California, USA, 27 September 2006: ESRI President Jack Dangermond was awarded the Henry Shaw Medal in a ceremony on September 13, 2006, at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri.
ESRI’s ArcInfo and ArcView software allow the garden to integrate its vast resources of expert knowledge and herbarium data with climate, soil, and elevation data to analyze plant geographic ranges and patterns of diversity.
Using ESRI’s ArcIMS technology, the garden created a Web interface for sharing its plant data with the world. Not only does this allow it to provide global mapping capabilities for all the specimens in its database, but it can also customize interactive maps with various environmental data layers, giving the garden’s colleagues in other countries invaluable resources for prioritizing their collection strategies.
Presented since 1883, the medal recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the Missouri Botanical Garden, botanical research, horticulture, conservation, or the museum community. It is named in honor of Henry Shaw, a successful St. Louis businessman who founded the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1859.
In addition, ESRI software has been used to create Missouri Botanical Garden maps for collection information as well as visitor assistance. It has also allowed the Records Department to streamline its database activities and provided invaluable resources to horticulture staff in maintaining the garden’s live plant collection.
Summarizes Scott Schnuck, chairman of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees, “ESRI has not only developed technology that advances the garden’s mission but has also been very generous in helping the Missouri Botanical Garden acquire and implement this technology in many applications throughout the institution.”
– About Missouri Botanical Garden
The Missouri Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical institutions in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. The Garden is a center for botanical research and science education of international repute, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis, with 31 ha (79 acres) of horticultural display. It includes a 5 ha (14 acre) Japanese strolling garden named Seiwa-en, the Climatron geodesic dome conservatory, a children’s garden featuring a pioneer village and Osage camp, and garden founder Henry Shaw’s original 1850 estate home. It is adjacent to Tower Grove Park, another of Shaw’s legacies.
