LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Queens Botanical Garden upon the
occasion of hosting its 14th Annual Rose Ball on June 11, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend those
illustrious organizations of the State of New York whose focus and
intent is to promote conservation education and to encourage the appre-
ciation and understanding of the environment as a whole; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
the Queens Botanical Garden upon the occasion of its 14th Annual Rose
Ball on Thursday, June 11, 2009; and
WHEREAS, This year's event will be unlike any other as guests partic-
ipate in a scavenger hunt through the Garden, while sampling delicious
food, enjoying live entertainment and learning more about the Garden's
work and mission; and
WHEREAS, The Queens Botanical Garden, a living museum serving the most
ethnically diverse county in the United States, is committed to present-
ing collections, education and research initiatives and programs that
demonstrate environmental stewardship, promote sustainability and cele-
brate the rich cultural connection between people and plants; and
WHEREAS, The garden, open to the public free-of-charge and located in
Flushing, New York, is dedicated to celebrating cultural connections
between plants and people and demonstrating environmental stewardship
for a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual audience; and
WHEREAS, Last year, more than 300,000 visitors came to the site to
enjoy the grounds and participate in programs; public programs attracted
more than 42,000 individuals and environmental staff presented compost
programs to more than 5,000 individuals; and
WHEREAS, Its education programs for school groups and the public
continue to flourish and grow; during the 2007-2008 school year, the
Education Department provided environmental workshops to nearly 14,000
elementary and middle school students through class visits to the
Garden; and
WHEREAS, The Visitor & Administration Center, dedicated September 27,
2007, is a veritable encyclopedia of environmental technologies, featur-
ing three working roofs: one with photovoltaic panels to capture the
sun's energy, another to capture rain for water uses, and a green plant-
ed roof that is accessible to the public; and
WHEREAS, The Center makes exemplary use of natural ventilation and
daylight, operates without the use of oil or natural gas, uses 40
percent less energy and 80 percent less water than a conventional build-
ing of its size, and includes a geothermal heating exchange system,
composting toilets and other environmentally green technologies; and
WHEREAS, In the construction of this building which addresses global
climate change as both a learning lab and demonstration model, the
Queens Botanical Garden has become an exemplary environmental leader in
the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, The completion of the award-winning Center has catapulted
Queens Botanical Garden to national recognition with numerous awards
including LEED Platinum and the AIA Top Ten Environmental Projects in
the United States; and
WHEREAS, Queens Botanical Garden serves as the primary resource for
botanical education in the borough; in all its work, it has made a
concerted effort to understand the needs and expectations of people from
the communities of the borough and to strengthen relationships with
them; today, the Garden continues to serve countless visitors, provide

educational, cultural and horticultural programs, as well as beautiful
botanic displays; and
WHEREAS, The success of the Queens Botanical Garden is in direct
correlation to the efforts of its members, whose involvement is, and
always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled
enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeav-
ors on behalf of the Gardens and the population it serves; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those organiza-
tions which enhance the well-being and vitality of the community and
have shown a long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have
earned our recognition and applause; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Queens Botanical Garden upon the occasion of hosting its
14th Annual Rose Ball on June 11, 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Queens Botanical Garden.