TO ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF THE WORLD'S HARDY FERNS FOR DISPLAY, EVALUATION, PRESERVATION, EDUCATION AND INTRODUCTION TO THE GARDENING AND HORTICULTURAL COMMUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES A QUARTERLY NEWLETTER WITH ARTICLES OF GENERAL INTEREST, AS WELL AS SPECIFICS ON CULTIVATION, SITES FOR VIEWING COLLECTIONS, FERN PROFILES, AND EVALUATIONS OF FERNS IN THE TESTING PROGRAM. SPECIAL ISSUES OF THE NEWSLETTER INCLUDE A DIRECTORY OF FERN GARDENS, NURSERIES AND RESERVES IN THE US, CANADA AND ABROAD; PROPAGATION HANDBOOK; AND GUIDE TO HARDY GARDEN FERNS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN ANNUAL FERN FESTIVAL IN JUNE. MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN SPORE EXCHANGE AND HAVE FIRST ACCESS TO FERNS AS THEY ARE INTRODUCED.