The National Arboretum needs help

An email came into my mailbox this morning about the funding cuts at the National Arboretum. As with many government programs, budget cuts seem to hit those areas that serve the public rather than business and this attempt is no exception. Of the cuts, the Garden Unit and Education and Visitor Unit funding is being told specifically to bear the brunt of the cuts while the reasearch groups get to maintain their previous level of funding. This is totally against the dictate by which the arboretum was set up. That mandate says that the National Arbortum should provide research AND public education. With massive cuts in the public side of the equation the grounds and public outreach programs would likely become a shoddy reflection of what they could be. With so many land grant universities that are also able to do research, the specific studies that require to be in this location are few. For many years the National Arboretum has housed the National Herb Garden which was funded by the Herb society of America and donated to the nation fifty years ago. Members of the Herb Society help maintain the garden, but cannot do all the work. The staff cuts have had a direct impact on this garden. The Arboretum also houses the National Bonsai colletion and the old columns from the Capital building. If you have every been to the Arboretum you know what a serene and beautiful place it is. So please bug your local congressperson to halt these devastating cuts so that the gardens can be maintained and the educational programs can continue.