FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM

Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) serves as the primary private partner of the U.S. National Arboretum
(USNA) in Washington, D.C. We are the bridge between the USNA and D.C. residents. We value land, learning, collaboration, responsiveness, antiracism, experiential learning, solidarity and joy. For all who visit, our mission is to preserve and enhance this vibrant public space and facilitate experiential programs that instill a love of plants, nature, and the outdoors. For 50 years, our education programs at Washington Youth Garden have nurtured curious minds and healthy bodies by connecting youth to food, the land, and each other. Today, those education programs extend beyond the grounds of the Arboretum to reach thousands of students in D.C. Title 1 schools each year.

Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) activities fall within four main focus areas:
1. Youth Education: We facilitate inclusive and diverse youth education programs that connect the community with food, science, and public green-space at the Arboretum. These include preserving and improving the Washington Youth Garden, cultivating fresh produce, supporting school garden programs, providing a paid high school internship program, and facilitating educational activities to students at the Arboretum. In 2021 these programs reached 7,642 students, mostly from Title 1 schools. We distributed 5,745 pounds of produce to school families and hunger relief organizations.
2. Visitors programs: We coordinate visitor programs that connect people to the Arboretum, such as concerts, evening hikes, and a weekly newsletter. In 2021, we eliminated the financial barrier for people to access our forest bathing mindfulness program by implementing a “pay what you can” ticket model. For the first time, we offered nine spring yoga classes with Bluebird Sky Yoga and hosted two outdoor Movies in the Meadow. We also offered more after-hours photography workshops this year with Capital Photography Center. Partnering with Pacers Running allowed us to host 224 runners during our Fall 5K.
3. Environmental Preservation: We support environmental preservation, such as by restoring the Springhouse Run watershed and coordinating volunteers to remove invasive species.
4. Advocacy: We support the USNA by advocating for improved access and city and federal government relationships. We are working with Arboretum staff to secure funding for a new entrance on Bladensburg Road, and met with Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton’s staff to discuss options for federal appropriations. We are in the preliminary design phase to re-open the historic M-street gate and moving toward a Section 106 Environmental and Historical Review. We also are working to secure the necessary government approval to commence work on a canopy trail attraction at the Arboretum.

To meet our goals, we have well-trained staff, an active board, a strong membership program, and healthy finances. Since our founding in 1982, we have helped to keep the Arboretum open to the public during government budget cuts, conserved the historical capitol columns and azalea gardens, and provided programming and visitors services for tens of thousands of local residents and tourists. For nearly five decades our education program, Washington Youth Garden, has been the primary provider of youth-oriented programs and displays in the U.S. National Arboretum. In addition to many years of organizational experience and community building, our partnership with the U.S. National Arboretum provides us with significant benefits, such as horticultural expertise and the use of essential infrastructure such as greenhouses and office space, land for our Demonstration Garden, and utilities.

7,580 pounds of fruits and vegetables were grown and harvested from WYG in 2022. During the school year, we shared this produce with students who visited the garden on field trips and with local families through distributions at five of our program partner schools in Northeast DC. During the summer, our produce reached local families through distributions at two Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School sites and DC Central Kitchen.

The Green Ambassador Program (GAP) provided 19 youth with year-round employment and development opportunities related to food and agriculture. The participants each spent about 140 to 200 hours, depending on their positions, working in Washington Youth Garden and developing hands-on skills.

During the 2021-22 school year, our School Garden Support Programs served 7,642 youth in Washington, DC. These programs empower educators to better connect students to garden-based education through professional development opportunities, field trips to Washington Youth Garden, school events, and in-person classroom support.

The Educator Coaching Program (ECP), worked with teams of educators and administrators from 12 Title 1 schools in wards 4, 5, 7, and 8. Our vision is that school gardens and healthy, local food become a fundamental part of every school, led by the school community, and integrated into a school’s culture and learning environment. Each school begins the ECP with a needs analysis to identify three to four goals unique to them. FONA staff then tailor its support to fit each school’s unique needs.

The 5th annual Summer Institute for Garden-based Teaching brought 32 teachers from 13 schools together for a four-day-long training at WYG. Educators learned how to create an outdoor learning program, manage school gardens, and facilitate garden-based activities. They attended workshops in Washington Youth Garden and visited established school gardens around DC to see how different schools have implemented garden programs.

After the program, all of the participants felt confident in their ability to create standards-based, developmentally appropriate, and seasonal garden lessons and were excited to use experiential outdoor learning in their school. Teachers also noted a large increase in the number of garden lessons they planned to teach in the 2022-23 school year, compared to the previous year.

With our increased focus on teacher professional development and support for the full school garden community, our direct education efforts shifted to become as much about offering experiences for students as they were about coaching and modeling garden-based education for teachers. To that end, we hosted 634 students from around the DC region on interactive field trips in Washington Youth Garden. We also co-taught 122 hands-on lessons about plant parts, soil, and compost with teachers in our partner schools. We gave 545 [email protected] kits to teachers in the DC region for the third school year in a row.