The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) Operating Board is pleased to announce the recent election of two new board members: Dana Burghdoff and William Welder. Their individual terms begin 2020. Dana Burghdoff is interim assistant city manager with the City of Fort Worth and will serve on the operating board a s an advisory trustee. Advisory Trustees are non-voting, year-to-year appointments. Ms. Burghdoff has 25 years of city planning and development experience, with 20 of those in the City of Fort Worth. During her tenure with the City, Ms. Burghdoff has served as the policy advisor to the City Council, City Plan Commission, Zoning Commission, and other groups. Her achievements include extensive engagement with the public to reallocate 250,000 residents during decennial redistr...

BRIT continues to celebrate its Year of Botanical Art with an exhibition organized by the American Society of Botanical Artists The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) invites the community to be part of a worldwide artistic appreciation of native plants with the exhibition “ Botanical Art Worldwide: America’s Flora ” Sept. 26 through Nov. 27. BRIT is one of just four venues in the United States for the exhibition, which was organized by the United States Botanic Garden and the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA). BRIT will host a reception with ASBA Director of Exhibitions Carol Woodin on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. Ms. Woodin will introduce the exhibition and lead a gallery tour at 1 p.m., with a complimentary dessert and coffee reception to follow. The program i...

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) $1.5 million over four years to digitize its 355,000 herbarium specimen collections from Texas and Oklahoma. The prestigious grant is part of a larger project that brings together 46 collaborating herbaria from across these two states and elsewhere to digitize the data from nearly two million plant specimens. The project funding totals $4.7 million, which supports BRIT as the lead institution, with co-leads at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University, as well as 11 other institutions. “This grant will help to close a large geographic gap in our knowledge of North American plant biodiversity and facilitate both reg...

Dr. Shirley Sherwood, OBE, Botanist, Author and Respected Collector of Botanical Art, credited for generating a revival of interest in botanical art across the world The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is proud to announce that Shirley Sherwood, OBE, Ph.D. is the recipient of its 2019 International Award of Excellence in Conservation for her lifelong work in botany through the collection, preservation, and exhibition of botanical art. The award dinner will be held on Oct. 2, 2019 at Frost Tower Fort Worth. Since her childhood, Dr. Sherwood has been interested in both plants and art. She graduated from the University of Oxford in England with a degree in botany and earned her Ph.D. as part of the research team of Nobel Prize winner Sir James Black, whose group discovered Tagame...

BRIT and UNTHSC Co-Host Lecture, Panel Discussion The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) and University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) will launch a new annual lecture series by co-hosting “Medical Cannabis: Illness & Symptom Relief,” at 7 p.m. Sept. 19. Event location is the UNTHSC MET Auditorium, 1000 Montgomery St., Fort Worth. Tickets, which cost $10 and include a 6 p.m. lobby reception, may be purchased by visiting http://bit.ly/2YQadkV . Featured speaker Dr. Michael Moskowitz, MD, MPH, will outline his research and practice using medical cannabis as a means of treating pain for his patients. His book, “Medical Cannabis: A Guide for Patients, Practitioners and Caregivers,” emphasizes integration of this treatment into standard medical care using neuroplastici...

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) Operating Board is pleased to announce the recent election of two new board members: Jay Rutherford and Mike Malone. Their individual, three-year terms begin 2020. Jay Rutherford is a partner with Jackson Walker LLP and has more than 25 years of experience serving as a trusted advisor to clients on employment issues. His litigation experience includes labor arbitration, collective bargaining and defense of unfair labor practice charges, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, civil rights, and other employment-related matters, such insurance benefits disputes, independent contractor agreements, and more. Mike Malone is a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig LLP and has a business and regulatory practice focusing pr...

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) presents “An Evening with Richard Louv: How Natural Learning Environments Improve the Ability to Learn and be Creative,” Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Lecture Hall. Tickets are $35 for GROW members, and $45 for non-members — both include a signed copy of his book Vitamin N. Purchase tickets at brit.org/grow . “Richard Louv’s views on exposure to nature and how it improves children’s cognitive abilities perfectly aligns with our mission, and provides further support for our GROW educational programs,” said Tracy Friday, director of the BRIT SEED School. “We are thrilled to offer the community this opportunity, providing them with information on ‘Nature-Deficit Disorder’ and our shared commitment to connecting children to...

As the only international sustainable winegrowing award of its kind, the BRIT/FIVS competition honors wine organizations that demonstrate a commitment to the environmental, social, and economic aspects of winegrowing. FORT WORTH, Texas (May 1, 2019) – Come join the competition! The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and FIVS are pleased to announce the start of their 2020 sustainable winegrowing competition. Competition applications can be downloaded from BRIT’s web site at www.brit.org/wineaward and from the FIVS website www.fivs.org . The submission deadline for applications is September 30, 2019. This is the first BRIT/FIVS co-branded and co-managed competition since the event began in 2010. The new partnership engages FIVS’s global membership of regional wine associations, wine prod...

Event Celebrates American Public Garden Association’s National Public Gardens Week Building upon momentum from last year’s event, Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) host the second annual “Lunch in the Garden” May 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public, this year’s event also features performers from Fort Worth Opera and Texas Ballet Theater . “Lunch in the Garden raises awareness for one of Fort Worth’s most beautiful attractions and leads us into National Public Gardens Week starting May 13,” said Bob Byers, Botanic Garden director. “We were extremely fortunate this year to add opera and ballet volunteer performances, believing that folks will appreciate the beautiful gardens as backdrop while they take a break from work or brin...

Families Invited to Free Activities, Author Presentation and Book Signings GROW educators invite children and parents to the first StoryWalk®, a concept combining the love of reading with the outdoors. This free event May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will feature the book, “A Butterfly is Patient,” and will highlight the newly replanted Pollinator Pathway connecting the Fort Worth Botanic Garden to the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®). Fort Worth Public Library Director Manya Shorr will offer opening remarks, and world-renowned children’s author Diana Aston will discuss her ideas for the featured book followed by a book signing. “We are so honored to have Manya, Diana and other literacy advocates join us for this opening-day celebration,” said Kat Goldin, GROW School Program Mana...

This competition is the first of its kind in Texas and will reward both wineries and grape growers for sustainable practices. Applications are now available for downloading. FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) are proud to announce the launch of a unique Texas wine competition honoring both the wine producer and the grape grower. Applications for the inaugural Texas Sustainable Winegrowing Competition can be downloaded from the BRIT website at: http://www.brit.org/texaswinecompetition or fwssr.com . Application submission deadline is September 30, 2019 with winners announced in November. The competition will award medals to winemakers and their grape growers recognizing that while some Texas wineries grow their...

After months of planning and hard work by many, we must regretfully cancel our 2019 Vine to Table Award Dinner and Fundraiser due to the high probability of severe storms with hail . Our heartfelt thanks to all of our patrons for their generous support. Please consider joining our online auction, which is live and will continue until Wednesday , April 17, 8:30 pm: https://one.bidpal.net/vinetotable/welcome Thank you. Event Planning Committee

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and UNT Health Science Center have entered into an agreement to collaborate on research, educational activities and community programs. The memorandum of understanding is a great opportunity that benefits both institutions, said Ed Schneider, PhD, BRIT’s President and Executive Director. With more than 1.5 million species of plants, endless volumes of books and a large collection of illustrations, BRIT provides a rare opportunity for UNTHSC’s medical and pharmaceutical students, Dr. Schneider said. Both institutions are expected to benefit from sharing research as well as having access to lab space, facilities and scientific equipment, said Robert McClain, PhD., Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation at UNTHSC. The...

Expanded Partnership Based on Previous GROW Initiative Success Over the past year, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas ( BRIT®) and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden have combined their education and volunteer efforts to launch new and innovative programming. The partnership — called GROW — has resulted in new opportunities for students, families, and adults, including Family Exploration Saturdays, Spring Break Family Camps, Come & Grow Field Study Trips for schools, botanical art for children, and a variety of botanically related classes and workshops for adults. GROW currently includes joint programming for the two facilities and a combined volunteer program. As part of an expanded partnership, the Botanic Garden and BRIT will now begin selling joint memberships to encourage community...

Agreement creates global competition platform that enhances visibility of the global wine industry’s commitment to sustainability FORT WORTH, Texas (February 26, 2019) The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is excited to announce a new partnership with Paris-based FIVS , a global organization designed to serve the wine, spirits, and beer sectors, to broaden and expand BRIT’s unique international sustainable winegrowing competition and award. Originally created in 2010, BRIT’s award honors wine organizations that take a leading role in implementing sustainable practices. It is the only international sustainable winegrowing competition and award of its kind. The first FIVS/BRIT co-branded international competition is scheduled for 2020. Under the terms of the agreement, FIVS will c...

E. & J. Gallo Winery receives gold award for excellence in multi-brand, sustainable winegrowing programs Additional wineries from Portugal, Italy and the U.S. receive medals for their outstanding ground-to-glass sustainability programs FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce Casa Ferreirinha, a Portuguese reference brand in Douro Wines, as its platinum medal winner in BRIT’s 2019 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. Casa Ferreirinha topped the field this year based on the winery’s ongoing sustainable programs that address both the three key factors of sustainability – environmental, economic, and social aspects -- as well as superior wine taste. Five additional wineries - two from the U.S., two from I...

New state-of-the-art facility will be a plant research and teaching center for Texas universities and public school programs FORT WORTH, Texas (December 6, 2018) Doors opened today for the new Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) George C. and Sue W. Sumner Molecular and Structural Laboratory, adding unique dimension and depth to research education programs in plant systematics, or the biological classification of plants. T he facility will house advanced molecular-level tools allowing BRIT’s plant scientists to conduct research and train the next generation of botanists who will answer fundamental questions about plant diversity and help solve environmental challenges. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony with remarks from local leaders marked today’s occasion just months after an...

Ms. Eckler comes to BRIT after development posts at UTA’s College of Science and Samaritan House FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) announce Christie Eckler as its new Vice President for Advancement. Ms. Eckler brings more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to BRIT’s newly named Advancement Department, where she will oversee development, fundraising, membership, and marketing programs and help to guide the Institute into its next phase of growth. Most recently, Ms. Eckler served as Development Director for UTA’s College of Science. Prior to her foray into the university setting, Ms. Eckler demonstrated great success in the philanthropic side of social service. In the last ten years, she has raised more than $20 million federally and privat...

The first complete floristic treatment of all the native and naturalized flowering plant species known to occur in Trans-Pecos Texas FORT WORTH, Texas (October 15, 2018) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas is pleased to announce the availability of its latest research book, Flowering Plants of the Trans-Pecos Texas and Adjacent Areas, written by Dr. A. Michael Powell and Dr. Richard D. Worthington. Both authors have spent their careers researching and documenting the plants of West Texas. Located west of the Pecos River, the Trans-Pecos is a mostly mountain and desert region and is part of the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Teeming with plant life, botanists agree it is the most biologically diverse arid region in the Western Hemisphere. With a land area roughly the size of South Caro...

Texas botanists will collaborate with other U.S. institutions and international personnel to conduct research in threatened forests of Southeast Asia. FORT WORTH, Texas (August 28, 2018) – Researchers at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) have received a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct a project titled “Plant Discovery in the Southern Philippines.” Dr. Peter Fritsch, BRIT’s Vice President of Research, will head the team as Principal Investigator with co-Principal Investigators Dr. Taylor Quedensley (BRIT), Dr. Darin Penneys (University of North Carolina at Wilmington), and Dr. Daniel Nickrent (Southern Illinois University Carbondale). The project begins this month and field expeditions will begin in the spring of 2019. The Philippines...

This multi-purpose lab will be used as a plant research and teaching center for Texas universities’ graduate and post-graduate doctorial programs FORT WORTH, Texas (August 9, 2018) Focused solidly on the future, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is taking another big step in realizing its goal of becoming a top-tier plant research and education organization with the construction of a molecular and structural laboratory. On August 9, 2018, BRIT board members and supporters will be on hand to celebrate the start of the laboratory’s construction. Named the George C. and Sue W. Sumner Molecular and Structural Laboratory, the facility will house advanced molecular-level tools allowing BRIT’s plant scientists to conduct research and train the next generation of botanists who will...

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is proud to announce that Dr. Sylvia Earle has been selected to receive BRIT’s 2018 International Award of Excellence in Conservation for her lifetime of work in marine biology and ocean conservation. Dr. Earle will be the first ocean conservationist to receive BRIT’s conservation award in its 23-year history. The award will be presented at BRIT’s annual ceremony on October 25, 2018, at the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. An American oceanographer and explorer known for her research on marine algae , Dr. Earle has lived by her mantra, “no blue, no green.” She has spent her lifetime protecting and conserving the world’s oceans . Earning undergraduate and post graduate degrees in botany helped form Dr. Earle’s be...

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 8, 2018) Dr. Ed Schneider, BRIT’s executive director and president, was presented with the Center of Plant Conservation’s prestigious Star Award during the organization's national meeting held at BRIT on Thursday, May 3, 2018. The award is presented annually by the executive members of the Center of Plant Conservation (CPC) to select individuals who have shown a long-term commitment to the conservation of flora of the United States. The CPC lists 4,400 rare and endangered plant species in the U.S. and Canada. Through its members, more than 1,400 (roughly one-third) of the endangered plants are now in conservation collections. Throughout Dr. Schneider’s 30-year career as a botanical teacher, researcher, and executive administrator, he has worked to save many of the pl...

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 2, 2018) The Botanical Research Institute of Texas is pleased to announce that it is hosting the Center for Plant Conservation’s 2018 national meeting May 3 – 5, 2018 on the BRIT campus. The three-day conference brings together the leaders in plant conservation from the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) participating institutions to share and learn cutting-edge science and technology used to save plants. Sessions will include presentations from CPC member institutions and network partners on plant conservation accomplishments and challenges. Widely regarded as the center for information about the plants of Texas, BRIT joined the CPC in 2016 as a participating institution, one of four in the state of Texas. Other Texas members include: Mercer Arboretum (Houston), Sa...

Event Celebrates National Public Gardens Day, Kicks Off Mother’s Day Weekend What better way to celebrate National Public Gardens Day on May 11 than with a springtime “Lunch in the Garden” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free event open to the public is hosted by Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®). “We want to encourage folks to take a mid-day break, get out of their offices or homes, and experience one of Fort Worth’s most beautiful attractions during the loveliest time of the year,” said Bob Byers, Botanic Garden director. “With many of the gardens in full bloom, it’s a visually stunning time to enjoy the Garden.” The event commemorates National Public Gardens Day, drawing attention to our nation's public gardens, which include botanical gardens,...

Fort Worth, Texas (February 2, 2018) — The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) and Fort Worth Botanic Garden have joined forces, combining their education and volunteer efforts to launch a new, innovative partnership called GROW. Both organizations will introduce the GROW collaborative to the public during Growing in the Garden Day, a free event at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden campus from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 3. During the three-hour, come-and-go event, families will have the opportunity to experience programs the new collaborative will offer and to enjoy activities for all ages, such as art in the garden, a scavenger hunt, story time with nature, and composting activities, to name a few. “Our GROW team is eager to reveal the spring education and volunteer opportun...

E. & J. Gallo Winery receives special gold corporate-wide sustainable winegrowing award Three additional wineries from Argentina and the U.S. receive medals for their outstanding ground-to-glass sustainability programs FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce the winners in its 2018 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. The platinum medal goes to Alexander Valley Vineyards (AVV) of Healdsburg, California, based on the winery’s on-going sustainable programs that address the three elements of sustainability: environmental, economic, social – and the Vineyard’s wine taste. AVV is one of an elite group of wineries recognized as a Bay Area Green Business. They became a member of the California Sustainable Wi...

The two conservation organizations will work together protecting and safeguarding rare and endangered native Texas plants and promoting the value of biodiversity and natural resources to the public. FORT WORTH, Texas (November 14, 2017) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department expand areas of their collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing the two organizations’ commitment to plant conservation, exploration, and education. The MOU creates a collaborative working relationship that advances plant conservation and programs that will educate the public about the importance of maintaining wild spaces for the health and well-being of people in Texas. Included in the agreement, both organizations will Support t...

Students in TCU’s College of Science & Engineering and College of Education will study and work with BRIT’s plant science Ph.D.s to fulfill degree requirements FORT WORTH, Texas (September 25, 2017) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and Texas Christian University announce an education and research partnership that enhances and expands the University’s delivery of its undergraduate and graduate programs. Undergraduate and graduate students in TCU’s College of Science & Engineering and College of Education will work with BRIT’s Ph.D. botanists and research staff performing plant science and field research to help satisfy their degree requirements. “BRIT’s unique experiential learning coupled with its research labs and herbarium add a new learning dimension to our educational progra...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (July 3, 2017) - The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce the nonprofit has been selected to receive almost half a million plant specimens that have been orphaned by the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). This acquisition will increase the total number of specimens housed by the institute to more than 1.3 million and will place BRIT’s herbarium among the top ten (in specimens housed) in the United States. The ULM collection represents more than 99 percent of the species in Louisiana’s vascular flora and is considered to be the state’s most complete record of plants. “BRIT’s herbarium was designed to house over two million plant specimens,” said Ed Schneider, president and executive director of BRIT. “Orphaned herbarium collections suc...

Seven Additional Wineries from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina and the U.S. Receive Medals for Their Outstanding Ground-to-Glass Sustainability Programs FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce the winners in its 2017 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. The platinum medal goes to Yealands Family Wines (Yealands) of Marlborough, New Zealand, based on the winery’s on-going programs that address the three elements of sustainability: environmental, economic, social – and of course, how well the wine itself tastes. Yealands’ achievements in sustainability include being the world’s first winery certified carboNZeroCertTM as well as operating New Zealand’s largest solar array: generating over 411 kilowatts o...

TxDOT will use maps to find, protect rare plants along Texas highways FORT WORTH, Texas – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®), Tarleton State University, and the Texas Department of Transportation are teaming together to document rare plant species that may potentially exist within TxDOT rights-of-way in 23 counties in the Waco and Austin districts of Central Texas. Through a TxDOT grant, Tarleton and BRIT will research and build habitat maps for 57 of the 81 Edwards Plateau rare plant species. The work includes identifying, documenting, and mapping areas where these rare species most likely occur. TxDOT will use these maps to improve the department’s ability to protect the rare species, which grow along Texas highways. For several of these species, roadsides represent a sign...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS, May 1, 2016 — The Nature of Things: Daphne Prairie , an exhibition of new paintings and drawings by Texas artist Deborah Paris, will give the Fort Worth public a rare opportunity to see depictions of the untouched and historic Daphne Prairie. The exhibition will pop-up September 10–October 20 at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT). An opening reception with hors d’oeuvres and libations will be held on Fall Gallery Night, Saturday, September 10, from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. A gallery talk by the artist will take place September 10 at 6:00 p.m. The show will include twenty-five oil paintings that reveal the open yet intimate space found in North Texas’ Daphne Prairie—one of the state’s largest remaining tallgrass prairies. The pieces range from large-scale landscape...

Carter Smith, Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to receive BRIT’s conservation award FORT WORTH, Texas – Carter Smith, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and BRIT’s 2016 recipient of the International Award of Excellence in Conservation, is passionate about the great outdoors. He’s championed the Children & Nature Network movement in Texas, and he’s been extremely active in the realms of private lands stewardship, invasive species issues, coastal conservation, and acquisition of new park land for state parks and wildlife management areas. As executive director of TPWD, a position he’s held since 2008, Smith is responsible for overseeing an agency of 3,100 professionals in 11 different divisions, including Wildlife, State Parks,...