Description:
The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin (LBJWC) are seeking proposals from entities who would be interested in assuming responsibility for management, stewardship, growth and ownership of the Landscape for Life sustainable gardening program.
Landscape for Life is an innovative, original, and multidisciplinary educational program aimed at homeowners, homeowner associations, master gardeners, schools, landscape contractors, public gardens, and many others. Residential land is a significant portion of our environment, and ensuring it is sustainably gardened can impart a range of ecological, economic, and health benefits.
Landscape for Life was created jointly by USBG and LBJWC in 2010 while working on the development of the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES®) www.sustainablesites.org. At the time there was a void in education and understanding about sustainable gardening at the homeowner level, and this program was developed to apply the SITES concepts to home gardening practices nationwide. It has been distributed through an interactive website and in-person and virtual trainings, with modules on plants, soil, water, materials, health, pollinators, and maintenance of healthy, sustainable home gardens.
The USBG and LBJWC are seeking an appropriate organization to take this program to the next level. There is an expectation of commitment to continue the program, make it your own, and continue to reach audiences regarding sustainable landscaping. Please see the attached for details and requirements, including any request for short term financial assistance. There we will be a question-and-answer webinar on Thursday October 14 and proposals are due no later than November 19 at education@wildflower.org.
It isn’t that this isn’t still a good program with potential, but USBG just doesn’t have the capacity and the Wildflower Center has, over the last few years, pulled back to a more Texas focus.