University of Michigan (Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan)

The Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum at the University of Michigan will create a training program for both paid and volunteer staff to become more effective and efficient users of its new geospatial collections database. The garden has identified a strategic planning objective to establish the necessary protocols to update data and maintain the accuracy and integrity of the database. Training will ensure that the database is integrated into the day-to-day work of staff responsible for collections care. Project activities will begin with an assessment of existing business processes for tracking activities such as purchasing, planting new specimens, and removing diseased plants. The garden will create standardized tools, forms, and reports within the collections database to perform these functions and eliminate shadow systems. An external trainer will work alongside staff to improve and adjust the interface to make it user-friendly, while providing intensive one-on-one support to facilitate routine use of the database for monitoring and managing the collections.