W.J. Beal Botanical Garden - East Lansing, Michigan
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N 42° 43.896 W 084° 29.028
16T E 705987 N 4734080
Located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.
Waymark Code: WM2M2C
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 11/18/2007
Views: 57
From the Michigan State University website: (
visit link)
The W. J. Beal Botanical Garden is an outdoor laboratory for the study and appreciation of plants. It is one of the principal centers of plant interest within the arboretum-like campus of Michigan State University. More than 2000 different taxa can be found within W. J. Beal Botanical Garden.
This garden, established in 1873 by Professor William James Beal, is the oldest continuously operated university botanical garden of its kind in the United States. With consideration for Professor Beal's own words, "Students should themselves become discerning observers and investigators rather than mere reservoirs of previously accumulated knowledge" (Beal 1895, p.55). The Garden operates with the following mission:
Reflecting the philosophy of a land-grant institution, the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden is an outdoor laboratory engaged in teaching, collection development, research, conservation and public service. These activities focus on a theme of natural plant diversity, economic botany, ecology and plant conservation with emphasis on the Great Lakes region.