As part of a five-year Strategic Plan, American Public Gardens Association reveals a fresh new look for its North American Plant Collections Consortium program.
The American Public Gardens Association has turned over a new leaf by creating a stronger, more inclusive brand to help raise awareness for the Association and its programs while promoting its membership and fostering partnership opportunities. Inclusive branding serves to support the Association’s national and international presence and in turn its member gardens. Ultimately, more effective and connected brand visibility will support the Association in championing its vision to create “a world where public gardens are indispensable.”
Plant Collections Network Manager, Pam Allenstein, says “we’re seizing this opportunity to simplify the program’s name and integrate it within the Association’s overall identity to engage a wide audience. These changes will build awareness of this core program and provide enhanced recognition of the valuable contributions made by public gardens stewarding exemplary plant collections.”
Small changes, big impact — As part of this effort, the Association has renamed its flagship program, North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC), to Plant Collections Network. The important plants and plant collections conserved by the Plant Collections Network benefit the American Public Gardens Association’s member gardens and the rest of the world. The brand refresh ably serves the program’s vital role as a network of public gardens setting high standards for plant collections management and coordinating a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation. The new program name and visual identity were designed to elevate the Plant Collections Network by making its mission easier to communicate and more immediately understood by program participants and the general public. The accessible name Plant Collections Network speaks for itself and offers immediate wide-ranging appeal.
Along with the new moniker, Plant Collections Network has adopted a unifying Association-wide logo that clearly identifies it as a program of the American Public Gardens Association. The new name and logo successfully represent the network as a dynamic, collaborative community sharing time, expertise, research, and plants.
Highlighting Exemplary Collections – Participation in the program serves as the recognized standard for excellence in plant collections management, demonstrating a garden’s enduring commitment to global efforts to save plants. To highlight exemplary collections which have successfully undergone a rigorous application and peer review process, plant collections accredited by the Plant Collections Network will now be identified as Nationally Accredited Plant Collections—a title that lends immediate understanding and relevance to the importance of the collections. These accredited collections will also be designated with a unique mark that visually represents the accreditation status.
According to the Plant Collections Network Vice-Chair Sarah Hedean, “In the last few years, I’ve seen the program evolve to become the pinnacle accreditation standard for public garden collections. As Nationally Accredited Plant Collection holders, program participants can leverage this stamp of approval to their stakeholders to advance collection curation, funding and public outreach. I believe the brand refresh represents the way forward for the Program’s continued momentum and relevance to the public garden community.”
ABOUT PLANT COLLECTIONS NETWORK
Plant Collections Network coordinates a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation, and promotes excellence in plant collections management. The Network, originally known as the North American Plant Collections Consortium, accredited its first collections in 1996. Today, Plant Collections Network includes 80 accredited collections throughout North America, stewarded by 75 participating institutions. The broad spectrum of collections is reflective of the diversity found within the American Public Gardens Association’s 585+ member institutions. The Plant Collections Network is a long-term collaboration between the American Public Gardens Association and the USDA–Agricultural Research Service.
Nationally Accredited Plant Collections may serve as references for plant identification and cultivar registration. Collection holders make germplasm available for taxonomic studies, evaluation, breeding, and other research. Participating institutions compare holdings with others to identify duplications and gaps. This makes efficient use of available resources, strengthening collections through combined collaborative activities. Participation in the Plant Collections Network serves as the recognized standard for excellence in plant collections management, demonstrating a garden’s enduring commitment to global efforts to save plants.
ABOUT AMERICAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1940, The American Public Gardens Association is the leading professional organization for the field of public horticulture. We advance the field by encouraging best practices, offering educational and networking opportunities, and advocating on behalf of our members, our programs and public gardens worldwide. We work together with our members and others to strengthen and shape public horticulture, providing the tools and support industry professionals need to better serve the public while preserving and celebrating plants creatively and sustainably. Since 1940, we have been committed to increasing cooperation and awareness among gardens. Our members include more than 585 institutions, spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and 24 countries. Our members include, but are not limited to, botanic gardens, arboreta, zoos, museums, colleges and universities, display gardens, and research facilities.
American Public Gardens Association serves public gardens and advances them as leaders, advocates, and innovators. The Association’s vision is to create a world where public gardens are indispensable. Visit www.publicgardens.org for more information.
