Article Credit: BRIT
In a historic vote on May 19, 2020, the Fort Worth City Council approved a 20-year agreement for the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) to manage the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, ensuring the Garden’s long-term sustainability and building upon a successful collaborative partnership built over the past several years.
“We are excited by the potential of working together with the staff, patrons and supporters of the Botanic Garden to make it an even greater resource and attraction for our City and the North Texas region," said Ed Schneider, president of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
After years of study, public involvement and task force recommendations, the BRIT Board of Directors saw the opportunity for significant growth and improvement through both organizations working together. The successful public private partnership between the City and Fort Worth Zoo also offered a useful framework.
“Our plant-based missions have always aligned, and after the positive synergy from previous partnership efforts, we saw this agreement as a natural fit,” said Greg Bird, chair of the BRIT Board. “The Fort Worth Zoo transforming into one of the nation’s top zoos also provided a model that we intend to build upon as we envision a future world-class botanic garden.”
Botanic Garden Director Bob Byers said the timing was right and staff were excited by the potential for growth working even more closely with BRIT.
"There's a brighter future on the horizon with this agreement,” Byers said. “Bringing together BRIT’s fundraising, education and world-class research capabilities with the Garden’s historically significant grounds, event facilities and horticultural expertise will create one of the leading public gardens in America.”
The agreement is scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1, 2020 but could be delayed if COVID-19 disaster declarations continue into the autumn months.