Welcome To BRIT

Plant to planet.®

Ever have a desire to discover? Ever have a desire to teach others what you've learned? We do - every day. By nature, that’s who we are. We’re the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, an international scientific research and learning center focused on conservation and knowledge sharing.

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Upcoming Events

Horticulture and Gardening

Come discover how your garden grows.

As community leaders in plant based knowledge and education, BRIT and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden are pleased to partner with experts in the fields of horticulture and gardening to provide the public with opportunities to expand their knowledge of the plant world through a variety of classes and workshops. 

These half and full day classes and workshops will take place on the BRIT campus, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, and in the field. Please check the individual event announcements for further details.

 

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Soil Biology Super Class

Monarch Migration and the Fall Garden
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Food, Health, and Wellness

Feed your mind, body, and soul.

Feed your mind, body, and soul and learn something new by attending one of our Food, Health, and Wellness classes at BRIT. Come discover the connections between the botanical and culinary worlds, come learn new ways to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle, and best of all, come spend some quality time on our beautiful garden campus located in the heart of the Fort Worth Cultural District!

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Herbal Oils, Vinegars, and Salad Dressings
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BRIT Reads Book Club

If you love to read and you're passionate about botany, natural history, sustainability, and other similar topics, then join us the third Monday of each month for the BRIT Reads Book Club. This informal group meets from noon - 1 pm in the BRIT Library. Bring your lunch and bring a friend and come tell us what you thought about our book of the month. No time to read but still want to hear what people have to say about a particular book? No problem! We'd love to have you!

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The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Forest Unseen
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GROWing Together

Family Programs

Welcome!

With both the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas as educational resources, GROW offers hands-on, nature-based educational programming to local families. For this season, Seedlings and Little Sprouts are back in the Garden, and don’t forget about Bella’s Book & Nature Club and Bella’s Saturday Story Time at BRIT. We are also offering Family Exploration Saturdays! Come and GROW with us!

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Hike with GROW Girl

Little Sprouts
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Teacher Tuesday

Influencers in Education

Teacher Tuesday is an educator professional development program where educators come together to GROW. Teachers learn from experts in education, environmental science, botany, medicine, STEM and from each other. These sessions provide professionals with new ideas and strategies for instruction and an opportunity to build professional learning networks. 

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September Teacher Tuesday
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Recent Articles

Summer in Paradise: Preserving Plant Genomes across Texas

by Morgan Gostel, Ph.D.
This article was written by GGI-Gardens Summer 2019 Fellow, Seth Hamby. Texas is a state that you can drive through for 7 hours and still be in Texas, believe me we did it this summer! Because of its geographic location, geology, and rainfall gradient, Texas supports tons of different ecoregions, ecotones, and microhabitats that foster some of the highest biodiversity in the country, second only to California (obligatory “boo! hiss!”). Coming into the GGI-Gardens Fellowship I didn’t really know what to expect. I figured that we would devote most of our time to lab work and only get a few chances to go collecting out in the field. Little did I know that we would travel thousands of miles, spend countless hours in the field, collect amazing botanical wonders, and meet some of the coolest pla...
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Botanists Amidst the Texas Flora: A GGI Summer Fellowship

by Morgan Gostel, Ph.D.
This article was written by GGI-Gardens Summer 2019 Fellow, Farahnoz Khojayori. Climbing up the Tobe Spring Trail over 7,000 feet elevation past rattlesnakes, tall evergreens, and countless thistles and shrubs I was not prepared for the view before me. With Mt. Livermore, to my left, as a tall indelible shadow providing shade against the hot July sun, I finally reached the spring. At a glance Tobe Spring seemed dry, and the small muddy ground was the only indication of this once integral water source. On closer look, however, numerous species of butterflies and moths could be seen gathered around the last remaining droplets of water. And next to them was a display of the most exuberant flowers of Aquilegia and many other plants I did not yet know. It was the most surreal ending to a summer...
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Peter Fritsch Reporting on Field Research in the Philippines

by Peter Fritsch, Ph.D.
The first expedition to the Philippines has been going splendidly, with many hundreds of collections, photographs, DNA samples, and associated field data being collected by the team. The four areas to be surveyed are Mount Marilog, Mount Limbawon, and Mount Hamiguitan, all on the island of Mindanao, and several peaks on Camiguin Island just off the north coast of Mindanao. From left to right, Gordon McPherson (Missouri Botanical Garden), Peter Fritsch (BRIT), and Victor Amoroso (Central Mindanao University) at the Mount Marilog Guest House, where we conducted the first leg of the overall expedition. The vicinity of Mount Marilog has been unexplored botanically until now, and so we are expecting a number of plant and lichen species new to science as a result of our work. Peter Fritsch in th...
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Highlights from the Oliver G. Burk Children's Library

by Brandy Watts
As part of the BRIT LIbrary's summer internship, Annie Martin, our summer intern, is highlighting a selection of books from the Oliver G. Burk Children's Library Collection. Over the course of the summer more items will be added so please check back!
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A Natural Nature Networker

by Dan Caudle
The annual Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention was held at the Fort Worth Convention Center at the end of March. The associated trade show was open to the public, and there were more than 200 exhibitors/vendors offering giveaways and information at various booths. Our own Dan Caudle, Resident Research Associate, worked several booths on behalf of the Youth Range Workshop , Texas Grazing Land Coalition (TXGLC) , and the Grazing Animal Nutrition (GAN) Lab at the Blackland Research and Extension Center , this last of whom (according to Dan) "test livestock fecal samples with Near Infrared Spectroscopy to determine nutritional value of the forages that have actually been consumed, digested, and passed through the animals." You know...as one does (!!!!). Though officially "retired"...
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About BRIT

Become A Member

Become a member today!

The Living Roof

A usable ecosystem, an insulating roof, and a storm water management system, all in one.

Campus Tours

Learn about BRIT's history, collections, and programs. Public and private tours available!

Hours and Location

Closed on Mondays. The building is open to visitors 10am - 4pm, Tuesday - Friday and most Saturday mornings (February through November). The BRIT Libraries and Herbarium are open for public use by appointment.

Rent Our Space

Stunning architecture, floor-to-ceilings windows, and a message of sustainability make BRIT a unique place for any event.
News
BRIT® Receives $1.5M Award from National Science Foundation
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