Misha McRae, executive director of the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the garden.
The garden is helped annually by the Tourist Development Council.
McRae said, “We’re one of many organizations that that TDC helps us on an annual basis. Without their contribution, that they provide through grants, the garden would not be able to do the publicity, the PR work and the advertising we need to do for our events. As you well know, the garden is not only a conservation site, but it’s a community center, and it is definitely event related attractions to bring people down to Key West. That’s why it was designed in 1936 to be a premier attraction, and without the TDC support, the garden would be financially restricted to just about nothing as a small nonprofit on being able to advertise what we need to advertise for our community and for the tourists that is related to it.”
Arbor Day and Earth Day will be celebrated in one event at the garden this Saturday.
McRae said, “We’re celebrating Mother Earth. We’re celebrating trees. The Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden has been the keeper of the trees since 1936. We are partnering with the Monroe County Recycle and Waste Management, with the University of Florida extension service in the city of Key West to bring our community a celebration of Earth and Arbor Day. Earth Day was the 22nd. Arbor Day is tomorrow. But since we’re only one garden, we’re doing both in one day. We are going to start from 10 o’clock in the morning. It is free admission to everybody, come out and learn about native plants. Come out and take a tour of the garden. The Monroe County Waste and Recycle is going to be doing a compost presentation and demonstration. Not many people realize that we’re doing a research project at the Botanical Garden determining out of the five different ways to recycle, which is the best in the Florida Keys. It’s been going on since November. We’ll have a children’s art workshop. We’ll have just a wonderful, great day out at the garden and enjoying the nature of being outdoors and celebrating Mother Earth.”
Composting is happening at the garden, too.
McRae said, “We’re going to be doing a compost drop off if you have your kitchen scraps, which are fruit and vegetables only, if you drop off your kitchen scraps, you’ll be able to get a bag of mulch that we created from the kitchen scraps that were dropped off two months ago to get a prize. We want to show people not only what they bring in as raw material, but what really happens within six to eight weeks later, when the mulch comes out the bottom. We’re going to show people how to make their own recycled bin from repurposed materials. Don’t go to Home Depot. Don’t go to Amazon. You don’t have to buy it. We’re going to show you exactly what you need to do, and then also teach you the different ways that you can compost in your yards, and let you make your own determination on which one works best for you. It’s going to be a great day at the garden. Keep in mind, too, that once you come in through admission for Echo Fair, the garden is open to be visited and of course, it’s everyone knows every day is a great day at the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden. The TDC help sponsors this event. That tells you how far down the line it goes.”
The garden is gearing up to open up the annual Key West Art in the Garden.
McRae said, “If there’s any artists out there that would like to enter one of their sculptures into our exhibit, please visit the website or call me or call the office or contact me, wherever you want to do to get an application. Entrance is free. It goes from the end of April through July. TDC also sponsors this event, and it is a way to teach people that recycled materials can be art. It has been going on for 15 years. Highly anticipated and very well visited exhibit.”
The education center is coming along as well.
McRae said, “We got our first big contribution. We are building a new education center. We’re looking for the community to support the future of our children by helping us build a new education center.”
For more information, click here: https://www.keywest.garden/