Public Gardens in the Time of Contagion: An Ark of a Different Sort

A public garden is an institution that maintains collections of plants for the purposes of public education and enjoyment, in addition to research, conservation, and higher learning.

— American Public Gardens Association

This is a story about the critical role of public gardens and the pandemic-induced recession’s impact on them — as seen through the experiences of the Green Ark Botanical Garden Foundation (Foundation or Ark) in Costa Rica.

First, a word or two about botanic gardens

· The world’s first botanical garden was created in 1545 in Padua. It is still in operation and has been declared a United Nations World Heritage site.

· There are currently 1775 botanic gardens and arboreta in 148 countries worldwide, with many more under construction or being planned.

· The largest botanic garden in the US is the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. The garden of more than a million plants covers 250 acres and has 50 specialty gardens.

· Linwood Arboretum in Linwood, NJ, sits on less than an acre and is one of the smallest arboretums in the world.

· The US Botanic Garden in Washington, DC, celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2020.