''Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace impatience and intolerance with understanding and compassion.'' Dr. Jane Goodall *
Sanctuary Gardens will be a privately operated ecological garden open to the public, dedicated to study and respect for nature. This scientific arts complex will consist mostly of open land in the Washington DC area. The gardens will feature a number of horticultural and nature attractions that will bring visitors from around the world. This outdoor facility will benefit the local community by providing jobs as well as promoting ecological stewardship of local natural resources.
The Gardens will include landscapes designed to increase biodiversity, especially native plants and birds. Paths will lead visitors through areas where they can see bird and wildlife habitat gardens, native plant gardens, and ecological demonstration gardens. The gardens will be a role model of good environmental land use, thereby improving air and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
In addition to the ecological gardens, the facility will include a number of other attractions, such as a bookstore, restaurant, gift shop, a retail plant center specializing in native plants, and two movie theatres that will show environmental films and videos on a daily basis. All buildings would be built according to strict aesthetic and environmental standards, making them a major part of the garden experience, through their artistry and environmental engineering.
The gardens will provide numerous educational experiences for students from throughout the state and region. The combination of a living outdoor classroom, two theatres, and more in an artistic, natural setting will be ideal for creating a stimulating learning environment. With an emphasis on study and respect for nature, the gardens will give schools opportunities to teach science, math, social studies, art, physical education, etc. Art and design will be an important part of the project. Throughout its mission to educate and inspire respect for nature, the garden will possess a unique creative style in the design of its ecological buildings and landscapes. Besides the ornamental attraction of the plants in the ecological gardens, there will be art shows, sculpture installations, and earthworks related to nature.
Sanctuary Gardens will provide a rich experience for the thousands of people that will visit each year. Using a natural outdoor setting as its backdrop, this exciting new scientific arts complex will increase appreciation and compassion for the environment through example and education.
Sanctuary Gardens is a project of the Institute for Creative Ecology. For further information contact:
Alan C. Kettler, Director
6928 Meade St, Pittsburgh, Pa 15208
412.877.3546
*Quote courtesy of the Jane Goodall Institute, www.janegoodall.org.