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BOYCE THOMPSON SOUTHWESTERN ARBORETUM
SUPERIOR, AZ · EIN 880061520 · Form 990PF · FY2021 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · btarboretum.org
revenue
$3.2M
expenses
$3.1M
net assets
$9.2M
employees
—
profile · synthesized from sources

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is Arizona's first and oldest botanical garden, located in Superior. It conserves and displays desert plants from around the world, offering educational programs, guided tours, and public events focused on desert ecology, conservation, and horticulture. The site serves as an Important Bird Area and provides immersive experiences for visitors of all ages.

named programs · 10 · from sources

what they call their work

Arboretum Discovery Tour
Docent-led one-hour tour on the Main Trail introducing visitors to desert plant adaptations and the Arboretum's diverse gardens
Bird Walk
Beginner-friendly guided birding walks offered monthly; Boyce Thompson Arboretum is designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society
Butterfly Walk
Guided walks led by experts from the Central Arizona Butterfly Association focusing on butterfly species and their host plants
Edible & Medicinal Plant Tour
Tour highlighting useful plants found in the Sonoran Desert; informational only, no harvesting or sampling allowed
Flavor of Arizona
Annual two-day event featuring local food, beverage, and craft vendors; included with admission
Private Tours
Custom one-hour guided tours for groups of 2–75, available by request and tailored to group interests
Spring Plant Sale
Annual public plant sale offering desert-adapted plants; members receive a 20% discount
Summer Golf Cart Tour
Hour-long guided golf cart tour to scenic spots in the Arboretum; limited to 5 guests and offered during summer months
Sunrise Hike
Early morning educational hikes during summer months covering Sonoran Desert ecology and plant survival strategies
Wallace Garden Tour
Walking tour focusing on the legacy of Henry B. Wallace and the unique plant collection in the Wallace Desert Garden, including rare and endangered species
activities · 8 groups

what they do

  • Nature-Based Environmental Education Programs 6 activities
    • Butterfly Education
      Provides educational resources and guided walks focused on butterfly species found at the arboretum, including a guide and information on 15 species.
    • Desert Ecology Education
      Conducts educational sunrise hikes focusing on Sonoran Desert ecology and plant survival, enhancing visitor understanding of desert ecosystems.
    • Guided Tours and Walks
      Offers daily general tours and specialty walks focused on various themes such as birds, ethnobotany, and geology to educate visitors.
    • Lizard Education
      Offers educational content about ten lizard species native to the arboretum, enhancing visitor knowledge of local wildlife.
    • Maintaining Educational and Visitor Facilities
      The organization maintains facilities such as a new Visitors Center, a Demonstration Garden for water-efficient landscapes, the Gloria Wing Ong Children’s Learning Center, and a Children's Garden.
    • Providing Educational Tours and Walks
      The organization offers daily general tours and specialty walks focusing on birds, ethnobotany, geology, edible and medicinal plants, and desert plant adaptations. It also conducts docent-led tours of the Main Trail and Wallace Desert Garden, sunrise hikes, and butterfly walks.
  • Desert & Native Plant Garden Management 3 activities
    • Maintaining and Curating Plant Collections
      The organization maintains 372 acres of Sonoran Desert with nearly five miles of trails and houses a collection of 4,025 taxa and 20,000 desert plants from various regions globally within 135 acres of gardens, including a specific collection of over 100 species of legumes and the 13-acre Wallace Desert Garden featuring 5,000 new plantings and 1,223 taxa.
    • Plant Collections
      Maintains a diverse collection of over 100 species of legumes and 4,025 taxa of desert plants, providing opportunities for public exploration and education.
    • Wallace Desert Garden
      Operates the 13-acre Wallace Desert Garden featuring 1.5 miles of trails and 5,000 new plantings, showcasing desert plant diversity.
  • Desert Plant Conservation Research 2 activities
    • Botanical Research and Conservation
      The organization conducts botanical research, including publishing definitive botanical descriptions and a journal, and established the Desert Legume Program (DELEP) to conserve global legume biodiversity with a seed bank backed up at the Global Seed Vault.
    • Research Initiatives
      Conducts research initiatives such as the Desert Legume Program to conserve global legume biodiversity, with a seed bank backed up at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway.
  • Garden-Based Education Programs 2 activities
    • Educational Classes
      Provides educational classes on diverse topics including gardening, gourd art, and photography, catering to various interests.
    • Hosting Educational Classes and Workshops
      The organization provides educational classes on topics such as gardening, gourd art, and photography, and hosts all-levels outdoor yoga classes.
  • Yoga and Mind-Body Practice Instruction 1 activity
    • Outdoor Yoga Classes
      Hosts all-levels outdoor yoga classes in the Arboretum, promoting wellness and relaxation through mindful movement.
  • Environmental & Nature-Focused Member Publications 1 activity
    • Publishing Educational Content
      The organization publishes a quarterly magazine with photos, gardening tips, and news, and provides guides and educational information on butterfly species, lizard species, and wildflowers found at the arboretum and in Arizona.
  • Wildlife Habitat & Species Information Guides 1 activity
    • Wildflower Education
      Provides a guide introducing ten wildflower species found in Arizona, promoting awareness of local flora.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Community Events
      Hosts various community events such as the annual Arbor Day Celebration and the Flavor of Arizona event, engaging families and promoting local culture.
    • Organizing Public Events and Celebrations
      The organization hosts seasonal events and activities including Family Days, Star Gazing, an annual Arbor Day Celebration, the "Flavor of Arizona" event, and the "Welcome Back, Buzzards!" celebration, along with a Spring Plant Sale.
financials · form 990PF · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$3.20M
Contributions & grants$767K24%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$153K5%
Other revenue$494K
expenses
Total expenses$3.07M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$146K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$10.28M
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$9.22M
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +11.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
LYNNE NEMETH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $146K
board members · 12
  • ANNE SCHROCK — DIRECTOR
  • CAROL PARROTT — DIRECTOR
  • CAROLYN BAECKER — DIRECTOR
  • DR BOBBI LANCASTER — DIRECTOR
  • GEMA DURARTE LUNA — DIRECTOR
  • JARED LANGKILDE — DIRECTOR
  • JAY REAM — DIRECTOR
  • JOSEPH GIACOBAZZI — VICE CHAIR
  • MILA BESICH-LIRA — DIRECTOR
  • SHELLY ESQUE — CHAIR
  • TAIMUR BURKI — DIRECTOR
  • VICTORIA BEVER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 23

who they work with

  • ASU Foundation Partner — Torrie Young held a development leadership role at the ASU Foundation.
  • Arizona Science Center Partner — Dr. Lyana Guevara served as Onsite Manager of CAMP INNOVATION at the Arizona Science Center.
  • Arizona State Parks Partner — Brenna Murphy-Reynolds completed an internship with Arizona State Parks.
  • Arizona State Parks Partner — Joined with the University of Arizona and Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum Foundation to co-manage the Arboretum, becoming a functional unit of Arizona State Parks for 43 years.
  • Audubon Arizona Partner — Dr. Lyana Guevara worked for Audubon Arizona in informal education roles.
  • Central Arizona Butterfly Association Partner — Provides a butterfly expert to lead butterfly walks.
  • Civilian Conservation Corps Partner — Housed twenty young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps for a revegetation project.
  • Crown Cork and Seal Company Partner — Partnered to cultivate cork oak saplings which were given to the public.
  • Desert Botanical Garden Partner — Dr. Lyana Guevara worked for the Desert Botanical Garden in informal education roles.
  • Forest Service Government — Obtained Special Use Permits from the Forest Service for experimental agricultural purposes.
  • Kim Gray Partner — Executive Director leading members-only tours and sharing organizational vision
  • Local First Arizona Foundation Partner — Shelbi Storms served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Local First Arizona Foundation, working on economic development and local food systems.
  • Make-A-Wish Arizona Partner — Torrie Young held a development leadership role at Make-A-Wish Arizona.
  • National Audubon Society Partner — Named Boyce Thompson Arboretum an Important Bird Area.
  • Phoenix Zoo Partner — Dr. Lyana Guevara worked for the Phoenix Zoo in informal education roles.
  • Tempe Sister Cities Partner — Dr. Lyana Guevara participated in the Tempe Sister Cities Educator Exchange Program.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Government — Kim Gray collaborated with the US Fish and Wildlife Service on endangered species recovery initiatives.
  • University of Arizona Partner — Joined with the University of Arizona to co-manage the Arboretum and reinvigorate the research program, and later established the Desert Legume Program as a joint project.
  • Valley of the Sun United Way Partner — Torrie Young held a development leadership role at Valley of the Sun United Way.
  • Wallace Desert Garden Partner — Added to the Arboretum's collections, contributing desert plants from various global regions.
  • Wallace Foundation Funder — Gifted its collection of 6,000 plants to the Arboretum, leading to the creation of the Wallace Desert Garden.
  • epcactusandrockclub Partner — Collaborated to save cacti from a construction site in El Paso, Texas.
  • keystoneheritagepark Partner — Collaborated to save cacti from a construction site in El Paso, Texas.