Station Identification:
Physical Location: 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge LA 70809
Distance/Context: 3 miles from LSU campus
Contacts:
Resident Coordinator: Jeff Kuehny
Assistant Resident Coordinator: Mary Coco
Farm Manager: Keith Lewis
Station Overview:
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden is a unique property in that we are not only a research station, but we are also a public garden and arboretum. The Botanic Gardens has an expansive collection of specialty gardens, woodlands, wetlands, arboreta and university research facilities located in the heart of Baton Rouge. Our facility features "Trees and Trails," the Rose Garden, Children’s Garden, Stone Camellia Collection, Crowder Camellia Collection, Herb Garden, Tropical Garden, Memory Garden, Barton Arboretum, Oak Grove, StoryWalk loop, White Garden and the historic Windrush Gardens.
We provide support to faculty, staff and students to conduct research and educational programing that is accessible to the public. Our facility plays an important role in the LSU AgCenter extension and research programs, which support stormwater and wetlands management, urban forest management and wildlife conservation, as well as the state’s nursery, landscape, farming and forestry industries. Our overarching mission is to showcase the natural beauty of our state while providing educational opportunities for all.
Key Commodities and Production Systems Served:
The Botanic Gardens facilities support research and extension efforts in green infrastructure, stormwater management, landscape demonstration and management, urban forestry, urban wildlife management and conservation, and small plot field research.
Research Programs and Disciplines:
Current research and extension projects include urban bird banding stations, loblolly pine research, wetlands restoration, stormwater quality, green infrastructure and stormwater management, field corn breeding program, sweet potato breeding program, and soybean pest control.
Physical Resources and Infrastructure:
The physical infrastructure at the Botanic Gardens includes two green houses, shade and sun nursery production areas, walk-in coolers, sweet potato curing room, mechanic shop, pesticide storage and equipment barns. There are approximately 30 acres of field area for small plot research, 150 acres of urban woodlands, 30 acres of urban wetlands, 5 acres of turf grass plots, 2 acres of raised beds. The gardens has equipment to support implementation, maintenance and data collection for all these areas.
As a public garden there is capacity for faculty, staff and students to exhibit their research and provide educational programs to convey the research conducted at the gardens or other research stations across the state. The Ione Burden Conference Center has a capacity for 100 people, and the Welcome Center has a capacity for 250 people. The pavilion provides capacity for 100 people in an outdoor covered area and 3 miles of trails in the woodlands and wetlands.
Analysis Capabilities and Impact:
The gardens have over 200,000 visitors annually with an economic impact on the state and local economy of approximately $4,000,000 annually in programming.
Agricultural Applications:
Research conducted at the botanic gardens has provided broad applications to sweet potato, field corn, soybean, vegetable farmers, the greenhouse and nursery industry, landscape industry, urban forestry and ecology.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
The botanic gardens, which are in the center of a major city and 3 miles from the LSU campus collaborates with faculty, staff and students in almost every unit on campus from the department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising to School of Renewable and Natural Resources.
