SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE HIGHLANDS BIOLOGICAL STATION LANDSCAPE
The Highlands Biological Station has long been a place where science, education, and natural beauty meet. Our Gardens & Grounds Roadmap is a living guide for the next five years—a vision for how we care for, enhance, and share these remarkable spaces.
From native plant conservation to public engagement, each goal and action in this roadmap reflects a simple belief: that thoughtful stewardship connects people more deeply to the natural world. Together with our partners, volunteers, and visitors, we’re working to ensure that HBS remains a world-class destination for field research, learning, and discovery—a place where the mountains themselves continue to inspire curiosity and care.
ROADMAP
COMMITTEE REPORTS
PLANT COLLECTIONS
Goal: The Highlands Botanical Gardens features native plants presented in natural habitat gardens as a resource for public education and research. These gardens also serve as ecological preserves of native flora of the Highlands Plateau and the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Highlands Botanical Gardens features numerous native plant demonstration gardens for the education and pleasure of visitors.
Implement the HBS Living Collections Policy (May 2020) including a modern, comprehensive, public database for plants in the collection. Priority
The HBS Living Collections Policy was approved by the Highlands Biological Station and Board of Directors in March 2020. Processes need to be implemented for plant acquisitions, plant inventory, plant records (accessioning and deaccessioning), and collections evaluation.
Develop a HBS conservation mission statement and implementation program. Priority
The conservation of imperiled native plants is multifaceted and includes protecting wild populations, maintaining conservation collections in gardens, conducting research, seed banking, and reintroductions to the wild. Plant conservation often involves networks of scientists and practitioners. See “CPC Best Plant Conservation Practices to Support Species Survival in the Wild” by the Center for Plant Conservation.
The Highlands Botanical Gardens includes over 30 rare plants. A conservation mission statement will articulate the desired plant conservation role of the HBS. The mission will inform specific conservation approaches that can be implemented by the HBS.
Determine how to add research and teaching value to the garden and grounds. Ongoing
Ongoing activities include participation in the Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship project with the Southern Appalachian Raptor Research program, and the establishment of permanent vegetation plots. Consult with HBS instructors and researchers who use the gardens to understand garden areas most important to them and things that would add value to those areas.
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT
Goal: Maintain and enhance the grounds.
Support bridge, boardwalks, and bench design and identify funds for replacements and create documented standards for primary and secondary trails to ensure the safety of visitors and the integrity of gardens and collections. (See HBS Campus Appropriate Use Policy, November 2020). Priority
Document standards for bridges, boardwalks, and trails. The standards should be consistent with the HBS Campus Appropriate Use Policy and thus balance the needs to ensure the safety of visitors, the integrity of the gardens, and the protection of the collections. Evaluate bridges and any needs to replace or enhance them. Evaluate primary and secondary trails and enhance as needed. The HBS Strategic Priority Action Plan (May 2020) includes: “Continue to enhance trails and signage in the Botanical Garden.”
Continue pursuing National Historic Register designation for Clark Foreman Museum and/or HBS campus as a whole. Ongoing
Included in the HBS Strategic Priority Action Plan (May 2020): “The Clark Foreman Museum (Nature Center) is a historically significant, WPA-built, structure. Accordingly, having the building recognized on the National Register would be a feather in the cap of the Station, raising the profile of the Station and University by underscoring its long history. Note: An initial site visit with Preservation Specialists with the NC State Historic Preservation Office took place in August 2019. HBS leadership will work with WCU faculty member Dr. J. Swigger (Assoc. Prof., Public History, WCU) to initiate the research phase and involve students.”
Develop and implement a storm water management plan for the grounds. Ongoing
The HBS has implemented a number of mitigation steps to redirect storm water that is negatively impacting buildings, walkways, and demonstration gardens. Additional steps are being evaluated. A storm water management plan would document the schedule of ongoing actions needed to maintain the mitigation steps.
Assess and maintain water quality in the streams and lake. Ongoing
Water quality monitoring equipment is being installed in the lake to measure dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, and conductivity.
HORTICULTURAL MANAGEMENT
Goal: Maintain and enhance the gardens.
Identify funding mechanisms to obtain additional support for maintaining and enhancing the gardens and grounds through HBF, grants, gifts, and hosting garden-specific events. Priority
Several HBS Roadmap priority actions will require significant funding. The feasibility of achieving these HBS Roadmap priority actions will be enhanced by identifying a broader portfolio of potential funding mechanisms. This could include identifying means to better communicate needs to potential supporters/funders (e.g., list resource needs and costs on HBS webpage).
Implement and update the non-native invasive plant management program. Ongoing
An Invasive Plant Management Plan was developed by a garden intern in the summer of 2019. There is significant ongoing activity to eradicate non-native invasive plants in the gardens and grounds. The management plan needs to be updated and maintained.
Develop management plans for sensitive garden areas and plants, such as the bog, rock outcrop garden, and Hemlock trees, including an evaluation and treatment database. Priority
There are several sensitive areas of the garden that require expert management to protect the integrity and health of the collections. The continuity of the management would benefit from written management plans including the garden needs, specific activities, schedule of activities, and documentation. The expert panel of botanists who participated in the Highlands Botanical Gardens Forum identified “improving the collections and presentation at the Bog Garden” as a priority project. They also reached a consensus that “future management of the garden will take into consideration the current value and importance of the collection and its presentation while implementing improvements aimed at enhancing diversity, resilience, authenticity, education, and aesthetics.”
Provide maintenance guides for the landscaped gardens to assist volunteers and assistants working with the HBS Horticultural Specialist. Priority
Volunteers have developed maintenance checklists for new demonstration gardens developed in 2019 and 2020. Similar checklists or guides for existing demonstration gardens would assist in the training of new volunteers.
Enhance volunteer opportunities to work in the landscaped gardens (See HBS Campus Appropriate Use Policy). Ongoing
There is an ongoing, dedicated group of Botanical Garden Volunteers who help the HBS maintain and enhance the gardens. This informal program could be enhanced by providing more opportunities, additional outreach to attract more volunteers, tracking of volunteer hours, and recognition.
Provide assistantships / internships related to work in the gardens to increase opportunities for a more diverse group of participants. Ongoing
The HBS has an ongoing program to provide assistantships/internships to students. Efforts to increase opportunities that will attract a more diverse group of participants will support the HBS Strategic Priority Action Plan (May 2020) action to “Develop / promote mechanisms to increase diversity among Station users.”
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Goal: Inspire understanding and appreciation of the rich natural heritage of the Highlands Plateau and southern Appalachian Mountains.
Create an entry and “Gateway Garden” next to the Clark Foreman Museum to provide an orientation to the natural history of Highlands Plateau and HBS gardens and grounds employing a historical landscape architect. Priority
Improve the visitor experience when entering the gardens at the Clark Foreman Museum (i.e. Nature Center). Design and install a “Discovery” or “Gateway Garden” in the space adjacent to the west side of the Museum to serve as an entry garden and orientation space that is universally accessible and introduces visitors to the HBS and the gardens. This “Exploratorium” could function as an outdoor extension of the Museum. This space could be an accessible and multi-sensory garden with a sculptural focal point with a model of the Highlands escarpment and an education focal point with interpretive information regarding regional geology, ecology, and biodiversity. This project could also include reestablishing a primary walkway leading to the Woodland Way garden and core (historical) Botanical Gardens entrance. Funding is needed to retain a Historical Landscape Architect to design this new entry garden while maintaining the integrity of the Clark Foreman Museum and amphitheater. The participants of the Highlands Botanical Gardens Forum of May 2015 identified the top priority near-term project to “enhance the entry corridor leading to the garden from the Nature Center.”
Develop a comprehensive plan for interpretation including content, signage, and technology to educate visitors about the station and gardens. Priority
Enhance the educational value of the gardens for visitors. Develop creative ways to integrate education into the garden. Develop interpretive content for each garden section. Consider a range of appropriate methods and technologies to reach a diverse audience. A comprehensive plan will facilitate implementation of this long-discussed need. The expert panel of botanists who participated in the Highlands Botanical Gardens Forum agreed that “education is the highest and best use for the Highlands Botanical Gardens.”
Determine appropriate trail and garden names in specific areas to assist with interpretation and wayfinding and to honor individuals who were instrumental in creating the Historic Garden. Priority
The naming of trails and gardens will assist with interpretation and wayfinding. Experts in wayfinding could be engaged to assist the HBS in developing a comprehensive wayfinding strategy for the gardens and grounds. The HBS Strategic Priority Action Plan of May 2020 includes the priority for “a standardized system of wayfinding.”
Work with other HBS planning and advisory committees, such as the HBS Education Planning and Advisory Committee, to develop conferences, blogs, postings, workshops and other events documenting the value of the gardens and grounds. Priority
The participants in the Highlands Botanical Gardens Forum discussed how enhanced outreach can connect the public with the garden and further realize its educational value. They suggested that “outreach might include the publication of articles, offering more education programs for different audiences, and ensuring that we are reaching groups that might be interested in participating in what the garden has to offer.” The HBS and Botanical Gardens and Grounds Planning and Advisory Committee has discussed the desire to recreate a native plant conference/symposium.