Institute of Museum and Library ServicesThe U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded Montgomery Botanical Center a generous federal grant to support collections stewardship.

This grant will fund research to develop a plan for managing MBC’s population-based collection of cycads, a group of woody plants found in the subtropical and tropical parts of the world and at risk for extinction.

The collaborative project team will use proven genetic assay techniques to assess the genetic diversity of a botanic garden cycad collection, and then incorporate this information into collections planning for future work devoted to cycad and palm conservation.

Project results will be shared broadly with plant researchers, botanical gardens, research facilities, and the public through websites, tours, educational programming, conferences, reports, and scientific and popular publications.

Montgomery will partner with the USDA Agricultural Research Service Subtropical Horticulture Research Station and Botanic Gardens Conservation International U.S. (BGCI U.S.) to conduct this research, which will directly improve the management of MBC’s Cycad Collection, and help other botanic garden conservation efforts.