New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States, known for its rich history, stunning fall foliage, and charming coastal towns. Within this vibrant area lies the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (NEBG), a place of natural beauty and horticultural excellence. Like any modern institution, NEBG is committed to protecting the personal information of its visitors and online users. This Privacy Notice explains how NEBG collects, uses, and safeguards your data when you interact with their website, ensuring transparency and trust for everyone engaging with this New England treasure.
Personal Information Collection and Usage at NEBG
When you explore the digital presence of the New England Botanic Garden at https://nebg.org/ (the “Website”), NEBG, referred to as “NEBG”, “we”, “our”, or “us”, gathers personal information to enhance your experience and provide essential services. This information, which identifies you or relates to you as an identifiable individual, is collected both directly from you and automatically as you navigate the Website.
A. Information You Directly Provide to NEBG
Your direct interactions with the New England Botanic Garden website involve providing personal information for various purposes:
- Donations: Supporting the beauty of New England’s botanic garden involves donations. When you contribute, NEBG collects identifiers such as your name, email, address, and payment details (processed securely by a payment processor). This ensures your generosity is processed correctly and you receive necessary tax documentation.
- Purchases: To acquire tickets, memberships, or items from the online store, you provide identifiers and payment information. This allows NEBG to fulfill your orders and communicate about your purchases, with payment processing handled by a secure third party.
- E-newsletter Subscriptions: Staying updated with New England Botanic Garden’s events and news is easy. Subscribing to the e-newsletter requires your name, address, and email. This information is used to send you updates, and you can unsubscribe anytime. NEBG utilizes tracking technologies in communications to understand recipient behavior and improve content delivery, enhancing user experience for those interested in New England horticulture.
- Membership Enrollment: Becoming a member of the New England Botanic Garden deepens your connection. Enrollment requires identifiers, membership type selection, payment card information, and optionally, account login details. This data manages your membership, facilitates communication, and processes payments securely.
- Planned Giving Inquiries: Exploring legacy gifts to support the Garden involves providing identifiers through a third-party gift management provider. Information about gift types and consultation requests are also collected to facilitate your philanthropic planning.
- Volunteer Sign-Ups and Timesheets: Contributing to the New England community through volunteering at the Botanic Garden involves providing identifiers and area of interest. Volunteer timesheets collect identifiers and volunteered hours for processing and sharing as requested.
- Private Event Inquiries: Hosting events amidst the beauty of New England’s nature requires submitting identifiers and event details. This information helps NEBG process your event request and communicate with you about hosting possibilities.
- Online Shop Product Submissions: Local artisans interested in showcasing products at the New England Botanic Garden’s shop provide identifiers, product details, and business information for consideration.
- Account Creation: Creating an account streamlines tour reservations and communication about NEBG offerings. It requires your email and password. Account holders may receive marketing communications unless opted-out, keeping them informed about events and opportunities in this New England attraction.
- Contacting NEBG: Reaching out with questions or inquiries involves providing identifiers and your message content. This allows NEBG to respond effectively and address your needs regarding the Website or your NEBG experience.
- Boxed Lunch Menu Forms: Ordering refreshments for your visit involves providing identifiers and lunch menu selections. This ensures accurate order fulfillment for your convenience when visiting the Garden.
- Business Partnership Forms: Organizations interested in partnering with the New England Botanic Garden provide identifiers, organizational details, and partnership interests. This facilitates communication and exploration of collaboration opportunities.
- Sponsored Event Request Forms: Seeking sponsorship from NEBG for events requires submitting identifiers, organization details, and event information. This allows NEBG to assess and respond to sponsorship requests.
- Group Visit/Tour Forms: Planning group visits to experience New England’s botanic beauty involves providing identifiers, requested visit details, and special needs. This ensures smooth coordination and communication for group visits.
- Field Trip and Youth Group Visit Reservation Forms: Educational visits for youth groups require identifiers, group details, program preferences, and visit logistics. This facilitates the organization of enriching educational experiences at the Garden.
This collected personal information is also used to comply with legal obligations, maintain business operations, and in other limited circumstances as detailed in “HOW WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION”.
B. Automatically Collected Information
Beyond what you directly provide, NEBG automatically collects information as you interact with the Website, utilizing cookies and similar technologies. This includes:
- Usage Information: Functional cookies track your website interactions, such as pages visited, frequency, time spent, clicks, and referring website addresses. This data improves user experience, prevents fraud, and aids in diagnosing and repairing website errors, ensuring a smooth online experience for those interested in New England Botanic Garden.
- Device Information: Functional cookies collect data about your device, including browser type, language, hardware model, operating system, and preferences. This enhances user experience, prevents fraud, fixes errors, remembers preferences, and provides enhanced functionality, optimizing the website for various user setups.
- Location Information: Functional cookies may collect location data via IP address. This information contributes to user experience enhancement, fraud prevention, error diagnosis and repair, preference remembering, and improved functionality, potentially tailoring content based on general location.
You can opt-out of interest-based advertising through the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance. Opting out places an “opt-out cookie” on your browser, which is browser and device specific and lasts until cookies are cleared. Essential cookies, crucial for website function, are not affected by this opt-out.
Third-party cookies on the NEBG Website include:
- Google Analytics: NEBG utilizes Google Analytics to analyze website usage and improve the Website. Google Analytics may use cookies and collect information governed by Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can opt-out of Google Analytics here.
How NEBG Shares Your Personal Information
New England Botanic Garden may share your personal information within NEBG, with service providers, and with other third parties under specific circumstances:
- Within NEBG: Information may be shared internally for legitimate business purposes and operational efficiency, within legal limits.
- With Service Providers: NEBG shares information with service providers who support the Website and services, including IT support, client management, e-commerce platform, payment processors, event planning, gift management, and email marketing providers.
- With Third Parties: Disclosure to third parties like legal advisors, law enforcement, or regulatory bodies may occur to protect legal rights, prevent fraud or illegal activities, prevent harm, manage risk, and comply with legal obligations.
- Corporate Reorganization: In case of business restructuring like mergers, acquisitions, or sales, personal information may be shared with involved third parties to facilitate the transaction. This also applies to bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings.
- With Your Consent: For reasons beyond those listed, NEBG may seek your consent to share your personal information for specific purposes. You can revoke consent with written notice.
Your Personal Information Choices
- Marketing Communications: You can unsubscribe from newsletters and marketing emails via the “unsubscribe” link in each email. Essential communications regarding your account, membership, or requested services will continue.
- Nevada Residents: Nevada residents can opt-out of the sale of their personal information. Contact [email protected] with “Opt-Out Request Under Nevada Law” in the subject line for future opt-out requests. NEBG does not currently sell personal information under Nevada law.
- Do Not Track: NEBG does not currently support Do Not Track (DNT) browser preferences.
Security of Your Personal Information
NEBG implements security measures to protect collected information, including access controls. However, complete security is not guaranteed for online data transmission.
Age Restriction
The Website and services are not intended for individuals under eighteen (18) years of age.
Changes to This Privacy Notice
NEBG may update this Privacy Notice periodically. Changes will be posted on the Website with the effective date. Material changes affecting privacy rights will be prominently notified on the Website. Review this Privacy Notice regularly to stay informed.
Contact Us
For questions about this Privacy Notice or information practices, please contact:
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
11 French Drive
P.O. Box 598
Boylston, MA 01505-0598
[email protected]
