Alaska Botanical Garden, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
ABG hosts horticultural and botanical educational programs, events, conferences, and workshops for adults and children. We train local volunteers in horticultural practices. We engage in and collaborate on research and conservation projects.
Summer Camp
By growing an edible garden, youth in Alaska Botanical Garden's Summer Camp program will learn about gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind.
Annual Spring Garden Conference
Each Spring, ABG hosts an informative, all-day series of lectures and workshops by garden experts, open to the public. Topics presented by Alaskan experts include: vermicomposting, landscaping with edible plants, gardening with native plants, vegetable and herb gardening, poisonous & medicinal plants in garden design, plant propagation, and much more! An inspiring keynote by a renowned guest speaker rounds out the Conference and the ABG Annual Meeting. Keynote speakers have included Lee Reich, Paul Stamets, Sally Cunningham, Toby Hemenway, and Eliot Coleman.
Environmental Education Programs for Children & Youth
ABG hosts field trips to teach K-12 school children about plants, soil, and nature. These programs are designed to “get kids into the woods” to explore the natural world and spark an interest in the environment. The “Schools-in-the-Garden” curriculum was formulated by an avid gardener who taught for years in the Anchorage School District. “Storytime in the Garden” and “Discovery Duffels” (available for “check out” at the ABG Shop-in-the-Garden), are popular with families with young children.In recent years, the community demand for these environmental education programs is expected to continue increasing exponentially. ABG has hosted hundreds of children from Campfire, Southcentral Foundation’s “Raise Healthy Kids” program, Trailside Discovery, Alaska Children’s Services, Northstar Behavioral Treatment Center, McLaughlin Youth Center, charter schools, Denali Family Services, Anchorage School District, Montessori schools, and a variety of local day camps. For older youth learning job skills, ABG partners with Nine Star Enterprises on workforce development training apprenticeships.
Educational Series: Lectures & Workshops
ABG hosts inspiring lectures and workshops year-round. Recent speakers include fungi expert Paul Stamets, author Tracy DiSabato-Aust, Horticulturist Dr. Alan Armitage, plantsman Dan Hinkley, renowned botanist Dr. Peter Raven, and author Lee Reich. Other examples include “mushroom walks” with local fungi experts and botanical illustration workshops.
Horticultural Research
Plant Preservation
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta 2012
External reviews

Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
-To educate and inspire the Alaskan public about gardening and the importance of environmental stewardship and plant preservation
-To provide an enjoyable visitation and recreational experience for the public - Alaskans and visitors alike
-To further the preservation and stewardship of high-latitude, circumpolar, boreal forest zone plant species
-To conduct horticultural and botanical research to further knowledge about gardening in the far north, and about high-latitude, circumpolar, boreal forest zone plant species
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
-Develop & conduct educational programs, from adult lectures, workshops, and Conferences, to children's day camps, field trips and events
-Conduct horticultural and botanical research trials and collaborate / participate in partners' research and preservation projects
-Develop & maintain hardy perennial and annual display gardens consistent with gardening, horticultural, and agricultural "best practices" for the Boreal forest zone
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
-effective, appropriate partnerships, both within the community and extending to the international community of botanic garden colleagues
-few, but well-trained professional staff with appropriate horticultural, education, administrative, and fundraising skills
-strong support from volunteers and community groups
-an active, engaged, and supportive Board of Directors
-appropriate plans and policies for governance
-effective, professional, systems for operations, programs, facilities, fundraising and administration
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Garden is making progress towards the development of infrastructure and gardens identified in the Master Plan; however many gardens and a Visitor-Education Center remain to be built, along with greenhouses and additional public amenities.
The Garden has been putting in place effective, professional systems in all areas of operations. We continue to work on building organizational capacity and implementing appropriate systems and staffing.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Alaska Botanical Garden, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/01/2022
Elaine Junge
Jeff Lowenfels
Steve Hennig
U.S. Forest Service
Susan Brusehaber
Anchorage School District
William Schmid
Accounting & Forensic Services
Emily Wiswesser
Janelle Pfleiger
Cathy Sage