January 9, 2026
Arboretum Foundation and UW Botanic Gardens unite after decades of partnership
The Washington Park Arboretum is jointly managed by the Arboretum Foundation, the UW Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle. Under this new agreement, Seattle Botanic Gardens will continue to work in close partnership with the UW and Seattle Parks and Recreation on the stewardship of the Arboretum and its collection.Dennis Wise/University of Washington
After nearly 90 years of collaborative partnership, the Arboretum Foundation and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens announced Friday that they will combine operations under a single nonprofit organization: Seattle Botanic Gardens. An Operations and Management Agreement, approved by the Arboretum Foundation Board on Jan. 6, 2026, and by the University of Washington Board of Regents on Jan. 8, 2026, establishes a new relationship for these organizations, marking an important milestone in one of Seattle’s longest-running institutional partnerships.
“Seattle is a place where nature and the urban environment intersect in an exceptional way,” said Maribeth O’Connor, board president of the Arboretum Foundation. “Whether you’re a visitor seeking quiet refuge or a scientist studying the vital connections between people and plants, the Arboretum and the Center for Urban Horticulture are a natural treasure.”
The Washington Park Arboretum is jointly managed by the Arboretum Foundation, the UW Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle. Under this new agreement, Seattle Botanic Gardens will continue to work in close partnership with the UW and Seattle Parks and Recreation on the stewardship of the Arboretum and its collection. This agreement strengthens the organization’s ability to serve as an effective partner to the City of Seattle, stewarding urban green spaces and contributing research-backed solutions to environmental challenges facing the region.
“The University of Washington has been a steward of botanical science and education in the Pacific Northwest for generations,” said Maggie Walker, a member of the UW Board of Regents. “This partnership ensures that this important work continues and grows, while allowing the University to maintain its deep connection to research, teaching and community engagement through these extraordinary living collections.”
For Seattle’s broader community, this means expanded access to nature, science and cultural experiences. As a unified organization, Seattle Botanic Gardens will have greater capacity to offer diverse programming — from youth education and summer camps to volunteer opportunities and cultural celebrations — while maintaining free public access to the Arboretum and gardens. It will be better positioned to invest in facilities, amenities and transportation options that make these spaces more welcoming and accessible.
The UW Botanic Gardens currently owns and maintains the plant collections of the Washington Park Arboretum, conducts plant conservation research, and provides educational programming in the Washington Park Arboretum and at the Center for Urban Horticulture. The Arboretum Foundation provides funding for the horticultural and education programs of the UW Botanic Gardens and supports visitor engagement at the Arboretum and Japanese Garden. Together, the two organizations have shared volunteer resources, outdoor and indoor spaces, and collaborated on initiatives ranging from the Fiddleheads outdoor preschool to public art installations like the John Grade Union sculpture.
The new organization will manage and operate three locations: the 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum, the Seattle Japanese Garden and the Center for Urban Horticulture, which includes the 74-acre Union Bay Natural Area. Together, these sites attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and serve as vital resources for recreation, education, conservation and scientific research.
“This change unites the robust fundraising, advocacy, and volunteer network of the Arboretum Foundation with the horticultural expertise, strong public programming, and impactful conservation research of the UW Botanic Gardens,” said Christina Owen, director of the UW Botanic Gardens. “The result will be something extraordinary — a destination botanic garden for Seattle that provides an exemplary visitor experience, meaningful research and inclusive access to some of our city’s most treasured green spaces.”
The organization is currently conducting a national search for its first CEO/president, who will lead Seattle Botanic Gardens into this new chapter. All current permanent UWBG employees will be offered employment by the new organization.
For more information, contact Maribeth O’Connor, board president, Arboretum Foundation at BoardPresident@arboretumfoundation.org, or Dan Brown, director, UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at danbro@uw.edu.
Tag(s): UW Botanic Gardens • Washington Park Arboretum