The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded funding in the amount of $49,984 to Adkins Arboretum to expand the depth of information and streamline the management of its Living Collections Database. These funds were awarded through IMLS’s Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, a federal funding source that will cover 100% of the project costs. The Arboretum is considered a living museum due to its living plant and land preservation exhibits and its educational mission.
The Arboretum’s Living Collections Database is a robust database, geographic information system and web mapping platform designed to allow broader public access and to improve monitoring and management of the Arboretum’s living collections. The end result is a database that may be accessed online by all who are interested in learning more about the Arboretum’s flora. The Arboretum will expand the depth of information available about its living collections, specifically animal (insects, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) interactions with the plants. Planned content additions will allow staff and volunteers to develop program content and serve as a greater resource to the public. The Arboretum will also improve its collection management procedures.
Adkins Arboretum Horticultural Consultant Leslie Hunter Cario, at left, and volunteer Laura Rocco identify plants for inclusion in the Arboretum’s Living Collections Database.
Adkins staff completing the project over the next two years include Executive Director Ginna Tiernan, Land Steward Kathy Thornton, Facilities Coordinator Michael Micriotti, local contractors Sylvan Kaufman of Sylvan Green Earth Consulting and Leslie Hunter Cario of Chesapeake Horticultural Services, and Arboretum volunteers.
Founded in 1980 as Maryland’s state arboretum, Adkins Arboretum has operated as a nonprofit since 1992. The Arboretum serves as a model for land management that strives to engage all people in the conversation, appreciation and enjoyment of the Chesapeake region’s native landscapes through education, recreation, art and community events. Located adjacent to Tuckahoe State Park, it operates and maintains a visitor’s center (currently closed due to COVID-19 concerns), 400 acres of meadows, woods, wetlands and five miles of trails under a 50-year lease with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Arboretum’s diverse collection includes more than 600 species of trees, plants, grasses and wildflowers native to the Eastern Shore and the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. IMLS advances, supports and empowers America’s museums, libraries and related organizations through grantmaking, research and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.
Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.
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