Botanic gardens and society – a changing relationship

1. A world of resources and heritage for humankind Botanic gardens and society – a changing relationship Vernon Heywood Centre for Plant Diversity and Systematics School of Plant Sciences The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AS, UK

2. ‘A mark of a good botanic garden is its ability to adapt to changing circumstances but at the same time provide a high quality amenity and a good science programme’ G.T.Prance

3. Botanic gardens ‘They inform and educate; they are showcases for the living world, places where science and people meet.’ Declaration of Gran Canaria, 1985

4. A world of resources and heritage for humankind One of the essential missions of botanic gardens is to allow people to connect with plants ‘…to explore and explain the world of plants’ Mission statement, Royal Botanic Gatden, Edinburgh

5. The multiple roles of botanic gardens • centres for plant introduction • centres for ex situ conservation and in situ support • sources of urban and peri-urban biodiversity • official centres for the implementation of conservation legislation and instruments • holders of national collections • as a historical archive • education and training • research in ethnobotany and medicinal and aromatic plants • academic resource centres • centres of re-creation • centres for sustainable development

6. Confusion of purpose Throughout their history botanic gardens have suffered from a confusion of purpose in the mind of the public – a confusion that persists to the present day

7. Crise d’identité Of equal concern is the confusion of purpose within the botanic garden community

8. Disharmony of function Disharmony of function is often a concern with so many diverse objectives and uses of the garden Watson, Heywood & Crowley (1993)

9. Useful or ornamental? • 16th and 17th centuries – from the cultivation, provision and study of medicinal plants to the cultivation of ornamental exotics • 18th century – ‘by 1750 the ‘physic garden’ was an emblem of civilization: means of, and evidence for, rational knowledge of nature…’ • end of 18th century, a means of improving agriculture and an instrument of colonization – gardens as resource centres

10. The essence of a botanic garden is its living plant collections

11. Collections Documented collections is one of the features that distinguish botanic gardens from parks, recreation grounds and wilderness reserves

12. Conservation – a new purpose The conservation role of botanic gardens was foreseen in the early 20th century but not formally developed until the 1970s Nor surprisingly, today with increasing concern at the destruction, fragmentation and degradation of habitats, many botanic gardens have focused much of their effort on conserving plant diversity

13. Biodiversity loss and conservation • Science and technology alone will not be able to solve the problems of biodiversity loss and environmental destruction unless it is willed by humanity • The major challenge then is to persuade the general public, the voter, the taxpayer, indeed all sectors of society of the need for action and to provide the budget to pay for it • And botanic gardens can play a key part in this process.

14. Linkages and networks • The origins of networking • The Garden Catalogue, the Index Seminum and the exchange of germplasm • The first botanic garden associations • The first conservation networks • Networking and linkages for today and tomorrow

15. A long tradition of networking Since their origin in the 16th century, botanic gardens have formed part of the network of scholarship, science and learning

16. The early networks • Botanic gardens became linked through a common interest in the exploration of plant diversity • The colonial networks • The first global network formed by botanic gardens came through the Index Seminum

17. Colonial networks • Networks for exploration • Networks for trade • Networks for economic exploitation • Development of tropical agricultlure

18. Botanic gardens and the exchange of germplasm Although some sharing of material did occur, perhaps the origins of large scale exchange of plants began with the agreement between the Chelsea Physic Garden and Leiden University in 1683 Hortus Botanicus Leiden

19. The seeds of exchange The Index Seminum – the first issued by the University Botanic Garden in Oxford in the 18th century

20. From the Index Seminum to the Gene Bank • The development of the seed list • Focus on novelty and numbers of species • Rivalry – which garden has the largest number of species in cultivation? • The development of uniformity out of diversity – the botanic garden flora • The recent focus on material of wild origin • The recent focus on native species

21. Millennium Seed Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst Place, UK

22. The first international meetings • 1er Congrès International pour la Protection de la Nature, Paris (1923) • 2ème Congrès International pour la Protection de la Nature, Paris (1931)

23. IABG IABG originated as the sub-commission of Botanic Gardens of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), which held a colloquium on ‘The scientific organization of Botanic Gardens’in Paris 4–6 June 1953, dealing with:

24. Topics of the 1953 Paris meeting • the definition of Botanic Gardens • accurate identification of cultivated plants • protection of nature and of living collections • practical recommendations for Seed Lists • experimental gardens to include the preservation of genetical experimental material • international relations between Botanic Gardens • Regular meetings of botanic garden representatives

25. Recommendations from the Paris Meeting • That a section be established within the International Union for the Protection of Nature (later IUCN) to work out the role of Botanic Gardens in the protection of plants and plant communities • That an Index of Botanic Gardens be prepared by the International Union of Taxonomy (later IAPT) with the aid of IUBS

26. The aims of IABG • To promote international cooperation between botanic gardens, arboreta and similar institutes maintaining scientific collections of living plants. • to promote the study of taxonomy of plants to benefit the world community. • to promote documentation and exchange of information, living plants and specimens between botanic gardens and similar institutes. • to promote the conservation of plants through cultivation and other means within botanic gardens and similar institutes. • to promote the introduction to cultivation of appropriate plants of benefit to the community. • to promote habitat conservation by cooperation between IABG and other relevant bodies. • to promote horticulture as an art and science.

27. The first conservation networks • In 1975, the IABG at its Plenary Session held in Moscow ‘recognized that numerous botanic gardens of the world, united under the auspices of IABG represent a powerful force, which is capable of rendering effective assistance in the conservation of plant life in all continents’ • Also in 1975, a major international conference on ‘The functions of living collections in conservation and conservation-orientated research and public education’ held at RBG Kew

28. In 1978, a second Kew conference on ‘Survival or Extinction: the practical role of botanic gardens in the conservation of rare and threatened plants’ as held, at which it was proposed thatthe Threatened Plants Committee of IUCN should set up a ‘Botanic Gardens Coordinating Body’.

29. IUCN/TPC Botanic Gardens Coordinating Body (1980–1986) by 1986,154 botanic gardens (plus the 116 in the USSR through Moscow Main BG) had contributed data on the threatened plants they held in cultivation and the database run by the Threatened Plants Unit at Kew contained of 22 232 records

30. In 1984, a questionnaire was circulated to all known botanic gardens requesting information on their structure, function, facilities, collections, research, conservation activities, training, and teaching and entered into a database which was then used to produce the Botanic Gardens Conservation Strategy (1989)_ and the Fifth edition of the International Directory of Botanic Gardens (1990). • In 1985, an international conference on ‘Botanic Gardens and the World Conservation Strategy’ was held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This endorsed the draft Botanic Gardens Conservation Strategy and issued the Declaration of Gran Canaria, calling on botanic gardens to work together to implement it so as to defend plantlife for the benefit of all people, now and in the future. • In 1986, IUCN agreed to create a more substantial programme • and this became the IUCN Botanic Gardens Conservation Secretariat (later BGCI) based at the Conservation Monitoring Centre’s Offices at RBG Kew which started work in January 1987.

31. Current and future linkages • Global networks and linkages • Regional networks • National Botanic Garden associations • National level linkages

32. Global networks and linkages today • Global linkages covering all botanic gardens – the role of IABG • International conservation coordination – the role of BGCI • Linkages with UN and other international agencies and NGOs (e.g. UNESCO, UNEP, FAO, IPGRI, IUCN, WWF, CIFOR, IUFRO, WRI, IUBS, ISHS, CI)

33. Regional networks and linkages • IABG regional divisions: Europe, Ibero-Macaronesia, Latin America, Australasia-Oceania, E. Asia + link with AABGA • BGCI regional offices • Regional networks

34. National associations of botanic gardens It is highly desirable that each country should have some form of national association or network of botanic gardens by means of which they can share experiences and facilities, offer a common platform and speak with a single voice on national issues that affect them all

35. National level linkages with organizations and agencies in • biodiversity (incl. conservation networks) • conservation • horticulture • agriculture • universities, colleges, schools • genebanks • civil society • NGOs

36. We love to network! The present obsession with information is rooted in human nature. R.J. Cox(2000)

37. Networking for botanic gardens in the electronic age • Full advantage must be taken of electronic communication and sharing of information, experience and problems • Every botanic garden should maintain a website as a means of communication with the wider public as well as with the botanic garden and conservation communities

38. The future: strength in diversity The botanic garden community will continue to benefit from diversity – • diversity in size and capacity • diversity in mission • diversity in association with other gardens It will need to seek and develop new linkages with other scientific, technical and cultural organizations.