Asheville Botanical Garden And UNC Asheville Extend Partnership For 50 Years

Today, Asheville Botanical Garden, a free-entry public garden, will remain rooted at UNC Asheville for decades to come under a new 50-year ground lease.  

The Garden’s previous lease, signed in 2022, was set to expire in 2032. The amendment agreement extended the timeline to 2072, giving the 14-acre native plant preserve near the University’s W.T. Weaver Boulevard entrance greater long-term security. The new agreement was approved by the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees on August 19 and the UNC Board of Governors on September 17. 

“This agreement marks an exciting new chapter in the Garden’s relationship with UNC Asheville,” said Matthew B. Sprouse, partner at Sitework Studios and president of the Asheville Botanical Garden Board. “It gives us the predictability we need to make decisions that will benefit the Garden and the community for generations to come.” 

That longer timeframe will help the independent nonprofit build long-term donor support and compete for grants, providing financial resources that are essential for maintenance of the Garden’s trails, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure, as well as its botanical treasures. 

“We have more than 850 native plant species here, including rare or endangered plants such as Virginia meadowsweet, Ruth’s golden aster and Virginia round-leaf birch,” said Kaita Collier, executive director of Asheville Botanical Garden. “This diversity reflects more than six decades of people caring for the region’s native flora.”