Botanical Research Institute of Texas / Fort Worth Botanic Garden

CPC institution Code: BRIT
Senecio quaylei
About

The Mission of Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Botanical Research Institute of Texas is Explore, Discover, Engage. We explore the critically important world of plants, collaborate to discover the role they play in our cultural and natural environments, and engage people to conserve nature and improve the human experience. Our Vision reflects our highest aspirations: To be renowned globally and treasured locally for exceptional and influential research, horticulture, and education. Our History: The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) began in 1987 as a nonprofit overseeing the former Southern Methodist University 450,000-specimen herbarium and 75,000-volume botanical library relocated to a 20th century warehouse in downtown Fort Worth. The nonprofit eventually built and moved to a Platinum LEED-certified building on grounds adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Since that time, BRIT has grown into a renowned scientific research, education, and conservation center with a state-of-the-art molecular and structural lab, conservation seed bank, an established press and 1.5 million-specimen herbarium. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the oldest major botanic gardens in Texas, opened in 1934 after a comprehensive plan was completed in 1930 for the development of Rock Springs Park that included a formal rose garden and a long vista through a natural grove of trees, connecting it with Trinity Park to the east. More than 80 years later, this City-owned, 110-acre Garden grew into a horticultural haven featuring 23 specialty gardens, including the Fuller Garden, Rose Gardens, Japanese Garden, Rock Springs Garden, Native Texas Boardwalk and more. The Garden’s 10,000 square foot conservatory contains plants from tropical rainforests all over the world and an on-site greenhouse is home to the largest begonia collection in North America. On October 1, 2020, after two years of successful partnership initiatives (involving Education, Volunteer and Membership programs) the two organizations with similar plant-based missions combined to become a single nonprofit, setting into motion a series of actions — from the onboarding of a new CEO and creation of a transitional brand identity to merging cultures and the eventual creation of a new strategic plan.

Institution Species List Download CSV DOWNLOAD
Taxon Family Global Rank Legal Status Sponsorship Status
Ditaxis aphoroides Euphorbiaceae G2
Dalea reverchonii Fabaceae G2
Geocarpon minimum Caryophyllaceae G2 LT
Matelea texensis Apocynaceae G1
Potamogeton clystocarpus Potamogetonaceae G1 LE
Styrax platanifolius ssp. texanus Styracaceae T1 LE
Ipomoea shumardiana Convolvulaceae G2
Scirpus hallii Cyperaceae G3
Yucca necopina Asparagaceae G1
Senecio quaylei Asteraceae G1

Conservation Contacts

Patrick Newman
CEO & President
Brooke Byerley Best, Ph.D.
Director of Texas Plant Conservation
Seth Edward Hamby
Director of Living Collections
Peter Fritsch, Ph.D.
VP Research
Morgan Gostel, Ph.D.
Research Botanist
Kay Hankins
Seed Bank Conservation Botanist
Conservation Contacts ADD NEW DELETE ALL Download CSV DOWNLOAD
Name Title Group Phone Email Privacy Settings Priority Contact ID Priority Input
CEO & President 1
Director of Texas Plant Conservation 2
Director of Living Collections 3
VP Research 4
Research Botanist 5
Administration & HR Coordinator 6
VP of Marketing & Communications 7
Director of Finance 8
Seed Bank Conservation Botanist 100