Attempting to reach out to University students, the Matthaei Botanical Gardens conservatory is about to undergo its first major renovation in more than 30 years.
Brian Klatt, assistant director of the gardens, said it is time for the conservatory to undergo a transformation.
"There is a real need to remodel the physical characteristics," Klatt said.
A new walkway system will be made to increase accessibility to the displays. Extensive additions to the plant collections will include a bog garden with Venus' fly traps and other plants displayed in a more natural environment. Already, the orchid collection has been upgraded.
"The various renovations will provide and better interpret the relationship between the cultural and natural world," Klatt said.
Garden Director James Teeri said the conservatory aims to be more visitor friendly.
"We are trying to make a much more visually pleasing and informative exhibit," Teeri said.
Klatt said he is enthusiastic about the renovations.
"The mission is to take a good look, gain knowledge and pass it on," Klatt said.
While the conservatory was designed primarily for student usage, many students are unaware of the conservatory's existence, Teeri said.
LSA first-year student Kelly Brown visits the gardens - but she does so as a requirement for a practical botany class.
"I never heard about the conservatory before I signed up for the class," Brown said. "It seems like the classes are the only students there."
Teeri said one of the reasons for the conservatory's low attendance levels is that the garden's administration has "not paid enough attention to public programs in the past."
Along with boosting attendance to the gardens, the planned renovations also will help visitors learn more about "the role of humans in interaction with the natural world," Klatt said.
LSA first-year student Natalie Zorn said more students should take advantage of what the conservatory has to offer.
"The lab is a lot of fun. More students should know about the conservatory," Zorn said. "The renovations should bring in more students."
The full renovation cost has not yet been determined, Teeri said, but the University and private donors are funding the project.
The main renovations will begin in late spring.
JOSH BIGGS/Daily
Volunteer David Thomas looks through plants to record whether they are blossoming at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Thomas has been volunteering at the gardens for three years and keeps a garden of his own.