member magazine via email—saving paper, postage and carbon—unless you request otherwise (reduces the tax-deductibility of your gift). And that’s where the sustainability bell gets rung! Wallace Desert Garden Sustaining Memberships can be purchased in the Visitors Center Gift Shop, where you will choose your premium gift and start your monthly payment plan. Please consider upgrading your Dual or Family membership with a WDG Sustaining membership today!
Astrophytum asterias blooming in the Cactus Display House. Photo by: Joseph Pacheco
Revealing the Hidden Bounty of Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s Plant Collections Text by: Becky Stephenson, Plant Collections Manager Photos by Becky Stephenson & Joseph Pacheco
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erving as only the second full-time dedicated plant records employee in history at a large arboretum founded in the early 1920’s is no small task! Since I started last summer, I have been working tirelessly to bring our plant records current and assess the diversity of our collection. With a total size of 343 acres (135 acres of which are cultivated), we are considered a very large operation as botanical gardens go. Over the course
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of a century, our horticulture staff has diligently tended to our many plants, removing the old and propagating the new as needed. It is now my job to determine what we currently have in our collection, evaluate its ecological importance, ensure it is being appropriately managed and displayed through new policies and protocols, and begin laying the groundwork for where we hope to go in the future.
Tammy Knight and Becky Stephenson auditing the aloe collection. Photo by: Joseph Pacheco
and activity over time. Bloom dates, flower color, A plant collection is not a static landscape. It is fruit output, growth rate, illness, relocations, deaths, essentially a living library, with each plant having its resurrections, and countless other events—including own unique accession number and qualifier—basically the truly unusual such as being stolen by a packrat and its social security number—which is tied to all of the replanted elsewhere (true story)—are all recorded and information and history associated with the life of tracked year to year. that plant: where it came from, how it was grown, Logging information in its conservation status, this way allows trends to its current health, and its "We are losing plant diversity at be identified and can prove activity throughout the an accelerated rate as threats invaluable to researchers. years. Every individual like urbanization, disruptive plant in the collection has It tells the story of a plant’s life, and this story can then its own embossed metal agricultural activity, poaching, and be compared with those accession tag, which is climate change increase." of other members of its placed on or near it. This species, both at botanical tag is the plant’s social gardens and in the wild. security card and includes Many plants, like our large its species name, accession eucalyptus trees and saguaros, are exceptionally longnumber, and qualifier. It has a very important job, lived. Keeping accurate and detailed data on what these withstanding both weather and time to serve as the plants are doing today, even if it seems insignificant, is physical link between the plant and its corresponding part of a much bigger picture. Unlike backyard gardens data. and landscapes where plants are grown mainly for their Historically, this data was housed in logbooks and a aesthetic value, a botanical garden keeps accurate and system akin to a library’s card catalog. In our modern detailed records of every single plant in its assemblage era of technology, it is now retained in a computer for the purpose of fostering genetic diversity, promoting database specific to gardens, essentially a botanical awareness and education, and sharing this knowledge social security database. Routine field checks are with other institutions to assist with research and conservation efforts. performed to assess each individual plant’s health
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But not all accessions are created equal. Generally speaking, plants of wild provenance, that is, plants that were collected as adults or seed directly from their native ranges in the wild, are of greater value for both research and conservation efforts than cultivated plants because they have high genetic diversity. Cultivated plants, that is, plants that have been “domesticated” by humans, pull from a smaller gene pool and are also selectively bred for certain traits resulting in reduced genetic diversity. And genetic diversity is crucial for the long-term survival of a species. We are losing plant diversity at an accelerated rate as threats like urbanization, disruptive agricultural activity, poaching, and climate change increase. It is now estimated that one third of the world’s vascular plant species face extinction in the wild. Botanical gardens, therefore, have a very important role to play, ensuring that plant genetic diversity is stored either as seeds or living plants. At present, 3,595 plants represented by 907 taxa in the Arboretum’s collection are of wild provenance. A large portion of our Australian plants were collected on an overseas expedition during the 1990’s, our desert legumes were grown from seed collected in arid regions all over the world, many of our aloes were mail ordered from Africa, and several of our cacti were salvaged from the diminishing wilds of the desert southwest prior to their destruction. Currently, there are 18,322 living plants with active records in the Boyce Thompson Arboretum (BTA) collection. Some of these plants, including many of our eucalyptus trees, were planted when the Arboretum was founded while others were acquired as recently as this year. As of today, 3,918 different taxa (that is, species, subspecies, varieties, and cultivars) are represented, including 381 species of known conservation concern. These numbers, like a library’s holdings, are dynamic as plants are lost and added. While many talented people have (luckily!) kept various versions of records on our plants over the years, we have only recently devoted a fulltime staff member to managing the collection’s data. As a result, there is a lot of information to sort through. I am in the process of conducting “detective work” – interviewing long-standing staff members who possess vital and irreplaceable knowledge of our plants, reviewing old notebooks and documents, performing plant inventories, poring over old maps, and conducting process-ofelimination analysis. Many plants that have been growing in the
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garden for years will be officially added to the collection along with their data so we expect our numbers to increase. BTA is a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), which is the world’s largest plant conservation network. This joins our collections to those of 600 other botanical institutions in 100 different countries—a combined force of 60,000 plant scientists and horticulturists (and even more plants) from all over the globe. In addition, we currently hold three collections nationally accredited through the American Public Garden Association’s Plant Collections Network (PCN): our eucalyptus collection, our southwestern oak collection, and our desert legume collection. Accredited collections actively promote collaboration and allow for both knowledge and plant material to be shared through specialized networks. We have been able to trade plants and work with other gardens on research projects and conservation efforts on a national level with these affiliations. This offers a glimpse of the many opportunities a well-maintained plant collection affords. Our collections are already sought after by the scientific community. The Ephedra collection, acquired from H.B. Wallace, has been used in a taxonomic study at the University of Alaska and plant material from our collections has been exchanged with researchers at gardens as far as Germany. Data on our plants is currently being utilized by the Desert Lab in Tucson, Arizona as part of a project aiming to conserve the wild plants that gave rise to crops in the Sonoran Desert. In addition, over 350 species in our collection are threatened with extinction in the wild. Caring for and propagating these plants and working with a network of other gardens will help conserve these species in a variety of ways, from potentially reintroducing genetic diversity into wild populations to increasing their numbers in cultivation to diminish the incentive for poaching. We are in the process of identifying and quantifying additional collection opportunities. An audit of our sizable aloe collection, which could potentially be one of the largest outside of Africa, where most aloes are native, is currently in progress. Several aloe experts have worked at BTA over the years, leading to a surprisingly significant accumulation of these succulent plants. Our current resident aloe expert is Horticultural Specialist
From Left to Right: On page 12 -Aloe Flowers/ On page 13 - Astrophytum ornatum blooming in the Cactus Display House / Acanthocalycium spiniflorum blooming in the Cactus Display House / Opuntia macrocentra blooming in the Wallace Desert Garden. Photos by: Becky Stephenson
Tammy Knight, whose family donated hundreds of plants to BTA–many of which have wild provenance. At present, there are just over 300 taxa in the aloe collection, including 34 species of conservation concern. I expect this number to be even larger when the audit is complete. Next, we will conduct an audit of our diverse cycad collection. This will allow us to work with other institutions to conserve these very imperiled plants which are considered the most threatened group of plants in the world. We hope to get both the aloe and cycad collections accredited through the PCN in the coming years.
rare and endangered plant collection, the Wallace Desert Garden, the eucalyptus collection, the southwestern oak collection, and the two display greenhouses containing specialty cactus and succulents from around the world have been fully assessed. In addition, a plan is in the works to survey the entire property (all 343 acres) to inventory our native flora for the first time in BTA history. Many of these Sonoran Desert plants are threatened with extinction, and identifying them will allow us to conserve native plants in their natural habitat in addition to the many other species we house and protect outside of their native ranges.
The future for BTA’s plant collections is bright. Based on my current projections, about one third of our existing plants are not yet accessioned, so a full inventory of the entire collection is underway. This will add many plants to the records, and will allow us to accurately manage and report our complete diversity of taxa. Plants will then be mapped and updated records will be shared with other institutions and eventually the public, allowing for more collaborative conservation and research opportunities which will further increase educational capabilities. Thus far, the
Bringing our records current will open countless doors as we strive to become a leading botanical institution. We will soon be able to add our comprehensive collection data to plant conservation networks like BGCI, allowing us to play a more instrumental role in saving plants from extinction, and actively participate in more research projects encompassing everything from cultivating new agricultural crops to identifying novel medicinal compounds. We have known for years that our large, diverse collection is special—and it is time the world knew it too!
From Left to Right: Acanthocalycium spiniflorum blooming in the Cactus Display House Photo by: Becky Stephenson / Aloe helenae in the Succulent Display House. Photo by: Joseph Pacheco / Obregonia denegrii blooming in the Cactus Display House. Photo by: Becky Stephenson
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
Boyce Thompson Arboretum's 2020 Annual Report 14 | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | Fall 2020
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
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Dear BTA Family I’ve been honored to Chair the Boyce Thompson Arboretum Board of Directors for most of the past year, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished during this tumultuous time. The tripartite governance agreement among BTA, University of Arizona, and AZ State Parks ended and we had to figure out a way to move forward as an independent organization. Board members stepped up, we contracted with consultants, and we hired a dynamic new Executive Director, Lynne Nemeth. As I prepare to step down from the Board of Directors after many years, I am confident that BTA is in good hands and is on the way to becoming recognized around the world as the great botanical garden it is. One of the tasks that I wanted to complete before retiring was to initiate and complete a strategic plan. We are on track to complete it by December, and I encourage you to read more about it on page 16. I must say something about the coronavirus pandemic. BTA responded by shutting down all activities, events and tours, but we stayed open. I am so grateful to the BTA staff for taking on the challenge of staying open while protecting our staff and visitors—and providing a beautiful outdoor getaway for folks in the Phoenix area. Thank you to all who kept visiting, kept giving, and kept BTA going during this time. I know that we will have another great year serving you.
Onwards, Jay Ream
Board of Directors,Chair Boyce Thompson Arboretum
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
BTA's New Strategic Plan Above: Artichoke Agave is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming tight rosettes of broad, short, thick, silveryblue leaves with conspicuous reddish-brown teeth and terminal spines. While infrequent, mature plants (over 10 years) flower only once. Right: Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii).
The mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of desert plants, wildlife, and ecosystems through education, research and conservation. Text by Lynne Nemeth, Executive Director
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his past April, the Board of Directors and staff began a strategic planning process that was long overdue. Timing couldn’t have been more auspicious. Now operating as an independent nonprofit, and with a new Executive Director, Boyce Thompson Arboretum can chart its own path forward. And while the coronavirus pandemic has caused many difficulties, the “pause” in activities has given us some space to take a step back and evaluate.
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Since April, Board and staff have enthusiastically participated in a number of meetings (via Zoom) with Stephanie Small of Synergy Partners Consulting. Shelly Esque, Strategic Planning Committee Chair (and Board Vice Chair) is steering the effort: “We are moving forward with clear intention, and the board and staff are fired up to take on the next 100 years.” Stephanie Small has guided discussions about the status of BTA and its programs and helped us take a hard look at where we want to go.
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020 But first, we had to answer the question: What do we want to be? After many years as a State Park and University of Arizona department, who are we? The answer was unanimous. Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a botanical garden, and we want to be recognized as a leading botanical garden around the world. We also agreed on a number of value statements that support the concepts of beauty, stewardship, life-long learning, and community. ● Our setting is unrivaled in its natural beauty and is environmentally rich in its biodiversity. ● All living things are inter-related and interdependent. ● The conservation, protection and stewardship of all species of plants, animals and humans is critical. ● Education for all on the appreciation and stewardship of desert plants, wildlife and ecosystems is essential to the planet’s future. ● Our community is one where people are kind, inclusive and welcoming. We recognize that volunteers are valued stewards of our collections, our visitor relationships and our stories, and that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.
"We are moving forward with clear intention, and the board and staff are fired up to take on the next 100 years.”
How do we achieve our mission and vision and support our values? During the past few months, break-out groups discussed ideas, strategies and actions, with the ultimate assignment of developing six overarching goals.
Strategic Plan Goals ● Clearly define and develop education programs to serve youth and inspire life-long learning. ● Implement appropriate research and conservation programs that demonstrate stewardship practices and take advantage of the Arboretum’s unique assets. ● Create a master site plan for the on-going upkeep, maintenance and enhancements of the Arboretum ● Promote the unique benefits of the Arboretum through enhanced marketing, branding, audience development and community partnerships ● Develop a business model and plan for financial sustainability through both earned and contributed revenue. ● Build internal capacity through the professional development of staff and volunteers. Each of these goals will have a standing or ad hoc committee to develop strategies, action steps, and timelines to be in place and approved by December 2020. Everything that we do going forward is going to support our mission and vision. Thank you for being part of BTA as we become recognized as a leading botanical garden around the world!
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ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
A Look Back:
BTA’s First Independent Year !
Then& By Lynne Nemeth
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his past year at Boyce Thompson Arboretum has been one of exciting opportunity, incredible change, and difficult challenges—and then COVID-19 erupted!
As of July 1, 2019, BTA was no longer a University of Arizona department in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. That meant forging our way forward independently (BTA has always had status as a nonprofit), rehiring all staff (who were UA employees), setting up employee health insurance, obtaining general liability and volunteer insurance, purchasing a new phone system and much, much more. A number of staff resigned, and BTA hired a new Executive Director. Then in August, legal counsel for Arizona State Parks and Trails informed us that we were no longer a State Park and would have to pursue a legislative remedy if we wanted to be. After much discussion, the BTA Board of Directors decided to continue operations as a stand-alone entity, affording BTA more freedom. BTA hired new staff, including a Facilities Director, Development Director, Volunteer Coordinator, Finance Manager, Plant Collections Manager, and additional gardens staff. We began to tackle deferred maintenance and install new signage. We were set to open the new Wallace Desert Garden with a gala Garden Party and we trained 36 Wallace tour guides. BTA was on a path to its best year ever, with attendance expected of more than 125,000.
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And then the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Arizona. This past spring, on March 18, 2020, we shut down the Spring Plant Sale, closed all indoor spaces, and canceled all tours, activities and events, including the grand opening of the Wallace Desert Garden. We cut staff hours and furloughed all part-time and temporary employees. However, we have been very fortunate; because of our location and size, we have been able to stay open for visitors to walk and hike—providing a beautiful and restful place in nature. We also adapted our programs to offer more online classes, virtual events and remote access to the gardens. We persevered, applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the CARES Act; we were able to reinstate most employees to full time by June. Since March, we have modified our protocols repeatedly in response to changing circumstances, always prioritizing visitor and staff safety. We ended the year in a much better place than anticipated. Our members stayed with us and our visitors continued to walk the trails for some much-needed solace. And many patrons contributed to our pandemic relief fund. In these pages, you’ll see that we began strategic planning this past year, and that we are auditing all our plant collections. You’ll also read that we are finally restoring the 1925 display greenhouses—and opening the Wallace Desert Garden. In short, in spite of it all, we had a great year. Thank you!
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
A Look Ahead: Big Changes are Ahead!
Now & By Ann McKinnon
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suppression infrastructure, we must preserve and maximize the value of our historic buildings.
As we’ve worked together on the plan for the past six months, Board and staff have committed to directing our efforts to become known as a leading botanical garden. In the coming year, visitors will see new attention to our plant collections and displays. We are conducting surveys and auditing our collections under the direction of our Plant Collections Manager, Rebecca Stephenson. (See Becky’s article on page 10). She has also compiled a report on our rare and endangered plant species, and we will be developing a Plant Conservation Policy and practices.
The nearly century-old structures need specialized care and restoration. In 2018, Arcadia GlassHouse Inc. acquired the engineering plans, tooling, copyrights, trademarks and assets for all Lord & Burnham greenhouses. We have contracted with Arcadia to renovate our greenhouses to mimic the original design, while incorporating modern materials and upgrades for energy efficiency and plant protection.
ith new independence comes a crucial need for strategic planning. As we grow our Board of Directors, we’re recruiting individuals with the skills to lead BTA into the future from a position of strength and sustainability. We added four new members this year: Carolyn Baecker and Carol Parrott, both of whom are certified Master Gardeners and long-time volunteers at BTA; Anne Schrock, Director of Legal Services and Chief Privacy Officer with BCBSAZ; and Victoria Bever, Manager of Utility and Railroad Engineering with ADOT. The Board is working with alacrity on a new strategic plan. (See page 16).
Of course, BTA’s future is about education and research as much as collections. We are evaluating all of our public educational offerings and determining future plans and activities which will align with Arizona Science Standards. We’re showcasing our assets to influence institutional research collaboration, and identifying new opportunities for conservation education. We’re confident these efforts will bear fruit. Finally, as we look ahead to our centennial, we are developing a master site plan. In addition to new improvements throughout the property such as the expansive Wallace Desert Garden, a new bridge and fire
Since 1976, when Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, we have not kept pace with protecting the original administration building. Built in 1926, the stone and glass Smith Building and greenhouses that flank it are no longer safe. Designed and built by the American company Lord & Burnham, the greenhouses have deteriorated to the point that we are unable to allow visitors in—and the historic cactus collections housed within are in danger of damage.
Restoring these historic buildings to their prior glory will not be cheap or easy. Many of the plants living in the greenhouses are old, rare or endangered, and none can be moved without risking their health or their lives. Workers will need to build special scaffolding over the collection to protect the plants as the greenhouses are dismantled and rebuilt around them. But the results will be worth it. As we prepare to celebrate our centennial in 2024, we know the Smith Building and its greenhouses will be a glorious focal point for members and visitors, and we are committed to preserving them for the next 100 years!
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ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
Memorials & Tributes Enjoy the View By Ann McKinnon You can enjoy “Mom’s View” in the Sonoran Desert Loop of the Wallace Desert Garden. It’s just inside the loop, to the right of the trail.
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hen Connie Ramirez died in August 2018, her son Daniel and his wife Janis began thinking about how to honor her memory. They wanted a beautiful place where they and other family members could remember her and pay their respects. She had always liked the outdoors, loved gardening and seeing flowers bloom. Dan volunteered at the Wallace Desert Garden and knew that when it opened, it would provide more opportunities for memorials. Thus, the seed was planted. The elder Mrs. Ramirez enjoyed visiting BTA in the springtime, when she was overwhelmed by the color and diversity of life. The Mohave Desert had a similar impact on her, stopping her short as she witnessed the explosions of color. Connie wasn’t always a cactus fan – they were “so sticky” – but in time, she grew to love them. Dan is a talented hobby-botanist with an abiding interest in desert plants, and he had a wonderful collection. When he and Janis moved to Arizona from California, Connie fostered the plants they had to leave behind. She took them on and after 27 years they became her own. She was so excited when they flowered; as they bloomed, she shared her successes with her son. The Ramirez family is tightly knit. With their children, Chiron and Calista, and Dan’s mom, they traveled the world. The kids were close to their grandmother and they learned many life lessons in their time together. Those years of shared adventures and quiet moments were
20 | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | Fall 2020
precious. For the last eight years of her life she was homebound, but that didn’t keep them from loving and honoring her. The Arboretum was a pull for the family because of the natural beauty of the gardens. They appreciate that it’s not all paved and formal; when plants split or branches fall, they’re often left to provide habitat for the critters that live here. There’s also a feeling of family; they feel welcomed by staff and volunteers, and know that their donations make a real difference. The choice of inscription on the plaque is unique among memorials. “We all have loved ones we’ve lost,” Dan explained, “and everyone has a mother. That’s why we decided on the open wording.” It was a benevolent gesture to invite anyone who wishes to share their memorial. Dan and Janis hope visitors will sit and remember their mothers, and all they did for them. That’s why they went with a simple message: Mom, Enjoy the View. Janis added, “Connie was a generous woman so it was fitting to share ‘her view’ with everyone who wants to honor their mother.” Janis works for a large employer in the valley, one that offers up to $8,000 per year matching gifts made by their employees to charitable organizations; they are matching this memorial donation, as well. Have you checked with your HR department to see if your company is a matching gift sponsor? For assistance with matching gifts or memorials, please call (520) 689-4588.
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
Planned Giving The Measure of a Life Well Lived By Ann McKinnon
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ome of Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s most loyal and steadfast friends are no longer with us, but they have an impact every day. How? By metaphorically planting a tree, even though they knew they might never sit in its shade. We don’t measure the value of a person’s life by what they had in the end. Real meaning comes from what they did to positively impact the lives of others—the selfless sacrifices made to give children, friends, coworkers or even strangers a better life—by whatever means they could. All too often, we can forget what really matters and only remember what constitutes a ‘meaningful and purposeful’ life when it’s too late to act. Such was not the case for longtime BTA volunteer and ambassador, Ron Dinchak (1948 – 2019). Ron was a college instructor, environmentalist and writer whose life’s work was dedicated to learning and teaching others about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. A camping and outdoors enthusiast, he influenced countless students and community members on the importance of living a sustainable life. He encouraged young people toward STEM education, bringing thousands of elementary and high school students to campus for fun, educational science experiences, and trained teachers to incorporate conservation and ecology into curricula. Long involved with educating homeowners in landscaping emphasizing sustainability in water conservation, wildlife habitat, and organic gardening, he taught xeriscape classes at BTA and across the Valley., and was a consultant and award-winning designer of hundreds of landscapes, both residential and commercial. Dinchak led by example. He recognized that if we all did small things in our lives to reduce waste, recycle, and reuse whenever possible, collectively it would have a big impact. “Talk is cheap” Ron would say, but he never
judged others for their choices. He just lived his life the best way he could—how he believed was right—and hoped others would emulate his actions. His respect and enthusiasm for the mission of the Arboretum led him to name BTA as a beneficiary in his will. He connected with our vision and chose to become part of a community that makes a lasting difference. By including BTA in his estate plans, he became part of another fellowship, another way of belonging. The Arboretum has something special to offer—natural beauty in a spectacular setting, friendship, inspiration, solace for those in need—and these things are so valuable that some are willing to give to sustain them. Ron’s passion for preserving the natural world will live on in all who knew him, and his legacy will live on at BTA. Thanks, Ron! Donors of planned gifts are recognized as members of the Legacy Society and are invited to Legacy Society events. Have you included Boyce Thompson Arboretum in your estate plans? Let us know! We want to stay in touch and ensure that we can report the impact of your generosity. To discuss your estate planning goals, please call (520) 689-4588 or email support@ btarboretum.org. Top Picture: Tom Dinchak (left) said of his father, Ron, "He was my best friend. He never let me down, not even once, not even for the smallest thing." Bottom Picture: Ron Dinchak
btarboretum.org | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | 21
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
BTA VOLUNTEERS ROCK IN 2020! By Shelbi Lindesmith, Public Programs Manager
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here would Boyce Thompson Arboretum be without our volunteers? They support our dayto-day operations by taking admissions and staffing our Visitor Center. They help keep our gardens looking their best by regularly raking trails, pulling weeds and monitoring plant health. Our volunteers, especially the Superstition Mountain Master Gardeners, help us propagate all year long, helping us with our conservation efforts and providing us with plants for our annual plant sales. They lead many tours and are our front-line educators. Nearly every aspect of our operations is enhanced by volunteer participation and dedication. The love and enthusiasm of our volunteers is remarkable. We put out a call for volunteers who might be interested giving tours in the new Wallace Desert Garden. What
This past year, volunteers contributed 9,967 hours! Or the equivalent of five full-time staff members. Arizona values a volunteer hour at $25.43, bringing the total contributed to $253,447. We always knew our volunteers were special, but quantifying it like that shows their indisputable impact.
happened? Thirty-six (36) people answered and signed up for 16 hours of training! Most of these participants were active volunteers, but a few were new to BTA. While we were unable to open the Wallace Desert Garden in March 2020 as planned, our volunteers now stand ready and able to guide visitors. Reservations are required, and due to high demand, tours are filling fast, but as more volunteers return, we'll schedule additional dates and times. A simple “thank you� never seems to convey how grateful we are. With volunteers by our side, BTA is able to work diligently towards the execution of our mission every day. They are an integral part of our team and we are grateful to have so many passionate individuals on our side. Thank you, volunteers!
THA
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020 Crested saguaro cactus found in the new Wallace Desert Garden
This past year, volunteers contributed
9,967 hours!
ANK YOU!
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
2020 Financials Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Inc. Income & Expense Report July 2019 - June 2020 Unaudited
TOTAL REVENUE Admissions Revenue Membership Revenue Sales/Subscriptions Unrestricted Giving Restricted Giving Other Income Total Operating Revenue Other Revenue Total Revenue
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
582,872 453,910 404,946 461,641 51,172 26,647 1,981,188 815,442 2,796,630
EXPENSES Cost of Goods Sold Payroll Expenses Facilities and Gardens Expenses Capital Expenses, including Wallace Desert Garden General & Administrative Expenses Advertising/Promotional Membership & Development Other Expenses Cash Reserve Total Expenses
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
194,278 1,233,363 182,000 753,578 190,632 73,305 47,956 22,786 98,832 2,796,730
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ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
2020 Financials Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Inc. Balance Sheet As of June 30, 2020 Unaudited
TOTAL ASSETS Current Assets Bank Accounts Other Current Assets Total Current Assets Fixed Assets Fixed Assets
$ $ $
772,878.00 4,998,740.00 5,771,618.00
$ $
4,709,790.00 10,481,408.00
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Liabilities Current Liabilities Long-Term Liabilities Total Liabilities
$ $ $
89,801.00 642,085.00 731,886.00
Equity TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
$ $
9,748,522.00 10,480,408.00
Restricted Giving 3%
Other Income 1%
REVENUE Admissions Revenue
Admissions Revenue
Unrestricted Giving 23%
Admissions Revenue 29%
Membership Revenue
Membership Revenue
Sales/Subscriptions Sales/Subscriptions Unrestricted Giving Unrestricted Giving
Sales/Subscriptions 21%
Membership Revenue 23%
Restricted Giving Restricted Giving Other Income Other Income
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ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020
Membership & Advertising/Promotional Development 2% 3%
General & Administrative Expenses 7%
Capital Expenses, including Wallace Desert Garden 28%
Other Expenses 1%
EXPENSES
Cost of Goods Sold 7%
Cost of Goods Sold
Cost of Goods Sold
Payroll Expenses
Payroll Expenses
Payroll Expenses 45%
Facilities and Gardens Facilities and Gardens Expenses Expenses Capital Expenses, including Capital Expenses, including Wallace Wallace Desert Garden Desert Garden General & Administrative General & Administrative Expenses Expenses Advertising/Promotional Advertising/Promotional
Facilities and Gardens Expenses 7%
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Membership & Membership & Development Development Other Expenses Other Expenses
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about our members, it’s that they are as loyal and passionate about Boyce Thompson Arboretum as are the volunteers, board of directors and staff. That passion and loyalty is why many want to help out in real and meaningful ways. To that end, we’re bringing back the BTA Wish List. Each quarter in the BTA Member Magazine, we’ll post a list of the tools, supplies and other items we could use to better care for the gardens or improve the guest experience for visitors. If you have new or gently-used items you no longer need, or if you wish to contribute toward the purchase of something on the list, we welcome your donations or cash gifts of any size. Thank you!
Item Garden tools and work gloves Dewalt cordless power tools 28' - 32' extension ladder Husqvarna chainsaw Stihl extension pole saw Rowboat for working on Ayer Lake Small pickup truck that can fit on the main trails Golf carts Eagle HD Bariatric Portable Wheelchairs Buzzaround Extreme 3 Wheel Scooter GB118D Spiral Wishing Well Large garden planters/pots Soil amendments such as pumice or composted mulch
Quantity Needed
1 1 1 1 1 4 2 2 1 30+
Cost
$800 $350 - $550
$4,000 - $12,000 $2,887 $1,545 $1,995 $75 - $250
btarboretum.org | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | 27
GIVE A GIFT MEMBERSHIP TODAY! S GET
R MEMBE
10%
GIFT NTS & A L P LL SES! OFF A URCHA P P O SH
They say it’s better to give than receive, but at Boyce Thompson Arboretum you can give AND receive! Your friends and family will love getting a thoughtful gift membership and a year’s worth of great experiences, while you get two FREE guest passes (a $30 value) to use for yourself or to share with others. MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
• Unlimited annual admission for two adults (Dual) and progeny under age 18 (Family). • Complimentary single-use guest passes for sharing (Dual-2, Family-4). • Discounts on classes, guided walks and special tours. • 10% discount on gift shop and plant purchases – year-round! • 20% discount at Spring and Fall Plant Sales. • A full year of the quarterly member magazine, filled with stunning photos and stories about the programs, activities and successes you make possible. • Weekly e-news and invitations to exclusive, member-only events.
Want to give them something to put under the tree, too? Take 20% off one regularpriced item in the gift shop to wrap and present along with your gift of membership. Coupon may be redeemed only with the purchase of a gift membership. Limit one coupon per gift membership. Expires December 31, 2020.
YOUR GIFT INCLUDES ALL THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP AT THE LEVEL YOU CHOOSE, PLUS: • An e-card with a personalized message announcing your gift, sent on any day you choose. • Special announcement of your gift and membership materials, delivered via USPS. • Two complimentary guest passes for you!
THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS AND DONORS! We gratefully acknowledge the following members and donors who supported Boyce Thompson Arboretum at $125 and above in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. This list does not constitute solely tax-deductible donations, but may include sponsorships, membership fees, gifts in kind, and event registrations, as well. We apologize for any errors that have occurred as a result of migration to our new donor database. We always try to do our best, but please contact us if your name(s) are incorrect or if your feel your giving level is inaccurately reported. Names with a key symbol indicate volunteers who have given time and financial support – they are the key to our ongoing success. Thank you!
Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Donors $250,000 and Above
Wallace Desert Gardens Foundation
$10,000 - $249,999 Richard Fries Joseph and Gail Giacobazzi Keith and Brenda Taylor
$5,000 - $9,999
Peter and Judy Allard APS - Arizona Public Service Shelly and Timm Esque Jeffrey Heimer and Linda Brock Kalamazoo Materials, Inc. Robert and Kathryn Kater Dr. Bobbi and Lucy Lancaster James Nafziger Perry and Teresa Pearson Daniel and Janis Ramirez Resolution Copper Company SiteOne Landscape Supply Stabilizer Solutions, Inc.
$2,500 - $4,999
Arid Zone Trees Carolyn Baecker Jim and Elizabeth Fordemwalt Imre and Lorna Kertesz Barbara Miller and Steven Trimble Lynne Nemeth and Lanny Morrison William Rasey Jay and DeLana Ream Jim and Kally Reynolds
$1,000 - $2,499
Covert and Lea Bailey Leslie and Jonathan Baney Bill Benson Sarah and Kenneth Bernstein Charles and Jeanne Ann Brush Dr. and Mrs. Carlos Carrera Constance and Arlyn Clark Custom Gabion Design Bert and Nadine Cutler John and Marie Dentes Abe and Ingrid Dye Robert and Kathryn Elsaesser Holly and Paul Emmerich Kent and Muriel Ennis Rick and Lexia Gibson Karen Gildersleeve Martha and Steve Goode Jeanne and David Hannon Joseph and Joyce Hartung Art and Claudia Helfgott Elizabeth Higgins Historic Hotel Magma
Howard and Milja Hohnsen Max and Marguerite Horn Paul and Jacklyn Horton Barbara King and Dr. Harold Johnson Jared and Loralee Langkilde Logan Simpson Designs John R. and Deborah McEvoy Ann McKinnon Charlotte Needham Jan and Mary Ellen Nyland David and Diana Oberpriller Larry and Margret Olson Carol and Trevor Parrott David Raring and Kathleen Putek Edgardo Rivera Scott Russell, Ph.D. and Sue Neel Lois Schneberger Janet Spadora Constance and Ronald Thomas Rachel Trinder Susan Wernecke Natalia White Rusty Wilkinson
$500 - $999
William and Susan Ahearn Clare and Craig Angell Janet and James Badden Ann Beisser and Kandy Kendall Victoria Bever and Cipriano Trillo Judi and Bob Braudy Carolyn Bridge Douglas, Jan and Laura Cardon Rick and Suzy Clarke William and Cynthia Collings Jane Conrow Linda and Jeremy Cowing Elizabeth and Joseph Davidson Susan and Mark Dobson Gay L. Dybwad and Joy V. Bliss Edwin and Barbara Gartin Warren Goff Mark and Maggie Graham Terry Henley Nancy and Craig Johnson Tracy Kralicek and Dave Lunn Georganna Lagen and Robert and Karin King Chuck Lee and Patricia Hance Sylvia Lee Orme Lewis, Jr. Mary Nell Leyba Leroy and Sandra Luther Linda Mardian Gilbert and Jenny Maw Pierce McIntosh Michael and Mary Miller Pearl Nancarrow Terry Ponder Sue and Steven Race Todd Rallison John and Marita Reed and Tamara Robinson Dennis and Roxanne Reimink Paula Rushing
San Francisco Succulent and Cactus Society Gregory and Lorraine Scaven James Schenck and Michaele Cozzi William and Barbara Schneider Donald and Ingeborg Senuta Richard and Karyn Shaffstall Marcee Sherrill Brian and Pat Smith Brian Studer and Therese Messerschmitt Charles Tuomi Elly van Gelderen George and Linda Walda Fred Walker Les and Susan Wallach Jorja Watts Mary Welch-Keesey and Joe Keesey Sandra Wente and Mary Wente-Lindsay Melvin and Silvia Werre Richard and Patricia Wiedhopf Paul Williams Wing Apartments Wing Xi Trust John and Evelyn Yaple Louis and Judy Young
$250 - $499
Bryan and Susan Albue Richard Anderson Karen Applewhite Dan and Pat Benton Rosemary and Susan Berg Paul Bergner and Tania Neubauer Mila and Joann Besich Mary Ann Bradbury Heidi and Sim Brubaker Frank and Laurel Byrne George Cairo Sean and Barbara Clark David and Elizabeth Cronk Patti Dennis Alexander Dioyenis and Mary K France John and Connie Drilling Kimberly Eilert Sandra and Paul Everett Robert Favuzza and Jane Simpson P.D. Folk and C.L. Lasko Thomas and Lynne Forre Mark Foster David Glaeseman Alice and Norm Grosbach and Mary Shelton Dr. Bill and Lynn Haak Lois and Peter Hammer Ronald and Catherine Hill Peter and Jeanne Horner Diane and Tom Huffman Perry L. and Shahara V. Hughes Gary and Mary Irish Dr. Barry Jacobsen and Jane Standley-Jacobsen Marianne Jensen and Christopher Rutz Brent and Lynne-Ann Johnson Dick and Sandy Joyce Mal and Jane Jozoff
Donald and Lynn Keith Evan and Deborah Kincaid John and Beth Kirkpatrick Dr. Robert Kleinsasser Sheryl Knights Gregory Knowlton and Wlatka Peric-Knowlton Janice and William Lallman Donna Lawson Wayne and Bonnie Lichtenberger Laney and Keith Lindor George Lloyd and Shu Yin Liang William and Mary Lum Barbara S. Macnider and Michael Sullivan Ann Mangold Christine and Jason Marshall Trevor Martin John and Catherine Matthews Kathy McCarthy David and Sandra McEldowney Dianne McGee and Robert Bickes David McGowan and Anthony Rosmarin Holly McKenzie and Robert P. Martin Janene McNeil Richard and Lois Meyer Frederick John Milens III and Ashanna Bilter Sharri and Tom Moody Duane and Margaret Morse Richard and Kathy Mundinger Ian Murray Wayne and Pat Needham Clarence and Chris Needham John and Kay Nelson William and Martha O’Day Charles "Carlos" Oldham and Joan Goforth Kathi and Patricia Osbakken Tom Parkhurst Barbara and Albert Peters Thelma Peters Tanya Peters and Denise Arredondo John Pisani J. David and Shirley Prest Benjamin and Melissa Reynolds Cynthia Riley Clark and Sophia Rogers Anita and Dennis Rohde Charles Ruiz and Maria Valdez Timothy Rule John and Karen Runberg Rylan and Leslie Schimelpfenig and Jackie Clausen Richard and Lynda Schuler Gary and Jan Septon David and Kathleen Shields Paul and Victoria Shimp Linda and Ron Skinner Don and Ginny Smith John and Sharyn Soper and Michelle Soper Witucky Lynnea and Chris Spencer Kelly Steele and Marty Wojciechowski Ginny Sylvester Judy and James Taylor Kathryn W. Torgeson Gloria Traicoff Lowell and Gail Ann Ulrich Angel and Loraine Valadez Rita Vautrin Laura and Chip Vickers Albert and Beverly Ann Voirn David Wall and Connie Chen Karen Wargo and Deb Place Thomas Welsh and Anne Hawkins Welsh Steve and Joni Rae Westwood
THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS AND DONORS! Kay Wiesner Pat and Jean Wilson J. Andrew Wood and Dwayne Hitchcock Dennis and Mary Young Amy Zander and Tom Gerstenberger Leo Zureick
$125 - $249
John and Pam Abbott Jody and Gerry Abella Roger and Carolyn Ahl Marina and William Akins Shirley Alberg Rebecca Albrecht and Norris Livoni Elizabeth Aldrich James and Debra Allen Jeff and Amanda Allerding Paul and Dora Ancharski and Myrna Guzman Joseph and Julie Antonio Sally Appel Jeff and Kimberly Arbuckle Roger Athey and Susan Butler Nadine Atkinson Randy and Michelle Auer Tony and Liz Badalamenti Donna Badder Burt and Ying Baker Kumar and Tejas Balasubramamian Gordon and Sally Barnes Nancy Wanek and Russ Baron Joe Bartlett and Sharon Ruck Todd and David Bayne and Laura McGrory-Bayne Ashley and Tim Beach Bette Jo Beck Holly Beilfuss Corinne and Curt Bender Darwin and Jeanette Benedict Peter and Sarah Benedikt Mary Bennett and Mike Josephson Chelsea Berhost Deborah Berkley Bethany Berkseth Dan and Marie Bernstein Sarah and Geoffrey Berthiaume Eric and Kathleen Bertness Mark Bierner Cheryl and John Birdwell Irv and Mary Jo Bitman D.E. Blevins-Semon and Winston Allen and John Semon Sharon Boardman Dan Bodansky Loretto, Scott and Lori Bonin Deborah Bonte Vincent and Catherine Bonventre Rita and Steve Booth Kathryn Bottjen Steven and Gail Boyd John and Georgiana Boyer Alicia Brainard and Kaleb Corrigan Fred Brink Mark Broadus and Nancy Dye Christinia Brown and Camille Goulding Renie and Bart Browning Barbara and Rick Brumley Barbara and John Bruner Steven, Alisa Rae and Adria Rene Bruzonsky Charlotte Bunger Teresa and Lee Burnett Barbara Burton Eric Butler Jere Campbell Brian and Lauren Cantoni Ralph Castaneda and Bobbie Mills Julie Anne Castilla and Steve Nunn
Margarita and Elena Castillo James and Donna Caudle Felix Celis and Ramona Celis-Aguirre Charlene Choc Amanda and Stanley Clague Christina Clark Rhiannon Clark and Dylan Machajewski Fred and Debbie Clayton Jeff and Rena Colling William and Janice Cook Copper Triangle Mining Services June Cosgrove William Covington and Connie Struve Michael Curtis and Melinda Melton Janet and Jack Dale Ed and Gwenda Dannenmueller David and Amy Dansevicus William Defer Gina and Rick DeGraw Jenifer Devine Jean and Jerry Dili, Jr. Karen Dix Carol and Michael Dolle Melissa and Ryan Dougherty Diane and Michael Dungan Allan Dunstan Jacob Easton Craig and Carole Eberle Hermann and Jo Eckert Linda Eikenberry Marie Ekren Joe and Jacqueline Eubanks Thomas and Sandra Ewing Lewis and Melinda Fairfield Morris and Debra Farnsworth Mary Faul Sarah and Jon Fein Paul and Mary Anne Fetterly Lisa Fitzner and Terry Phillips Stephanie Franklin-Martos Jo, Harold and Kristofer Frede Eileen and Robert Frederich Peter and Julie Fritz Dusty Lee Fullinwider and Scooter Jones Ray-Ann Galindo Dianne Galligher and Tom Gordon David and Janette Gann Bob and Sandy Garrity Bob Gessner and Cathy Palm-Gessner Tom and Karen Gilbertson Kevin Gilbreth and Georjia Motta Dr. John Gilkeson and Susan Gray Anna Gilreath Paul and Nancy Goeddertz Steve Gorman Brittany Gorsich and Geoffrey Banker Aimee Pearl Gossman Henry and Patricia Gougelmann Frank and Helen Grannis David and Mary Griffy Nancy Haddorff and Jody Gerst Rudolf and Anneliese Hagemann Stephanie Halcrow Melody Hannon Karen Hatch Shaylee Hatch and Breanna Krippner Robert and Debra Hayles Carl and Margaret Hedlund Rich and Sandi Heidinger John Heindl Jana Henige Bobby and Mercedes Hernandez and Lynn Felio Mike and Carolyn Hills Maggie Hoffman and Sydney Bogart Judy Honig and Matt Bergsman Todd and Tuni House Barbara Hover
Catherine and Douglas Humphrey Jim and Jean Humphries Karol Hunt Cathy Hurst and Philip Meyer Marcie Hutchinson Mary, Mike and Erin Hutchinson Michael and Linda Ingram Greg and Diana Isham Kaitlyn Ives Don Jacobs Craig and Cabrini Jacobson Rosemary James Matthew and Adrian Jamieson Dale and Mary Jensen Mike and Tammy Jensen Matthew Johnson and Patricia Rorabaugh James W. Johnson and Sharon L. Kowski Lindy Johnson Firoj Kabir and Tulip Khan Tom and Jennifer Kaiser Heather Kammer and Michael Maxwell Ken Kasworm and Karen Yamada Carol and Ron Kaufman Kathy Keegan-Davis and Bert Davis Kathy and Timothy Keister U. Kelasa Vincent Kelley and Connie Smith Lynn Kelly Mary and David Kelly Alan and Cynthia Kempner Steve and Sandra Kernagis Grant and Liz Ketterman Tammie Kinard Charles and Kathleen Kline Robert and Marilyn Koester James Michael Kolida Donna and LeRoy Kuta Olga and Fred Kuykendall, Jr. Jennifer Kuzmich and Gayle Maloney David and Cathy Laffler Bruce and Terri Larson Ken and Maryann Laska Ryan Leach Jim and Brenda Lee and Kelly Sharak Anne and Katie Leight Nancy and Wayne Lervik Victoria Levin and Erich Drinkwater Monica Levisohn and Robert Schlechty Feihe Li and Laura Li Dong Arnold and Susan Licht Carole Lindemann Shelbi Lindesmith and Matthew Storms Laurie Lines Carrie Lipka and Robert Gansman Dorothea Ludeman Rea and Jim Ludke Michael Lynch and Emilia Martins Mitch and Elisa Magee Debe and Bob Mahoney Peggy Malsom Jim Malusa James P. Mandaville Elizabeth Marriaga, Roseanne Perricelli and Barbara Wulf Michelle and Michael Marzano Robert and Mary Marzke Lewis and Kathleen Mason William and Rhonda Mason Judith Mattson Patricia Mayes James and Charlene McCowan Thomas and Kathy McDonald Mary Joe McElroy Robert and Mary McFadden Laura and Walter McGourty Patricia McGuire John D. McGuire
Scott McKay and Heather Zechman Chris McKenna and Morgan Johnson Stacy Meader Beverly, Jennifer and Cam Mewhorter Laura Miller Robert and Victoria Millies Edwin W. Minch Bill and Ginann Mitchell John and Myrna Mitchell Dan and Nancy Moline Gloria and Tom Moore John and Jodi Morgan Sandra and Michael Morse Jim and Mary Mosier Mike and Jeanne Moss Tom and Barb Mozdzen Diane Mueller Darla and John Murphy Vanessa and Martin Navarrette Delia and Kelly Neal Judi Nelson Victoria Nelson and Craig Carrison Linda Ness and Ariel Ness Rieken Steven and Araura Nestor Paula Newcomb and Krista Fox Neutek Labs Steve and Bethany Niemeyer Jay and Ellen Norton Mark and Diane Ochs Sharon and Harold Odegaard Michael and Anna O’Hara John and Diana O’Laughlin Dean and Kathi Olson William and Joyce O’Morrow Lacey Pacheco Clara and Vernon Page Mike Palermo and Lory Lasica Chester Parsons and Cheryl Cunningham Binita Patel and Gaurav Parekh David Patterson and Kay Hart Phyllis and Dr. William Perkins Charles Peterson and Renae Bertagnoli Jeffrey Petrie Bob and Judy Petrokas Kirsta, Ryan and Tyler Phelps Sue Plati Daniel Polan and Ashley Jones Lawrence and Rachel Pollack Mark and Deborah Prator Deborah Price James and Molly Purcell Eric Ram Dawn Ratcliffe Wallace and Karen Rave Jolee and Russell Ray Annemarie Ready Lenny and Sonia Reid Brenda Reyes Carl Richards Alyce and Daniel Riley John and Chris Robinson Donald and Patricia Ross Glenda and Michael Ross George and Christy Rucker Louis and Vi Rulon Jim and Judy Russell Dennis and Sharon Ryan Scott and Janet Saline Kenneth and Lee Salwitz Paul and Patty Sandness Frank and Monique Schilling Alan and Nancy Schnabel Louis and Lisa Sellyei Ronald and Cynthia Shea Jhenifer and Nate Shipe Sharla Shirley and Rachel Moreno Jeffrey D. Short Donna Slaughter
THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS AND DONORS! Dale and Sonja Smith Jason Smith and Bethany Kuenstler Kim Smith-Stout and Michael Traubert Charles and Peggy Snow Rita Sole James Sorgatz and Josh Tures Ronald Souder Larry Sprechman and Michelle Caisse Thaine Sprenger and Paulette Melick Peggy and Glenn Stein Don and Shirley Stromberg Stephen and Karen Swoope Bill and Wendy Talich Jill Taylor Jim Taylor Mike and Linda Taylor Paul Thomas Racena and Richard Thomas Brian and Heather Thrall Edward and Lona Lee Thull Robert and Susan Titus Helen and Paul Totten Harriet Trieskey Jennifer Turner James Uanis Erika Valenzuela and Jose Orozco Shauna Van Houten Matthijs van Soest and Rebekah Hines Erica VanDerHeyden and Shelly Lanham Eric and Marceline VandeWater Nancy and Barron VanVleet Daniel and Anne Varner Julie Victoria and Mike Reese Rimgaudas Vidziunas Mary Viparina and Peter Johnson Howard and Ellen Wack Wulf D. Wagner and Jorge Luiz Cuono Sue and Dave Waibel James and Elizabeth Walker Andrew Wallace and Steven Steinhauer Jerelyn and John Dana Walters David and Donna Ward Dolores Ward Rosemary Ware and Beverly Hernandez Holly and Terry Warth Richard and Kimberly Weaver Alfred and Debbie Weimann Lita and Marshall Weinstein Chris Weitman Victoria Welch Phyllis E. Wells Ken and Teresa Werner Bob and Marquetta White Ellen and Michael Williamson Kent Wilson and Diane Rivera Cathie and Brian Wilton Barry and Cecilia Woody Keith Worth Woody Wray and J.S. Gobershock Douglas and Diane Wright Lexi Wyatt Joyce and Steven Yingling Bob and Shirley York Shawn Zack and Tonya Penkrot Joseph and Diana Zerella Alan Ziv and Debora Bloom Madeline Zobel Andris and Sue Zvirgzdins Ronald and Judith Zwickl
Wallace Desert Garden Donors We would like to thank everyone who gave to the Wallace Desert Garden over the last five years. This garden belongs to all of us and we share in its current and future success! Listed below are individuals and organizations who made donations of $100 or more to support the planning, move and installation of the garden. Please contact us if your name(s) are incorrectly listed or inadvertently omitted.
$500,000 and Up
Wallace Desert Gardens Foundation
$10,000 - $499,999
William and Susan Ahearn Peter and Judy Allard Covert and Lea Bailey Joseph and Gail Giacobazzi Jeffrey Heimer and Linda Brock James Nafziger Jay and DeLana Ream Janet Spadora Keith and Brenda Taylor
$1,000 - $9,999
Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs Austin Cactus Succulent Society Janet and James Badden Carolyn and Grant Baecker Ann Beisser Abe & Ingrid Dye Shelly and Timm Esque Gold Canyon Garden Club Central Arizona Cactus & Succulent Society Barbara Clayton and Karen Haglund Custom Gabion Design Kent and Muriel Ennis Jim and Elizabeth Fordemwalt Rick and Lexia Gibson Historic Hotel Magma Chris and Nora Hohenlohe Kalamazoo Materials, Inc. Robert and Kathryn Kater Barbara King and Dr. Harold Johnson John and Beth Kirkpatrick John Krol Dr. Bobbi and Lucy Lancaster Lynne Nemeth and Lanny Morrison Jan and Mary Ellen Nyland Larry and Margaret Olson Pinal County Mark and Patty Premeau Resolution Copper Company Jim and Kally Reynolds Lois Schneberger Mark Siegwarth SiteOne Landscape Supply Stabilizer Solutions, Inc. William C. Thornton
$500 - $999
Marian Alaback Kathe Anderson and Lawrence Phelps Susan Andrews and Linda Campbell Jared and Loralee Langkilde Orme Lewis Jeffrey and Mavis Luther Leroy and Sandra Luther John and Jodi Morgan Bernard and Faye Pipkin Dan and Janis Ramirez Jan and Ken Sadowsky Washington Garden Club
$100 - $499
John and Susanne Alcock Christina Avila Andrew Ayers and Tanja Vaughn Lesley Bennett Jean Berger Jonathan and Karen Anne Bettridge Lorraine Bopp and Charles Meyer Matt and Ingrid Bradford Dona J. Buckmann Mark and Margaret Burnison Rachelle Casillas Julie Anne Castilla and Steve Nunn Pedro Pablo Celedon Peggy Chamberlain Mike and Darlene Churchman John and Karen Collins June Cosgrove John and Diana Crummey Elizabeth and Joseph Davidson Desert Pointe Garden Club Henry and Mary Jo Diulus Richard Doyle Allan Dunstan Barbara Edson Kimberly Eilert Jan Emming Sally Flanders Marvin Flygare W C and Judith Fredrick Pam Galito Ronda Gates Bob Gessner and Cathy Palm-Gessner David Glaeseman John and Mary Jane Grabowski Nora E. Graf Linda Gross Jessica Hately Rich and Sandi Heidinger Terry Henley James Herbert Bobby and Mercedes Hernandez Peter and Jeanne Horner Paul and Jacklyn Horton Perry L. and Shahara Hughes Don and Mary Isham Alvina Janda and Bill Riley BJ Jensen Matthew Johnson and Patricia Rorabaugh James R. and Jane Jones Dieter and Margaret Knecht William Knight Joe and Leslie Knott
Larry Koehn and Marti Hogan-Koehn Joseph A. Lang Lisa Ann Langell and Ben Freitag Laurie Larwood Raul and Mary Nell Leyba Kirsten and John Loesche Gary Long Phillip and Glenda Long Dorothea Ludeman Barbara S. Macnider and Michael Sullivan Karen Kravcov Malcolm Roger and Mary Marach Marilyn Mathis Pierce McIntosh Andrew and Shelley McKinlay Janene McNeil Karl Miller Thomas and Sharron Moody Virginia Moore Stanley Nadolny Pearl Nancarrow Charlotte Needham Mary and Michael Nothaft Mark and Diane Ochs Andrew Offerman Clara and Vernon Page Thelma Peters Jerome Petruk Bud and Lorrie Polley Barbara Quackenbush William Rasey Dennis and Robin Reynolds Cynthia Riley Fred and Joyce Scharringhausen Gary and Jan Septon Richard and Karyn Shaffstall Pamela and Joseph Slate Kerrin and Janet Smith Charles and Peggy Snow Lynnea and Chris Spencer Sylvia Stevens Claudia Stoecker Robin Strickland Don and Shirley Stromberg Brian Studer and Therese Messerschmitt Lynn Sweet Ralph and Jeanine Swick Ginny Sylvester Donna and John Talley Judy and James Taylor Lowell and Gail Ann Ulrich Angel and Loraine Valadez Julie Victoria and Mike Reese Alfred and Linda Wendler Ken and Teresa Werner Melvin and Sylvia Werre Will and Holly White Hank Whitney Cheryl and John Willis Patricia World John and Evelyn Yaple Dennis and Mary Young Louis and Judy Young
Thank you!
Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SBSDM
37615 E. Arboretum Way Superior, AZ 85173 The mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of desert plants, wildlife, and ecosystems through education, research and conservation.
OCTOBER HOURS Daily from 7:30 AM - 5 PM Last Admission at 4 PM
NOVEMBER - APRIL HOURS Daily from 8 AM - 5 PM Last Admission at 4 PM C L O S E D T H A N K S G I V I N G & C H R I S T M A S D AY
BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM HAPPENINGS Tours and Walks are back! Sign up for our weekly eNews to stay up to date with all our events, walks, tours, and classes! For dates, times, prices and to register, visit our website at www.btarboretum.org. Most Tours and Walks take 90 minutes or more. Masks and pre-registration is required. General Tour FREE with Admission
Edible and Medicinal Plants Tour
Wallace Garden Tour
What is an "arboretum" and how did one end up in the Sonoran Desert? These are just two of the questions you'll get answers to while on our general tour. Arboretum volunteers will share the history of Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden, and highlight what makes the Sonoran Desert the most biodiverse desert in the world.
On this exploration of the Sonoran Desert, you'll see jojoba, creosote, and other plants while learning of their medicinal and edible uses. Join us to learn how prickly-pear cacti, ratany, agaves, jojoba and other native plants have fed, healed and clothed Sonoran Desert peoples for more than 1,000 years.
Join a volunteer guide for a stroll through the newly opened Wallace Desert Garden. See this relocated collection on a 1-hour walk over approximately half a mile of trail. Learn about the history of its acquisition and its plants from around the world.
Bird Walks
Dragonfly Walks
Geology Walks
Love birds? Arboretum guided bird walks on the main trail are an ideal way to get into birding and to sharpen your skills. Beginners are welcome. No binoculars? No problem! Ask in our gift shop when you pay admission; loaner binoculars are available.
Observe the remarkable aerobatics of dragonflies and learn about their fascinating life cycle on a morning stroll. Maricopa Audubon Society Program Director, Laurie Nessel will guide the walk, leading attendees to Ayer Lake, water features in the Legume and Demonstration gardens, and possibly Queen Creek, if it has surface water. Bring close-focus binoculars for the best close-up views of dragonflies.
Learn about rocks and volcanic formations along our main trail on a tour with professional geologists as your guides for a lively tour that compresses almost two billion years of geologic history into just over one educational hour.
History Walk
"POTpourri"
YOGA
You may have walked our trails a dozen times and never crossed paths with the Galapagos Tortoise pens. Or taken a moment to scan the horizon above Picketpost Mountain. Can you imagine cavalry soldiers camped in this region in the late 1800s? Phoenix historian Sylvia Lee narrates this two-hour walking tour focused on the life and time of Colonel William Boyce Thompson, and his Arboretum.
Join the Superstition Mountain Master Gardeners as they share the ins and outs of container gardening. We’ll bring our favorite plant from our own collection to show and provide tips for container gardening including: pot selection, soil, drainage issues, environment, water and fertilizer, andpest management. Space is very limited so pre-registration is required.
Join this all levels yoga practice in our natural garden setting led by certified instructor, Deb McClarnon. Deb specializes in yoga therapy and believes yoga is not about perfect postures, it is about discovering what’s already inside you. Please come prepared with your own mat (perhaps a towel or blanket too, for extra padding) and weather appropriate clothing as these classes will be outside. Space is very limited so pre-registration is required.
