Cornell University
IN-24: Innovation A

In 2012, Cornell Assistant Professor Josh Cerra along with Emeritus Cornell Botanic Gardens Director Chris Wien, and Director of Education Sonja Skelly began investigating the potential for a “Climate Change Education Garden” for increasing climate change awareness. The final plans finally came to fruition in the summer of 2016. The Cornell Climate Change Garden is a permanent installation on campus which helps demonstrate the impact of climate change on plant growth in New York state on vegetables, crops, pollinator species, and natural habitat. This interactive garden was designed by students and installed as part of a living laboratory project. Two side by side spaces allows visitors to see climate impacts first hand. An outdoor component shows plants growing under current climate conditions, with signage to educate visitors on anticipated impacts already being observed in the state. An indoor exhibit includes a high tunnel, which is used to demonstrate various environmental condition projections for New York, like rising temperatures, heat waves heavy downpours, and droughts.