Abridged Strategic Plan

TOWER HILL BOTANIC GARDEN STRATEGIC PLAN

2020–2025

ABRIDGED VERSION

Executive Summary Tower Hill Botanic Garden’s Strategic Plan was developed through a careful planning process that was inclusive of our board, staff, visitors, volunteers, and community stakeholders’ voices. Through our engagement of over 1,000 stakeholders, a number of themes emerged. Our stakeholders urged Tower Hill to excel in the fields of horticulture, education, and outreach and challenged us to become thought leaders in these areas. There was a strong focus on developing a meaningful action plan for improving the inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility of both our physical gardens and our organization’s culture. There was an overwhelming desire for Tower Hill to educate the public about climate change and resiliency. These themes served as a guide to redefine our mission, vision, and values, giving us an opportunity to better reflect the aspirational vision of our stakeholders. The feedback from the stakeholder engagement process was truly humbling. We learned what Tower Hill means to our constituents, how they value the work we do, how they hold us to a high standard and have high expectations for us to achieve the desired outcomes of this plan.

Our plan is organized into three strategic pillars: horticulture, leadership, and engagement. These pillars allow us to break down lofty desired outcomes into actionable strategies and tactics and then measure our progress based on defined measures of success. This plan pushes us to be better, think bigger, and engage our community more.

This aspirational plan will push our board and staff to improve our horticulture displays as well as strengthen our curatorial practices and develop scientifically significant plant collections. We will increase the number of educational programs we teach and promote best practices related to climate change and sustainability. Our programs will be more inclusive and accessible to our diverse community of learners. We will continue to plant trees throughout the Worcester community, and we will expand our outreach efforts to bring horticulture education to those who can’t visit us.

With this plan as our north star, we will fulfill our mission to create experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world.

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Our Vision, Mission & Values Vision Statement

An organization’s vision statement describes the world that we seek to create as a result of our work. Tower Hill’s Vision Statement is:

Tower Hill envisions a world where people and plants thrive.

Mission Statement

An organization’s mission statement describes the “what,” “how,” and “for whom” of its work – what an organization does, how it does so, and for whom.

Our mission statement is:

Tower Hill creates experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world.

Our Values

Values statements are the principles that guide an organization’s work, collectively and among individual team members. These values show up in everything an organization does. Our values, listed in no particular order, are:

We value the Art & Science of Horticulture.

We value Lifelong Learning.

We value Environmental Stewardship.

We value Visionary Leadership.

We value Inclusivity.

We value Integrity.

We value Joyful Connections.

ST R ATE G IC P IL L A R I

Horticulture Our Strategy

Our gardens and collections are the heart of our organization. We have a long and proud history of celebrating both the art and the science of horticulture.

Through this strategic pillar, we will take our horticultural practices to the next level. We will build a collection of thoughtfully-curated plant material that is both scientifically meaningful and artfully arranged. We will invest in our built infrastructure, pursuing the highest quality of architecture, design, construction, and maintenance. We will continue to celebrate the history of the Worcester County Horticultural Society while we envision a bold future.

As we look to this future, we feel it is imperative to approach our collections through a climate change and resiliency lens. This means weaving sustainable practices through our landscape operations. It means effectively conserving and managing the wild edges that surround our formal gardens. It means pursuing accreditations from SITES and the American Public Gardens Association (APGA), and measuring our success not just by the species in our collection but by the impact of our work on the

Our Strategies

Strategy 1: Benchmark and develop an action plan to improve the sustainability of our landscape operations.

• Tactic 1.1: Convert fossil fuel burning landscape equipment to electric/solar.

• Tactic 1.2: Manage existing gardens and develop new gardens that promote carbon sequestration.

• Tactic 1.3: Sustainably manage water resources, including but not limited to: ○ Eliminating potable water use for irrigation. ○ Employing diverse, innovative stormwater mitigation to demonstrate best management practices.

• Tactic 1.4: Eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers and employ innovative soil management practices to ensure plant health and minimize pollution. Strengthen organic waste management practices to produce useful end products that enrich soils.

• Tactic 1.5: Source minimally-manufactured and locallysourced materials (i.e. natural stone, naturally rotresistant woods) for new and existing gardens.

• Tactic 1.6: Strengthen our use of biological controls to control plant pests and invasive species.

environment.

Our Desired Outcomes

• Tower Hill advances sustainability and climate resiliency through horticulture operations.

• Tower Hill’s curated collections exhibit creativity, innovation, and beauty.

• Tower Hill creates engaging and enriching experiences for visitors in nature.

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Strategy 2: Develop a thoughtfully-curated, scientific collection of plant material that is artfully arranged.

• Tactic 2.1: Revise the Living Collections Policy to strengthen curatorial practices and establish collections priorities based on collections best practices at peer institutions.

• Tactic 2.2: Develop and pursue specific collections goals to broaden the diversity and strength of the garden’s collections.

• Tactic 2.3: Develop and implement a plant evaluation nursery to assess new germplasm prior to introduction to the garden’s collections and ensure new introductions meet collections and aesthetic priorities.

• Tactic 2.4: Pursue national accreditation through the APGA Plant Collections Network for the Davenport heirloom apple collection in the Frank L. Harrington Sr. Orchard.

Strategy 3: Institute the highest quality of architecture, design, construction, and maintenance in Tower Hill’s built infrastructure.

• Tactic 3.1: Invest in high quality, sustainable materials and craftmanship in new garden construction.

• Tactic 3.2: Invest in critical infrastructure to improve the maintenance of our gardens.

• Tactic 3.3: Improve the overall aesthetic and visual styles throughout the garden.

• Tactic 3.4: Invest in staff training in designing with plants, in low impact design, and in plant care.

Strategy 4: Enhance and steward the managed wild edges that surround the formal gardens and developed landscapes.

• Tactic 4.1: Continue enhancing naturalistic (or informal) gardens in the wild edges of our extensive property.

• Tactic 4.2: Create effective management strategies for our natural resource areas, including our managed meadows, woodlands, and wetlands.

• Tactic 4.3: Expand trail system to allow visitor access to more of the garden’s 171 acres.

Strategy 5: Celebrate the Worcester County Horticultural Society’s agrarian history and the history of Carter Farm through plant collections, horticultural displays, and land stewardship practices.

• Tactic 5.1: Restore the Frank L. Harrington Sr. Orchard and partner with Old Sturbridge Village to interpret the history of the Davenport collection of heirloom apples.

• Tactic 5.2: Convert a portion of Tower Hill’s vast managed meadows to intentional agricultural displays.

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MEAS U R E S O F SU CC ES S

Horticulture

Strategy 1: Benchmark and develop an action plan to improve the sustainability of our landscape operations and facilities.

• The organization’s carbon footprint is quantified and an action plan is developed, funded, and implemented to substantially reduce our carbon footprint.

• When feasible, all fossil fuel burning landscape maintenance equipment (utility vehicles, mowers, handheld power tools, etc.) is replaced with electric equipment. When not feasible because technology does not yet exist (tractors, for example), steps are taken to implement biofuel alternatives to gasoline and diesel.

• New gardens are added that promote carbon sequestration.

• There is an increase in garden management techniques that sequester carbon.

• Action is taken to reduce or eliminate the garden’s dependence on potable water use for irrigation.

• New techniques are implemented for mitigating stormwater and they are interpreted for the public.

• Synthetic fertilizers are no longer used on the property.

• A soil management plan is developed that ensures plant health and minimizes pollution.

• An organic waste management plan is developed and all organic waste is repurposed on site.

• There is an increase in garden materials purchased locally and grown in house.

• There is an increase in garden materials that are minimally manufactured.

• An integrated pest management (IPM) plan is developed for indoor and outdoor gardens.

• An invasive plant management plan is developed for outdoor gardens.

Strategy 2: Develop a thoughtfully curated, scientific collection of plant material that is artfully arranged.

• Collections practices at peer institutions are researched and the Living Collections Policy is revised and reviewed annually.

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• A collections statement is developed for the revised Living Collections Policy that broadens and strengthens the diversity of the garden’s collections.

• A plant evaluation and production nursery is developed.

• The Davenport heirloom apple orchard receives national accreditation through the APGA’s Plant Collections Network.

Strategy 3: Institute the highest quality of architecture, design, construction, and maintenance in Tower Hill’s built infrastructure.

• There is an increase in funding to support critical infrastructure for garden operations, such as irrigation, hardscape repairs, and fountains.

• Qualitative and quantitative data shows a high satisfaction rate with the Garden’s built infrastructure maintenance, visual style, aesthetic, and cohesiveness.

• There is an increase in professional development opportunities for horticulture staff focused on designing with plants, low impact design, and plant care.

Strategy 4: Enhance and steward the managed wild edges that surround the formal gardens and developed landscapes.

• New plant collections are added to the naturalistic (or informal) gardens.

• A landscape management plan is developed for our natural areas.

• New trails are added to expand visitor access to more of the garden’s 171 acres.

Strategy 5: Celebrate the Worcester County Horticultural Society’s agrarian history and the history of Carter Farm through plant collections, horticultural displays, and land stewardship practices.

• The Harrington Orchard is restored.

• New interpretation is developed and installed in the Harrington Orchard.

• There in an increase in acreage of agrarian displays at Tower Hill.

ST R ATE G IC P IL L A R II

Leadership Our Strategy

As we are investing in our horticultural operations and upgrading our collections, Tower Hill has an opportunity to emerge as a leader in the botanic garden industry. By investing in staff development across the organization, we will deepen the collective knowledge within the organization, allowing us to create new and innovative approaches both for the green industry and for cultural institutions. We will work with industry thought leaders to conduct scientific research and practical projects, therein preparing our staff to be thought leaders and advocates for sustainability and climate resiliency. In convening both professional and lay audiences to explore horticulture as both an art and a science, we will elevate Tower Hill’s profile and reach new audiences with our work.

Our leadership and expertise must extend beyond horticulture. Through the implementation of this strategic plan, we will institute trainings for both the Board of Trustees and our staff in inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA).

Our Desired Outcomes

• Tower Hill advances sustainability and climate resiliency.

• Tower Hill’s staff are thought leaders among their peers worldwide.

• Tower Hill defines best practices and creates new approaches for the green industry and cultural institutions.

• Tower Hill is seen as New England’s botanic garden and attracts international attention.

• Tower Hill is recognized as a top 10 botanic garden through popular garden polls.

Our Strategies Strategy 6: Invest in team development and expertise-building.

• Tactic 6.1: Encourage staff to join and serve in leadership positions for local, regional, and national professional organizations.

• Tactic 6.2: Support staff in completing professional development opportunities that expand their practical knowledge base.

• Tactic 6.3: Institute IDEAL training for both staff and Board members in order to create leaders in inclusive workplace culture.

Strategy 7: Cultivate relationships with industry thought leaders both academic and in practice.

Tactic 7.1: Develop relationships with renowned horticulturists and climate scientists.

Tactic 7.2: Conduct and/or support scientific research with university partners.

Tactic 7.3: Engage in practical projects with other botanic gardens and peer institutions.

Strategy 8: Convene key voices across industries on the importance of horticulture as an art and science.

Tactic 8.1: Serve as the gathering space for horticulture, sustainability, and climate resilience conferences.

Tactic 8.2: Develop a speaker series for professional audiences.

Strategy 9: Promote Tower Hill’s work to both professional and lay audiences.

• Tactic 9.1: Showcase staff expertise by presenting lectures at Tower Hill and at off-site symposia.

• Tactic 9.2: Encourage staff to publish research in peerreviewed journals.

• Tactic 9.3: Create media partnerships to highlight Tower Hill’s work and opportunities for lay communities to visit and enjoy our programming.

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MEAS U R E S O F SU CC ES S

Leadership

Strategy 6: Invest in team development and expertisebuilding.

• There is an increase in staff serving in leadership positions in local, regional, and national missionrelated, professional organizations.

• There is an increase in the number of staff hours spent on professional development and the number of staff participating in professional development.

• There is an increase in regular IDEA trainings for both board and staff.

• Quantitative and qualitative data shows an increase in staff and Board who think that Tower Hill has an inclusive workplace culture.

• The staff performance review forms are revised and tied directly to strategic pillars.

Strategy 7: Cultivate relationships with industry thought leaders both academic and in practice.

• There is an increase in organizational relationships with renowned horticulturists and climate scientists.

• There is increased Tower Hill participation in the support of scientific research with university partners.

• There is increased in Tower Hill’s property and outreach sites being used to support scientific research.

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• There is an increase in the number of projects that Tower Hill completes with other botanic gardens and peer institutions.

Strategy 8: Convene key voices across industries on the importance of horticulture as an art and science.

• There is an increase in the number of meetings and conferences hosted by Tower Hill and focused on horticulture, sustainability, and climate resilience.

• A Tower Hill speaker series for professional audiences is developed, implemented, and underwritten.

Strategy 9: Promote Tower Hill’s work to both professional and lay audiences.

• There is an increase in staff presenting lectures at Tower Hill and at off-site symposia.

• There is an increase in staff publishing research in peer-reviewed journals.

• There is an increase in articles published about Tower Hill.

• There is an increase in the number of times Tower Hill is mentioned in the media.

• There is an increase in visitation at Tower Hill.

• There is an increase in new and renewed memberships purchased.

ST R ATE G IC P IL L A R III

Engagement Our Strategy

While Tower Hill is an organization devoted to horticulture and the natural world, our dedication to people is just as strong. Beyond our commitment to IDEA trainings outlined in the Leadership pillar, we have identified key initiatives that will ensure ours is an organization that is truly able to serve all people. These efforts will include but are not limited to expanding our interpretive media programming, creating and implementing a diversity and inclusion plan, and exploring a transportation assistance program.

Through our engagement efforts, we will work to reach local, regional, and national communities. We are proud of and committed to the Worcester area, and we will continue to look for opportunities to engage more deeply with our neighbors. We plan to increase our engagement across Massachusetts, New England, and the United States by forming deep and meaningful partnerships with community-based organizations, membership organizations, agencies, and municipal boards.

Finally, through our engagement with people in all of these communities, we will teach plant-based solutions to climate change. We will empower people to institute sustainable horticultural practices through training and resources.

Our Desired Outcomes

• Tower Hill enables and empowers people to work for a sustainable future through plant-based solutions.

• Tower Hill invites, includes, and engages all people.

• Tower Hill creates opportunities for individuals and groups to engage with Tower Hill off-site.

• Tower Hill serves existing audiences and grows new ones.

• Tower Hill develops tiered programming that meets the needs of diverse learners.

• Tower Hill maintains its position as an anchor institution in the Worcester community.

• Tower Hill is the go-to regional source for gardening and horticultural resources and knowledge.

Our Strategies Strategy 10: Provide excellent, engaging, and enriching experiences for all people.

• Tactic 10.1: Create and implement an interpretive master plan and expand interpretive media programming.

• Tactic 10.2: Develop exhibitions that are innovative, relevant, and far-reaching.

• Tactic 10.3: Create fun events that spark excitement about plants.

• Tactic 10.4: Attract first-time visitors and participants through on and off-site programming.

• Tactic 10.5: Provide training to Visitors’ Services staff to ensure they are engaged and able to skillfully provide visitors with support and information on programming, membership, and employment opportunities at Tower Hill.

Strategy 11: Engage and support youth and families in lifelong learning.

• Tactic 11.1: Expand youth and family offerings to reach children of all ages and support learning on and off-site.

• Tactic 11.2: Expand and deepen relationships with schools and youth groups through partnerships and targeted curriculum.

• Tactic 11.3: Design programming anchored in the Ramble and the Youth Garden.

• Tactic 11.4: Grow the intern learning program so that it prepares participants for careers in public gardens and related fields.

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Strategy 12: Sustain and grow a population of adult learners.

• Tactic 12.1: Develop a user-sourced comprehensive suite of scaffolded programs and regularly evaluate these programs for popularity and efficacy.

• Tactic 12.2: Offer programming for professional audiences.

• Tactic 12.3: Utilize the living collections to support adult learning.

• Tactic 12.4: Build and package resources for educators.

• Tactic 12.5: Grow our corps of internal and external instructors with subject matter expertise.

Strategy 13: Develop robust resources and tools to further Tower Hill’s commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

• Tactic 13.1: Create and implement a diversity and inclusion plan, defining priority audiences within the following seven dimensions of diversity: race, ethnicity, age, mental and physical ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic status.

• Tactic 13.2: Continue to develop free and low-cost learning opportunities.

• Tactic 13.3: Cultivate a Board of Trustees that reflects the diversity of the Worcester community.

• Tactic 13.4: Engage community leaders representative of our under-engaged groups through the Community Advisory Committee.

• Tactic 13.5: Engage community groups and leaders in building programs based on the intersection of their needs and our resources and mission.

• Tactic 13.6: Investigate means to, and potentially pilot, a transportation assistance program.

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Strategy 14: Develop meaningful partnerships in local, regional, and national communities in order to draw new audiences to Tower Hill.

• Tactic 14.1: Develop relationships with the local community as well as with communities regionally and nationally.

• Tactic 14.2: Participate in strategic local outreach events such as tabling events and guest speaking events for other organizations.

• Tactic 14.3: Join and participate in local, statewide, and national membership organizations, agencies, and municipal boards.

• Tactic 14.4: Develop partnership projects with local, statewide, and national community-based organizations.

• Tactic 14.5: Create fun experiences targeted to different communities designed to inspire curiosity about Tower Hill.

Strategy 15: Teach plant-based solutions to climate change and sustainable horticultural practices through our gardens and our programming.

• Tactic 15.1: Interpret plant-based solutions to climate change and sustainable horticulture throughout the Garden.

• Tactic 15.2: Offer programming on plant-based solutions to climate change and sustainable horticulture.

• Tactic 15.3: Develop resources, both virtual and tangible, that help people work towards a sustainable future.

• Tactic 15.4: Engage with community members to teach and to advocate on behalf of plant-based solutions and sustainable practices.

MEAS U R E S O F SU CC ES S

Engagement

Strategy 10: Provide excellent, engaging, and enriching experiences for all people.

• An interpretive master plan is developed and implemented.

• There is an increase in first time and repeat visitors.

• Qualitative and quantitative feedback shows that guests are highly satisfied and engaged with exhibitions.

• There is an increase in positive press coverage of exhibitions.

• Visitor operations training is developed and implemented.

• Qualitative and quantitative feedback shows that visitors are highly satisfied with onsite staff interactions.

Strategy 11: Engage and support youth and families in lifelong learning.

• There is an increase in on and off-site youth and family offerings.

• School and youth group bookings continue to increase.

• Programming plans are developed for both the Ramble and youth garden.

• The intern learning program curriculum grows.

Strategy 12: Sustain and grow a population of adult learners.

• The adult education program is evaluated, and a 3-year improvement plan is developed.

• New adult programming is developed based on visitor and student feedback.

• There is an increase in programming geared for professional audiences.

• There is increased participation in adult programming.

• New resources are developed for youth educators.

• There is an increase in internal and external contract instructors who lead adult education programs.

• Qualitative and quantitative data shows a high satisfaction rate with adult education programs and offerings.

Strategy 13: Develop robust resources and tools to further Tower Hill’s commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

• A diversity and inclusion plan is developed and implemented.

• There is an increase in the number of memberships purchased by priority audiences.

• There is an increase in attendance at the Garden by priority audiences.

• There is an increase in free and low-cost learning opportunities.

• The Board of Trustees adds two new board members from priority audiences.

• Many new community groups are engaged through the Community Advisory Committee.

• New programs are co-developed with community groups and leaders.

• A feasibility report is developed on a transportation assistance program.

Strategy 14: Develop meaningful partnerships in local, regional, and national communities in order to draw new audiences to Tower Hill.

• Many new relationships are developed with local, regional, and national communities.

• There is an increase in first-time visitors to Tower Hill.

• There is increased staff participation in local outreach events.

• There is an increase in staff participation in local, statewide, and National membership organizations and municipal boards.

Strategy 15: Teach plant-based solutions to climate change and sustainable horticultural practices through our gardens and our programming.

• New interpretive media and programs are developed which deliver messages focused on plant-based solutions, climate change, and sustainable horticulture.

• New resources are developed that help people work towards a sustainable future.

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PHOTOS Š Matt Mitera, Matt Modoono, Troy Thompson, Mala Lam, Katie Bourgeois

This strategic plan was developed in partnership with trepwise, a New Orleans-based growth consulting firm with a vision of thriving communities where good ideas spread. trepwise team members Allison Schiller (Engagement Lead) and Lulu Carter (Project Manager) supported this engagement.