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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
REQUESTING AN UPDATE TO THE BOTANIC GARDEN COMMITTEE ON CURRENT PROGRAMS AND FUTURE VISIONS OF THE CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden opened more than 50 years ago, as a garden for all; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden has since matured into one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden today consists of 28 gardens and four natural areas that are uniquely situated on 385 acres on and around nine islands and six miles of lake shoreline; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden is the proud home to the Lenhardt Library, containing 150,000 items-including one of the nation's best collections of rare botanical books, and nine laboratories at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center where scientists and graduate students alike conduct a wide variety of plant research; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden maintains engaging relationships with more than 60,000 members - one of the largest memberships of any botanic garden in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden today is an example of a successful public-private partnership, as it is owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and operated by the Chicago Horticultural Society; and
WHEREAS, the Garden sees more than one million visitors annually; and
WHEREAS, the Garden is helmed by seasoned cultural institution leader Gretchen Baker, who stepped into the role of President and CEO of the Garden following Jean Franczyk’s retirement in March of 2026; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Forest Preserves of Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby request that an update during the September 2026 Botanic Garden Committee meeting on current programming and the future vision for the Garden; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the senior staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden will appear before the Committee for this hearing prepared to present and answer questions from Committee members.end