Voa Science Report - National Arboretum in Washington Offers Art and Science of Nature

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ONE: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. Im Faith Lapidus. VOICE TWO: And Im Bob . Washington, DC.. is home to famous buildings, memorials and museums that visitors love. But it is also home to large and beautiful green space. Today, we take you to the United States National Arboretum, an active center for scientific research and public education. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Many people who come to Washington are surprised when they first the National Arboretum. The Arboretum is only a short drive from the center of the city. However, visitors often like they are far from the busy American capital. The Arboretum covers one hundred eighty hectares of green space the northeast part of Washington. The area is famous for its beautiful flowers, tall trees and other plants. About thousand different kinds grow there. VOICE TWO: An arboretum is a place where trees and other plants are grown scientific and educational purposes. The National Arboretum was established by an act of Congress in nineteen twenty-seven-. Today, the States Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service operates the Arboretum. The goal of the Arboretum is to carry out and provide education in an effort to improve the environment. The goal includes protecting trees, flowers and other plants showing them to the public. VOICE ONE: The National Arboretum is a popular stop for visitors to Washington. It open every day of the year except December twenty-fifth-, the Christmas holiday. Money is not necessary to visit the . As many as six hundred thousand people visit the Arboretum's grounds each year. Hundreds of thousands also visit with help of computers. They use the Arboretums Internet web site to learn about current research programs and how to for plants. Director Thomas Elias says Arboretum officials would like to see even more visitors. He says they believe many people do not know it exists. VOICE TWO: Part of the problem might result from the fact that Arboretum is about five kilometers from the closest train station. Many famous places in Washington are a short walk Metrorail, the local train system. The Arboretum is easy to reach by automobile or bus, however. About fifteen kilometers roads have been built on the property. The roads connect to major collections and seasonal flowers. The Arboretum also people on bicycles. Disabled persons or those who want to walk only short distances may visit four beautiful areas are close to each other. People who like longer walks will enjoy the many pathways on the property. For small amount of money, the Arboretum provides trips around its grounds in an open vehicle or tram. The Arboretum a small store that sells books and other things. There is no place where you can buy food to on the ground. But visitors often bring food and enjoy a meal under a tree. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Right , the National Arboretum is collecting financial donations for an addition to the grounds. American and Chinese designers plan to a traditional Chinese garden. The garden will cover an area of almost five hectares. It is to include a , several smaller areas of fresh water and some traditional Chinese structures. The buildings will contain objects similar to those the Ching and Ming periods of Chinas history. The garden design will be based on the traditional gardens in Yangzhou area of Jiangsu Province. China has agreed to provide the structures, artwork, rocks and other objects. It also to send experts to Washington to help build the structures. China says the garden will be a gift to American people from the Chinese people. VOICE TWO: Scientists at the Arboretum have developed many of the trees and now found in the United States and other countries. Over the years, the Arboretum and the Agricultural Research Service released almost seven hundred different plants. Each year, they offer several new plants. Scientists there also have developed virus-resistant with processes of genetic engineering. The Sun Valley red maple is one such example. It was developed as part a project to study the genetic qualities of leaf color and insect resistance. The Sun Valley red maple produces that remain bright red late into autumn. It was tested in the state of Maryland. The tree kept its leaves for about two weeks before they fell to the ground. It also resisted the potato leafhopper, an insect feeds on tree leaves. VOICE ONE: Arboretum scientists have another important goal: to develop cleaner and safer methods to and support plant growth. Environmental laws and public opinion against the use of chemical products for killing insects has . Arboretum scientists have worked with chemical companies to create products that use natural substances to deal with insects. They such substances, biopesticides. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: The Agricultural Research Service operates a number of centers and laboratories across the States. The National Arboretum is best known for its beauty. Visitors can always find flowering plants. You can start for flowers in the Arboretums Asian Collections, Friendship Garden and National Boxwood Collection. There also are some very useful at the Arboretum. The Herb Garden there is said to be the largest of its kind in the world. can be used in many kinds of food and drinks, but others are medicinal. Herbs also can change the things smell or add color to cloth. Every plant in the Herb Garden, even the trees, is an herb. garden contains one hundred different kinds of peppers alone. VOICE ONE: Bonsai is an ancient Asian tradition. It is art of growing small plants or trees in a container. The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the Arboretum one of the largest collections of these plants in North America. Bonsai is a Japanese word. Penjing is Chinese. collection began with fifty-three bonsai from the Nippon Bonsai Association in nineteen seventy-six-. The plants were a gift to United States in honor of the two hundredth anniversary of the country's declaration of independence. American bonsai growers have to the collection over the years. There have also been gifts of penjing from China. The Arboretum now has bonsai areas containing about one hundred fifty plants. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: Each year, the National Arboretum offers a number educational programs and special events. This month, the Arboretum has a program in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month. may learn about herbs used for preparing food and traditional medicines in Spanish-speaking cultures. There will also be other this autumn that are connected to the changing colors of tree leaves. And the Arboretum offers nighttime walks through property when the moon is full. You might even see a raccoon, fox or other night creatures. VOICE ONE: say it would be difficult for the Arboretum to operate as well as it does without the support of organizations. The Arboretum has about one hundred employees. Yet it depends on many other people who offer their time effort without payment. For example, the Friends of the National Arboretum is a non-profit group that provides financial support. money is used for Arboretum training programs, the gardens and collections and special projects. The group also reports to about the Arboretums special needs. Another support group is the National Capital Area Foundation of Garden Clubs. The group its headquarters at the Arboretum. Its members offer their time to help with the Arboretums plant collection. They also as guides for visitors. They help thousands of people enjoy the National Arboretum, this beautiful natural area in the capital. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Caty Weaver. Brianna Blake was the . To find this report and other Special English programs, please visit voaspecialenglishcom.. I'm Bob Doughty. VOICE ONE: And I'm Lapidus. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

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