NSF grant to protect the MBC plant collection

National Science Foundation

Montgomery Botanical Center has rare living collections that are utilized by scientists all over the world for scientific research. The collections have supported many National Science Foundation funded researchers as well.

MBC is located in a hurricane prone region and one thing the collection was missing was an automatic generator system to protect the nursery complex and pollen bank during blackouts. The National Science Foundation answered our request and is providing Montgomery Botanical Center with generator systems for the Chris Tyson Plant Conservation Building – where our cryogenic freezer is located – and the Loyd G. Kelly Conservation Nursery – where our youngest and most vulnerable plants are grown.

The National Science Foundation provided MBC with a -80 freezer in 2012. Luckily, we have not had any hurricanes since acquiring the freezer, but with the addition of the generator system, we can now protect our pollen collection indefinitely, making it available for research and conservation.

Please join us in thanking the National Science Foundation for supporting the equipment needed to protect our plant collections.