In the coming New Year, expand your knowledge and discover the connections between people to our natural world! Enjoy the winter lectures at Morris Arboretum designed take you on journeys into the world of the arts, humanities, sciences, exploration and sustainability.
On Sunday, January 22 at 2pm, join Dr. Andrew Binns, Biology Professor, University of Pennsylvania for his discussion, “GMOs: The Science, the Hope and the Real World.” Agricultural and horticultural scientists have developed the capacity to modify the genomes of plants with the general goal of developing plant varieties or cultivars that, for example, would be resistant to disease, produce a better product, or have desired horticultural characteristics, among numerous different possibilities. Many genetically modified plants are currently grown and marketed across the globe. While this has been happening, anxiety has developed about such plants and their impact on society and on ecosystems. Dr. Binns will provide a brief summary of the science behind GMO production and ‘conventional’ breeding; discuss the conceivable positives and negatives from these two approaches based on the science behind them; and examine how political/economic discourse affects decision making in relation to utilization of these technologies.
Lectures are supported in part by the Klein Lecture Endowment given in memory of Dr. William M. Klein who served from 1977-1990 as the Arboretum’s first full-time director, the Laura L. Barnes Lecture Endowment of The Philadelphia Foundation, given in memory of Laura Barnes by students and alumni of her school of horticulture, and the Byron Lukens Lecture Endowment, given in memory of educator and Arboretum volunteer, Byron Lukens and his wife Elizabeth.
Lectures will be held at Morris Arboretum’s Widener Visitor Center at 2pm. A reception with refreshments will follow each talk. The cost for each lecture is $15 for Arboretum members and $20 for non-members, which includes admission to the garden. Advanced registration and payment are required. To register, please visit morrisarboretum.org or call 215-247-5777, ext. 125.
The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. The 92-acre horticulture display garden features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape. The Arboretum includes numerous picturesque spots such as a formal rose garden, historic water features, a swan pond, and the only remaining freestanding fernery in North America. A new permanent nationally award winning exhibit, Out on a Limb – a Tree Adventure Exhibit adds to Morris Arboretum’s allure by transporting visitors 50 feet up into the treetops on a canopy walk that requires no climbing. The Morris Arboretum’s new Horticulture Center Complex has received Platinum Level LEED® Certification, the highest sustainability rating of the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information, visit www.morrisarboretum.org.
Photo Credit: Courtesy, Dr. Andrew Binns
Photo Caption: On Sunday, January 22 at 2pm, join Dr. Andrew Binns, Biology Professor, University of Pennsylvania for his discussion, “GMOs: The Science, the Hope and the Real World.” Dr. Binns will provide a brief summary of the science behind GMO production and ‘conventional’ breeding; discuss the conceivable positives and negatives from these two approaches based on the science behind them; and examine how political/economic discourse affects decision making in relation to utilization of these technologies. The cost for each lecture is $15 for Arboretum members and $20 for non-members, which includes admission to the garden. Advanced registration and payment are required. To register, please visit morrisarboretum.org or call 215-247-5777, ext. 125.
