Cornell Plantations

The Cornell Plantations are botanical gardens located adjacent to the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York. The Plantations proper consist of 25 acres (10 ha) of botanical gardens and 150 acres (61 ha) of the F.R. Newman Arboretum. The greater Plantations includes 40 different nature areas around Cornell and Ithaca, covering 4,300 acres (1,700 ha) of rich and diverse habitats.

The origin of the Plantations dates back to Cornell's beginning in the mid-19th century and are part of the university's longtime interest in agriculture, forestry, and the natural sciences. The Plantations saw a major planting effort during the 1930s and assumed their present name in 1944. Gardens and facilities have continually expanded, including a construction program at the start of the 21st century. The Plantations also maintains four gardens on Cornell's central campus. The Plantations offers three courses for academic credit, are used as a resource by other classes, host a number of informal lectures and tours, and have played a part in many scholarly papers. As of 2009, the Plantations had a $2.9 million annual operating budget.

The botanical gardens at the Plantations specialize in trees and shrubs native to New York State. The themed herb garden is especially noted. The Plantations have been the subject of several books and films over the years, are open daily without charge, and have been recommended as a visitation site by a number of travel books and newspaper travel sections.