There is undoubtedly sorrow at Reiman Gardens this week, as it faces a budget cut that accounts for almost an eighth of its total budget.

Teresa McLaughlin, director of Reiman Gardens, said the facility was forced this year to make a $200,000 budget cut in order to balance its budget.

“We’ve had increases in labor, energy bills and the general cost of doing business with no increases in revenue,” McLaughlin said of the garden’s current $1.6 million budget.

The loss of revenue will effect changes in many facets of the organization. The butterfly wing will be closed during the winter months, the gardens will be closed on the winter weekends and several jobs will be reduced in hours – or cut.

McLaughlin said the job cuts will include two full-time positions and the entire winter hourly staff, which includes eight positions. Additionally, there are two full-time positions that are switching to part-time.

“The staff is so great,” McLaughlin said. “It’s so hard to cut people who are as smart and dedicated as they are.”

According to the garden’s new budget, the salaries of workers accounted for more than $700,000 of the budget.

“I’m very disappointed [about the budget cut],” McLaughlin said. “But we’re hopeful for the future.”

In further hopes of reducing the dent made by lost revenue, the gardens have been strategic in both handling the money they have, and doing without the money that was cut.

“We’re doing our best to ensure that as we try to reduce our budget that it doesn’t affect the gardens as much as possible,” said Nathan Brockman, curator of the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing.

Some of these such efforts include a new water system, which McLaughlin said will cut down on utility bills. She also said there are no more tour booklets and there are now roses that require less labor.

“We’re trying to use our resources wisely,” McLaughlin said.

Other efforts include a study on the attendance rates at the garden in order to make closures where there would be less effect.