Desert Botanical Garden names new CEO

The Arizona-based nonprofit Desert Botanical Garden has named Chris Kline its new president and CEO. Kline previously served as president and CEO of the Arizona Media Association for seven years. Kline joined “Arizona Horizon” to talk about how he plans to continue the Desert Botanical Garden’s conservation efforts.

The Desert Botanical Garden was started in 1939 with the goal of preserving the desert landscape. It has since blossomed into 140 acres of conservation land, and it offers classes on topics such as horticulture and even has a restaurant on site.

“It’s a place that so many of us have grown up coming to,” Kline said, “…it’s a place you come to escape the world, and just experience nature, and how do you not want to be more involved with that.”

With the 100th anniversary imminent, Kline discussed the strategic plan for the garden, the 2040 compass, to decide what changes they may want to make to the park.

“…there aren’t a lot of places on Earth where you can see the best of the desert,” Kline explained, “…while we already do it well, there’s always an opportunity to do it just a little bit better.”

Kline revealed one of the biggest secrets of the garden is that they have researchers actively in the park seeking out ways to help make the desert more sustainable long-term. Some of their research includes heat mitigation, water resilience, and dealing with functioning ecosystems in the heat.

“I think you will see us in the weeks, months, and years ahead,” Kline said, “…trying to find ways to partner more with cities, partner more with nonprofits, and partner more with the public in general, so that we can incubate solutions.”

According to Kline, the garden may expand its hours over the coming days and weeks in order to make the garden more accessible as the sun comes up.

“…that’s how I try to think about this place, is the escape from the heat,” Kline explained, “…and if we’re gonna get outside we gotta do it early morning, or late at night.”