Oak Spring Garden Foundation

### Context Profile for Oak Spring Garden Foundation

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable land management practices. Their mission is to steward the Oak Spring estate, a 700-acre property rich in diverse ecosystems, to protect and foster wildlife communities. They aim to share their conservation efforts and knowledge with the public through educational programs and community engagement.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - OSGF hosts various events, including guided biodiversity walks, educational workshops, and community programs focused on conservation and sustainability. The "Biodiversity Walk" is a recent event that invites participants to explore the estate's flora and fauna while learning about conservation practices. They also engage in fundraising campaigns to support their initiatives and promote awareness of biodiversity issues.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone of OSGF's communication is friendly, informative, and inviting. They use clear and accessible language to engage a diverse audience, including novice and seasoned nature enthusiasts. The content is structured to provide essential information while encouraging participation and fostering a sense of community.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The organization does not appear to use emojis in their communications, maintaining a professional and straightforward approach in their messaging.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: Established by Paul and Bunny Mellon, OSGF is committed to conservation and education.
   - **Scale**: The foundation operates on a 700-acre estate, focusing on biodiversity conservation.
   - **Impact Metrics**: Specific metrics were not detailed on the website, but their activities emphasize community engagement and educational outreach.
   - **Volunteer Info**: Information about volunteer opportunities is not explicitly mentioned, but community involvement is encouraged through events.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - Use clear and concise language that is accessible to a broad audience.
   - Maintain a friendly and inviting tone, encouraging participation and engagement.
   - Structure content to provide essential details upfront, followed by additional context or instructions.
   - Avoid using emojis to maintain a professional appearance.
   - Include calls to action that inspire readers to participate in events or support the foundation's mission.

This context profile serves as a foundational guide for creating tailored content for the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, ensuring alignment with their mission, tone, and audience engagement strategies.

General Admission

Overview: Herbaria are collections of preserved plants, many of them pressed. Some date back to the 16th century, including one in the Oak Spring Library collection. &nbsp;These collections, now numbering over 400 million specimens worldwide, are essential for studying plants, saving biodiversity, and dealing with environmental change. &nbsp;Comparing old and more recent specimens, botanists have been able to document the effects of global warning as well as the spread of invasive plants and of plant pests. &nbsp;Maura Flannery, author of In the Herbarium, introduces the fascinating past, present, and future of these collections drawing on several herbaria from Oak Spring Library that highlight their aesthetic as well as scientific aspects. &nbsp; This program will begin with a lecture by Dr. Flannery in the Apple House, followed by a viewing of special herbarium collections in the Oak Spring Library. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1756303948/wysiwyg/lvigbhuleox94ww5giuq.jpg" style="width: 220px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px; text-align: left; max-width: calc(100% - 5px); float: left; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit; border-radius: 10px; background-clip: padding-box; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" fr-original-style="width: 220px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px; text-align: left; max-width: calc(100% - 5px); float: left;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable fr-rounded fr-bordered"> About Maura Flannery:&nbsp;Maura Flannery is Professor Emerita of Biology, St. John&rsquo;s University, NY and Research Affiliate at the A.C. Moore Herbarium, University of South Carolina. &nbsp;She is the author of&nbsp;In the Herbarium: The Hidden World of Collecting and Preserving Plants&nbsp;(Yale Press, 2023). &nbsp; About Oak Spring Garden Foundation:&nbsp;The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation&rsquo;s inaugural President, OSGF provides workshops, short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants, gardens and landscapes. Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts. Availability: This lecture will be capped at 20 participants. Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Zeffy until full. Header Image: Algae, Eliza French

Hi <span data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name , Thank you for registering for Herbaria through the Centuries at Oak Spring! We look forward to seeing you there. Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Overview: Herbaria are collections of preserved plants, many of them pressed. Some date back to the 16th century, including one in the Oak Spring Library collection.  These collections, now numbering over 400 million specimens worldwide, are essential for studying plants, saving biodiversity, and dealing with environmental change.  Comparing old and more recent specimens, botanists have been able to document the effects of global warning as well as the spread of invasive plants and of plant pests.  Maura Flannery, author of In the Herbarium, introduces the fascinating past, present, and future of these collections drawing on several herbaria from Oak Spring Library that highlight their aesthetic as well as scientific aspects.   This program will begin with a lecture by Dr. Flannery in the Apple House, followed by a viewing of special herbarium collections in the Oak Spring Library. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1756303948/wysiwyg/lvigbhuleox94ww5giuq.jpg" style="width:220px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin:5px 15px 5px 0px;text-align:left;float:left;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;border-radius:10px;border:5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);max-width:100%" /> About Maura Flannery: Maura Flannery is Professor Emerita of Biology, St. John’s University, NY and Research Affiliate at the A.C. Moore Herbarium, University of South Carolina.  She is the author of In the Herbarium: The Hidden World of Collecting and Preserving Plants (Yale Press, 2023).   About Oak Spring Garden Foundation: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF provides workshops, short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants, gardens and landscapes. Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts. Availability: This lecture will be capped at 20 participants. Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Zeffy until full. Header Image: Algae, Eliza French

Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Herbaria through the Centuries at the Oak Spring Garden Library

1776 Loughborough Lane Upperville

General Admission

$125