Proposed by: Garden Club of Allegheny County, Zone V

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was founded in 1893 as a gift to the City of Pittsburgh—an oasis in an industrial steel town. Its sponsorship of flower shows and exhibits of greenhouse splendor continue, but through the years, Phipps has evolved as a hub for generative thinking related to conservation.

The 24,350-square-foot Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) serves as an office and classroom space and is the first and only building to meet seven of the highest green certifications. The CSL generates its own energy and treats all sanitary and stormwater collected on site. Reducing environmental impact was the goal in 2015 when Phipps unveiled the Nature Lab—a healthy learning environment for children free from toxic materials—one of the nation’s first sustainable, modular classrooms. The Exhibit Staging Center was completed in 2019 in a former public works building on a brownfield site.

With an impact beyond Pittsburgh, Phipps’ role in promoting The Climate Toolkit initiative offers institutions like zoos and nature centers guidelines for addressing climate change from within. As of today, 243 organizations in 29 countries are using the tool kit to address their practices related to energy and water use, food waste, and transportation.

Funding and installing backyard plots for growing fresh produce are part of the Homegrown program and Let’s Move Pittsburgh promotes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Phipps’ Youth Climate Advocacy Committee empowers high school and college students to identify challenges and the means to drive climate action.

Ethnobotanist, herbarium curator, professor, GCA honorary member, and 2007 GCA scholar Cassandra Quave writes, “Phipps Conservatory is not just a botanical garden—it is a catalyst for change, empowering researchers, educators, and the public.