The conservation program at Lauritzen Gardens is dedicated to the conservation of plants, the advancement of conservation principles and the stewardship of the region's biological diversity.  

  

The conservation discovery garden visually weaves this mission into the landscape of Lauritzen Gardens. Through the garden's diverse plant communities, water conservation features, native plantings and interpretive signage, we hope to inspire a love of the land and foster a sustainable relationship between people and nature.  

  

Lauritzen Gardens is committed to caring for our place on the planet.  The conservation discovery garden displays practices we are using to safeguard the natural environment. 

  

·         We protect the health of local streams through plantings that filter stormwater runoff. 

·         We capture rainfall and use it to help irrigate our plantings. 

·         We use less water by growing trees and other plants that are native to our region. 

·         We use horticulture—the science and art of growing plants—as a tool to conserve endangered plants. 

  

The following organizations and agencies are suggested for more information, ideas and inspiration. 

  

Conserving water in the landscape (rain gardens, rainwater harvesting and other ideas) 

  

Groundwater Foundation   http://www.groundwater.org/  

  

Omaha Stormwater Program   http://www.omahastormwater.org/  

  

Rainscaping Iowa   http://rainscapingiowa.org/  

  

University of Nebraska-Lincoln   http://water.unl.edu/landscapes  

  

Wild Ones (landscaping with native plants)   http://www.wildones.org/  

  

Native plants, prairies and woodlands 

  

Iowa Prairie Network   http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/  

  

The Nature Conservancy   http://www.nature.org/  

  

Nebraska FloraSearch   http://citnews.unl.edu/florasearch/what.shtml  

  

The Prairie Ecologist   http://prairieecologist.com/  

  

Prairie Plains Resource Institute   http://prairieplains.org/  

  

Endangered plants and their conservation 

  

Center for Plant Conservation    http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/  

  

Botanic Gardens Conservation International   https://www.bgci.org/  

  

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center   https://www.wildflower.org/  

  

Nebraska Rare Species   http://rarespecies.nebraska.gov/  

  

Plant Conservation Alliance   http://www.nps.gov/plants/