FOLLOW YOUR OWN PATH
Professional Development Tracks help our Members find Association events, Communities, and resources based on their professional interests, expertise, and goals. Our Professional Development Tracks also reflect many of the Association’s Communities. Learning more about both of these allow you to curate your personal professional development experience and make the most of your membership.
Education & Science
Targeted Communities: Arts & Exhibitions, College & University Gardens, Development & Membership, Education, Food & Agriculture, Guest Services, International Gardens, Marketing & Communications, Plant Conservation, Technology & Innovation Professionals, and Volunteer Engagement
Public gardens bring science to life for so many audiences, with interpretation, education, and communication programs that impact communities in and outside of the garden gates. How are you communicating your conservation, collections, and research in collaboration with others? How do you catalyze visitors to become action-oriented toward conservation and stewardship in the face of climate change? How do you measure the impact on your diverse audiences through all communication channels?
Garden Management
Targeted Communities: All Communities
Envisioning the next generation garden through successful leadership, at all levels, will take an institution and its staff to new heights and foster organizational excellence. How do you cultivate new talent, know when strategies have been successful, or apply cutting-edge ideas to economic, environmental, and social sectors? How do you determine strategic imperatives and ensure the success of new initiatives while increasing the relevancy and viability of your garden?
Horticulture
Targeted Communities: Arts & Exhibitions, Design & Planning, Food & Agriculture, Historic Landscapes, Horticulture, Greenhouse, & Facilities, Native Plants, and Plant Collections
Our gardens are defined by many diverse factors, which include history, art, architecture, exhibitions, garden design, plant selection, best horticultural practices, sustainable landscapes, food gardens, pollinator habitat and other ecosystem services, accessibility, and sustainable operations and facilities. What makes your gardens and landscapes come alive for visitors? What sets them apart? The garden, in all its essence, is the foundation of this track.
Plant Curation & Conservation
Targeted Communities: Horticulture, Greenhouses, & Facilities, Native Plants, Plant Collections, Plant Conservation, Plant Nomenclature & Taxonomy, and Technology & Innovation Professionals
Public gardens work on the leading edge to document and preserve plant diversity. Preparing for immediate and long-range climate change requires strength of vision and offers opportunities for great innovation. How is your garden a champion for the plant kingdom? Using technology and innovation to sustain the wealth of your data? Crossing departmental lines to share your conservation victories? Bring your questions and your proposed solutions.
Public Engagement
Targeted Communities: Arts & Exhibitions, College & University Gardens, Design & Planning, Development & Membership, Finance & Operations, Guest Services, Marketing & Communications, Small Gardens, Volunteer Engagement
People are at the heart of every fiscally sustainable public garden. Good partnerships, whether with the public, your member base, volunteers, sponsors, or other institutions, bring more opportunities for outreach and funding. What creative means have you applied towards recruiting for and strengthening workplace diversity? How have institutional friendships and collaborations enriched your garden’s continued well-being and the economic health and resilience of the greater community?
