The Garden is a living laboratory for university teaching and research. Students and faculty utilize the collections and natural plant communities for studies in a variety of disciplines including plant reproductive biology, vegetation analysis, ecosystem studies, plant pathology, horticultural trials, museum studies, environmental design, and anthropology. The Garden's research staff maintains active research programs that focus on rare and endangered species of the Southeast and conservation of native species of medicinal plants.

Torreya taxifolia Florida Torreya

Many of the garden's research activities are performed in collaboration with the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance (GPCA). This is a nationally recognized network of botanical gardens, state and federal agencies, universities, and conservation organizations working together on a variety of plant conservation and environmental education programs in the state. Garden staff participate in numerous GPCA projects including restoration of habitat for the federally endangered Smooth Purple Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata), development of the SERPIN website (Southeast Rare Plant Information Network), protection of the endangered Florida Torreya, pitcherplant bog restoration, germination studies of rare species endemic to granite rock outcrops, and propagation of Carolina Hemlocks. For more than ten years GPCA has enabled our garden to combine research efforts with other conservation professionals around the state, and coordination of the organization remains one of our highest priorities.

The Garden also manages the Botanical Guardians program. This is a state-wide network of volunteers that locates "lost" populations of rare plants and monitors known populations to ensure they are properly managed. The Garden's research staff also grows plants in our outdoor propagation area for reintroduction and conservation education projects in collaboration with the Georgia Natural Heritage Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Botanical Garden research program has published the book Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia. In addition to descriptive text summarizing species characteristics and management recommendations, the field guide features beautiful photographs and original line drawings of 200 rare, threatened, and endangered Georgia plant species, utilizing the most comprehensive and current data available from the State Heritage Program, GPCA, and other sources.

The research and conservation staff of the Garden has worked closely with the education staff to develop the Endangered Plants Stewardship Network (EPSN). This is a teacher training program that emphasizes rare plants, threatened habitats, and conservation biology as a training ground for science education.

University of Georgia graduate students supervised by Garden staff and supported by the Garden's graduate assistantship have completed Masters and Ph.D. programs in the Department of Horticulture and the Institute of Ecology. Research projects have focused on the population genetics, reproductive biology, germination requirements, environmental physiology, and tissue culture of rare plants. Several students have pursued studies of medicinal and aromatic plant species including Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citriodora).

Jardín Botánico Miguel Culaciati in Huerta Grande, Córdoba, Argentina

The Garden is a member of Botanic Garden Conservation International and works closely with two botanical gardens in Latin America. We have a sister garden in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, the Jardín Botánico Miguel Culaciati. This partnership has involved several staff exchanges and collaboration on medicinal plant conservation and environmental education projects. The Garden's research staff are playing a leadership role in developing a new botanical garden on the campus of the University of Georgia's San Luis Research Station in the Monteverde cloud forest region of Costa Rica. We are also collaborating with a local non-profit organization in Monteverde (ProNativas) to select, propagate, and evaluate native Costa Rican species with ornamental potential.

Students and faculty are encouraged to contact the Director of Research at the Garden for further information concerning academic use of the Garden facilities. Inquiries concerning conservation programs should be directed to the Conservation Coordinator.

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Echinacea laevigata

Pitcherplant and a friend