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On behalf of the boards and staff of The North Carolina Arboretum, I want to express to North Carolinians our deepest gratitude for the endorsement of our efforts as expressed in the passage of the Higher Education Bond Referendum. We are appreciative of both the public approval of this important capital funding as well as the magnitude of that approval. We hope you will visit us often during the next five years as the Arboretum undertakes the improvements funded by the bonds and continues its quest toward the finest of public service for our citizens. Having hosted this year [This letter was written in 2000.] the first-ever World Botanic Gardens Congress and the Third International Oak Conference, the Arboretum has significantly widened the quality and positive influence of its programs and facilities. Your continuing support
of these efforts through the bond funding is a visible tribute to
the Arboretum's extraordinary team of staff and volunteers, as
well as an important investment that will benefit us and future
generations. We pledge to use your funding with the greatest
of care and vision.
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Education has always opened the doors of opportunity in North Carolina. On November 7, citizens voted on a $3.1 billion bond issue that will provide critical upgrades to our community colleges, universities and UNC affiliate institutions to keep the doors of educational and economic opportunity open – without raising state taxes. As an affiliate institution of the University of North Carolina, The North Carolina Arboretum received $9,331,700 from the bond package to improve infrastructure and facilities. While these funds will not cover any operational costs, they will help the Arboretum meet the dramatically increasing demand for educational programming.
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The North Carolina Arboretum is a 17-year-old developing educational facility. The Arboretum educates children, students and adults about the natural and cultivated environment of the Southern Appalachians and fosters stewardship and sustainability of the landscape. The Arboretum’s goal is to create innovative experiences, foster regional and global partnerships and stimulate economic opportunities through the fulfillment of its strategic plan. Because of its affiliation with the University of North Carolina, the Arboretum aligns its goals with the strategic priorities of the University. These include: Expanding Access to the University; Supporting Public Schools; Adapting UNC to the Information Age; and Building Partnerships across the sectors of Education, Government and Business. Visitation at The North Carolina Arboretum has more than tripled in the last several years. In 1998, visitation was 103,000; and in 1999, 235,000 (a 128 % increase). During the 1999-2000 fiscal year (July 99-June 00), more than 339,000 people visited the Arboretum. This dramatic growth trend has strained the Arboretum’s ability to meet physical and programmatic demands both in the classroom and on the 426-acre Arboretum property. Ironically, the expanding, on-site demand for services has prevented the Arboretum from providing outreach programming throughout Western North Carolina and around the state. Funds provided from the education bond package would remedy these shortfalls and position the Arboretum for its next phase of responsive growth.
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Space for Educational Programming – Currently, workshop and demonstration space in the Arboretum’s Education Center is being used by maintenance and grounds crews as workspace. It is also being used to store equipment and materials and to carry out maintenance operations. There is no other space to carry out these functions. With support from the education bonds, the Arboretum can reclaim this space for educational use. Specifically, the Arboretum will expand its capacity to create and provide more in-depth, hands-on educational programming for students and adults on a variety of topics including conservation, environmental education, horticulture and botany. In addition, this space will offer the Arboretum an opportunity to develop training partnerships with governmental agencies, establish an ongoing internship program with universities and expand conservation research. Economic Development – Construction of additional facilities will provide opportunities to develop partnerships with the green industry, craft industry and recreation industry to host large scale meetings, such as trade shows and industry roundtables to improve this business sector’s chances for economic success. Information – Currently, a majority of the Arboretum’s 339,000 visitors engage in the process of "informal learning" on the property. Through additional funding, The North Carolina Arboretum can adequately orient visitors to its 426-acre site and communicate with visitors about the various educational opportunities available to them. Infrastructure – Funding for parking, lighting and safety improvements will allow the Arboretum to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors and student groups. Technology – Funding from the education bonds will offer an opportunity to develop technology for distance learning and web-based learning experiences. This will allow the Arboretum to expand its educational outreach to students and adults beyond the confines of its property into the local community and statewide.
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Construction
of a Greenhouse Exhibition Center - Construction
of a School Bus Parking Area - Construction
of an Operations Support Facility-
Includes industrial shops, material and equipment storage for
exhibition and grounds management operations, and dry storage for
education and exhibition material. This will result in the
reinstitution of classroom space in the Education Center.
$1,640,200 Construction of Gating and Gatehouses at the Arboretum’s Two Primary Entrances- Offers a point-of-beginning for visitor orientation, school bus direction, crowd control, and enhanced security for valuable outdoor exhibits located throughout the 426-acre facility. $832,660 Installation of Electric Lighting, Emergency Telephone, Water Lines and other Utilities along the Main Entrance Road – Accommodates safety needs, ecological demonstration exhibits and other learning opportunities. $2,146,221
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In addition to the North Carolina Arboretum, two other educational institutions in the area will benefit from the Education Bonds -- UNCA and A-B Tech. Passage of the bonds would result in $14, 077,781 for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College for:
Passage of the bonds would result in $49,912,409 for the University of North Carolina at Asheville for:
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FACT – DEMAND FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING HAS NEVER BEEN HIGHER Each year, 1,000,000 North Carolinians – including 300,000 full time students – receive training from the state's 59 community colleges and 16 public universities. Full-time enrollment will increase by 100,000 by the end of the decade.FACT – NO NEW TAXES TO PAY FOR BONDS State Treasurer Harlan Boyles says that the bonds are a fiscally responsible way to support our community colleges and universities without raising taxes.FACT – EVERY UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE BENEFITS The bonds will provide $2.5 billion for construction, repair and renovation of university dorms, classrooms, science and technology labs at every university, and UNC-TV. Some $600 million will go towards upgrading capacity for every community college.FACT – RECORD INVESTMENTS IN HISTORICALLY BLACK SCHOOLS The bonds will provide a record investment in the state's historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other campuses with smaller enrollments.FACT – DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE CLOSING Community colleges are turning people away seeking to retrain, and universities are unable to provide quality, 21st century instruction with early 20th century facilities. FACT – BONDS ARE IMPORTANT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, NEW JOBS Our state's quality of life is directly linked to the quality of our community colleges and universities. Failure to pass the referendum has a direct impact on economic development, the creation of new jobs and businesses' ability to compete globally.FACT – KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON EXPENDITURES A special Oversight Committee will be monitoring the construction closely. From The North Carolina Arboretum web site: www.ncarboretum.org
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