A Peer Learning Group for Botanic Garden and Arboretum Education Professionals
Climate change is a major global challenge impacting plants–from the food we eat to the trees that cool our communities. At the same time, plants play a central role in many solutions that scientists and communities around the world are using to address climate change. Educating public audiences about the connection between plants and climate change can help cultivate scientifically-informed understandings of the importance of plants in the context of our changing world.
Given their unique resources, including diverse living collections, plant scientists and research networks, and plant science educators and communicators, botanic gardens and arboreta have rich potential to engage the public with climate change through the lens of plants.
The U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) and the American Public Gardens Association (the Association) are engaging cohorts of peer institutions interested in exploring how botanic gardens and arboreta can maximize the impact of a plant-centered climate change education niche. This peer learning group, Plants and Climate Change Education (PLACCE), is dedicated to learning together; creating and testing plant-centered climate change education models; and sharing new understandings, resources, and best practices across the public gardens community.
Join us for a virtual summit
September 2, 2026 | 12:00-4:00 PM (ET)
Join fellow educators for a free half-day climate change education virtual summit. Through presentations of on-the-ground program models and opportunities for peer conversation, explore solutions-oriented ways to foster climate change learning in diverse contexts, including public gardens and other informal science education spaces. Leave with new ideas and connections to support climate change learning.
This event is FREE to attend. Registration and tentative schedule are available now!
