NORTHAMPTON, Ma. – August 29, 2024 — The Botanic Garden of Smith College recently welcomed John Berryhill as its new director. Berryhill has been serving as interim director since January as part of a career at the botanic garden that began more than 27 years ago. He brings to this role an in-depth understanding of the botanic garden, a steadfast dedication to its mission, and a strong commitment to the partnerships that are at the center of its work.
Berryhill has worked in many different roles during his tenure — as a garden steward tending to the outdoor collections, as an arborist caring for the historic arboretum, and most recently as landscape curator managing the outdoor team and launching several conservation initiatives. These projects and priorities have connected Smith students to the work of the botanic garden community at both a regional and national scale.
“This moment has allowed me to see the amazing transformation that our team of staff and students here have crafted together with a new sense of clarity and deep gratitude,” Berryhill said. “We should all be very proud that this beloved institution continues to be a celebration of both Smith’s cherished history as well as values and priorities that are at the heart of our mission today.”
In the summer of 2022, Berryhill earned a master’s degree from Smith, making him the first Smithie to serve as director of the botanic garden. His research focused on the mountain magnolia’s vulnerability to climate change, which led to the development of a conservation collection at Smith College. He has long been a proponent of social and environmental justice being central to the botanic garden’s work. This priority has led to outreach and collaborations with local Indigenous leadership and conservation organizations, which will help shape the future direction of the Botanic Garden of Smith College.
“I am constantly reminded in my conversations with both today’s students and alums that it is not simply the presence of the plants in our collections, but the work we choose to do with them that will define us,” Berryhill said.
