BRIT OVERVIEW

Founded in 1987, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is an international, scientific research and learning center focused on conservation and knowledge sharing. Based in Fort Worth, BRIT documents the diversity of plant life and conducts extensive research around the world.  Current major projects are in Texas, Europe, Peru, and Papua New Guinea.  In the last ten years, BRIT scientists have located and described scores of species previously unknown to science.

BRIT's Herbarium, a collection of more than one million dried plant specimens representing much of Earth’s plant diversity is among the largest in the United States and is the largest U.S. herbarium not part of a university, botanical garden, or broader natural history museum.  Some specimens date back to the late 1700’s. The origin for BRIT’s highly respected herbarium is the Lloyd Shinners Collection in Systematic Botany from Southern Methodist University (SMU).  BRIT also houses significant collections from Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College and Houston Museum of Natural Science.

 BRIT's library houses more than 125,000 volumes of books and journals from more than 100 countries. BRIT’s plant collections and educational programs are open to the public to help fulfill our mission to achieve public understanding of the value that plants bring to life.

BRIT’s collection-based research provides information for conservation purposes and is a resource for research scientists, students, teachers, plant enthusiasts, gardeners, hospitals, and many others.

BRIT’s new sustainable and energy efficient building is located in the Fort Worth Cultural District has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification by the US Green Building Council.  It is the first LEED Platinum building in Tarrant County, the second in North Texas, and only the eighth building in Texas.

BRIT’s Mission

To conserve our natural heritage by deepening our knowledge of the plant world and achieving public awareness of the value plants bring to life.
 

The Significance of BRIT

BRIT uses botanical solutions to address globally challenging problems ranging from pollution clean-up to sustainable food sources. By serving as a think tank and catalyst, BRIT inspires learning and forms interdisciplinary collaborations for critical research within scientific, educational, social, cultural, and business communities.
 
BRIT’s work impacts our world in many functional areas including: environment, by giving people a local sense of stewardship; medicine, through increasing nutritional and medicinal opportunities; society, by training a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers; and in agriculture by creating more sustainable food.

BRIT makes the world a better place, plant to planet.

Programs:

Research

BRIT’s strong research program is designed around two primary goals; directly improving life by making us better citizens through an increased understanding of the world, and producing published research that is peer-reviewed for maximal evaluation and reliability.  The success of BRIT’s research program is structured around teams, working as a whole and on individual projects. In addition, BRIT offers resources to a large number of affiliate researchers in order to conduct research projects either with BRIT staff or independently. Research is typically funded by competitive grants from the US National Science Foundation, private foundations, and private donations.

Herbarium

BRIT's Herbarium, a collection of more than one million dried plant specimens representing much of Earth’s plant diversity, is among the largest in the United States and is the largest U.S. herbarium not part of a university, botanical garden, or broader natural history museum.  Some specimens date back to the late 1700’s.  The Herbarium provides a comprehensive record of the diversity and distribution of the plants of Texas and the southern states as well as other regions of the world.  That information is accessible to scientists, environmentalists, teachers, students, landowners, the business community, and the public free of charge.

Education

BRIT is a recognized leader in informal botanical and environmental education with a diverse array of programs that deepen understanding of plants and inspire healthy relationships with the natural worlds on a personal, regional and global scale though opportunities for discovery, discussion and experiential learning.

Press

BRIT’s Press publishes books, including the Illustrated Texas Floras series, as well as a biannual and scholarly periodical, Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. As of December 2010, 33 titles of books and 101 issues of the journal (27,846 pages) have been published through BRIT Press.  As of December 2010, 33 titles of books and 101 issues of the journal (27,846 pages) have been published through BRIT Press.

Library - BRIT's library houses more than 125,000 volumes of books and journals from more than 100 countries. The oldest book in the Library is a 1549 edition of Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica, the medical encyclopedia that the Greek physician wrote in the first century A.D.  The Children’s Library houses approximately 3,000 books.

BRIT Awards

BRIT’s mission and passion is the conservation of our natural heritage along with increasing public understanding of the value that plants bring to our lives. To that end, BRIT established an awards program to honor individuals and organizations whose contributions and leadership best reflect BRIT’s core principles of conservation, sustainability, and wise stewardship of the land. 

The International Award of Excellence in Conservation®

This award honors individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions and leadership in conservation.  The award was established in 1995 and is presented every year during BRIT’s Annual Event. Recipients have included scientists, a head of state, philanthropists, Pulitzer Prize winners, government leaders, and other notables.   A few recognizable names are Dr. E. O. Wilson, the Honorable José María Figueres, Mrs. Lyndon Baines (Lady Bird) Johnson, Sir Ghillean Tolmie Prance, and Dr. Jane Goodall.

International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing

BRIT's sustainable winegrowing award was established in 2010 and honors wineries and vineyards that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability in both viticulture (winegrowing) and viniculture (winemaking).  Through the award, BRIT hopes to inspire others to become involved in sustainable design and practice.  The inaugural award was presented to HALL Wines of California.

BRIT currently employs 32 individuals.

Annual Operating Budget:

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ budget for the 2009 fiscal year was $3.37million, of which only 9 percent is administrative expenses. Ninety percent of our funds are from private resources, such as grant writing, events and private donations. The remaining 10 percent comes from contracts for services, publication sales and miscellaneous sources.

Leadership:

President & Director - S.H. Sohmer, Ph.D., FLS
Vice President & Director of Education - Patricia Harrison
Vice President & Director of Development - Cleve Lancaster
Vice President & Director of Research - Will McClatchey, Ph.D.

Headquarters:

1700 University Dr.
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817-332-4441

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