The Austin Val Verde Foundation Local Projects...
Preservation and maintenance of the historic cultural landscape:
The Foundation seeks to maintain and preserve the entire fabric of the historic cultural landscape which makes up the site known as "Val Verde". Currently, in order to accomplish this mandate there are several programs in place:
- Conducting an intensive plant inventory for the plants that remain from what was the "largest collection of rare and exotic trees in the western hemisphere" in 1900.
- Propagating plants from the original specimen plants for future use in maintaining and preserving the original planting designs
- Archiving all materials related to the landscape architect, Lockwood de Forest, Jr. including the drawn plans, correspondence, landscape paintings and photographs
- Archiving all materials related to the architect, Bertram Goodhue
- Archiving all materials related to the patrons of Val Verde, Wright S. Ludington, Dr. Warren R. Austin and Mrs. Austin
- Archiving and documenting all materials related to the social history of Val Verde
- Archiving and collecting all materials related to the work history and the significant individuals employed at Val Verde over time
