In a city known more for its urban landscape than its greenery, the Lincoln Park Zoo has carved out a verdant niche that's turning heads—or should I say, tending fronds? As of this week, the zoo is no longer just a haven for animal enthusiasts, thanks to its latest commendation as an accredited botanic garden by Botanic Gardens Conservation International, as per FOX 32 Chicago.
This new accreditation isn't a mere pat on the back but an acknowledgment of Lincoln Park Zoo's significant efforts in leading conservation and sustainability, according to the unstinting Katrina Quint, the zoo's Director of Horticulture. With over 1,800 plant taxa making a home on its 49 acres, which includes its unique Nature Boardwalk, the zoo is playing both sanctuary and scientist with tasks like caring for North America's only accredited perennial herbaceous hibiscus, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
Don't let the animal's roar distract you from the whisper of leaves; in April, Lincoln Park Zoo also achieved a Level III arboretum accreditation with ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, a growing testament to its horticultural might, as lpzoo.org informs us. This upgrade signals a zoo that's not just content with curating fauna but also flora, with public programs and vigorous plant conservation efforts that belie the quaint notion of what a zoo typically brings to mind.
It seems like just yesterday in 2019; they grabbed a Level II accreditation for their burgeoning plant program – now they've got 517 woody plant taxa and a parade of hydrangeas numbering 548 plants across 35 taxa, according to Lincoln Park Zoo. With six full-time horticulturalists and a small army of volunteers, this zoo's green thumbs are showing. But it's not all about the in-house greenery—Lincoln Park Zoo’s conservation and education initiatives spilling out into the community, an effort to make every leaf count both locally and globally—a goal they're absolutely flourishing in, they announced.
