The Desert Botanical Garden is thinking big — a century big. The Garden has unveiled its 2040 Compass, a once-in-a-century strategic plan designed to build on its deep community legacy and position it as the world’s leading destination for desert plants, desert experiences and desert solutions.
The Compass lays out a bold commitment for the years leading into the Garden’s second century in 2040: to set the global standard for immersive desert plant experiences, to grow as a place where people come together through unforgettable shared experiences, and to advance research that scales solutions to help communities like Phoenix thrive in a hotter, drier world.
Guided by five strategic North Stars — from researching solutions to the desert’s greatest challenges to bringing desert stories to life and securing enduring sustainability — the plan renews the Garden’s guiding mission: bringing people together to protect and celebrate the unique wonders of the desert.
“The question is no longer whether deserts will shape the future,” said Chris Kline, the Garden’s President and CEO. “The question is who will lead it. Desert Botanical Garden chooses to lead.”
Photo: Desert Botanical Garden


