Thank you to everyone who attended the Botanic Gardens Engagement Network (BGEN) forum on Friday 4 September themed “New Approaches to Digital Learning”.

**If you’d like to join the BGEN email list and receive invitations to future BGEN forums please email Julia.Watson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.**

Here are all the resources and news shared at the BGEN forum – enjoy!

BGEN links and news:

• New approaches to digital learning recording link. Click to watch. This was presented by Emily Barrow and Ella Mulvey from RBG Victoria Melbourne. The recording is 19 minutes long and only of the presentation (not the whole network meeting).
• Our next BGEN networking forum is on Friday 6 November, and a link to join will be emailed to you.
• Would you like to present at our next BGEN forum on a particular topic? Presentations are just 10-15 minutes. Contact Julia, we’d love to hear about your projects.
• Find out more about BGEN on our blog and find updated links to resources.

Useful links and resources recommended by the following:

RBG Victoria Melbourne:

• Designed by nature – biomimicry and STEM for school children, including a digital option
• Virtual garden – experience the Gardens from the comfort of your home with our selection of videos, workshops, talks and tours
• Visit the RBG Vic Learn page for all their learning programmes
• Padlet – organise visual online boards
• ExplainEverything – digital whiteboard
• National Design and Technology week 2020: Hack the Cac! Student Challenge 13th October, 2020, 10am-11am. Teacher PD, 17th September, 2020, 4pm-5pm, via webex
• Contact Emily Barrow: emily.barrow@rbg.vic.gov.au;  Contact Ella Mulvey: ella.mulvey@rbg.vic.gov.au

RBG Sydney:

• Sydney Science Trail: an online science adventure launched during National Science Week 2020 by RBG Sydney and the Australian Museum. Visit The Living Laboratory.
• Living learning hub – discover online activities and resources for families, schools and communities
• Situ360 – create and share immersive 360 experiences.

Christchurch Botanic Garden:

• Agents of discovery – an educational mobile gaming platform that uses augmented reality to get youth active
• The Electric Garden – The Electric Garden is made up of two parts: A wireless Electric Garden sensor that students install in their school garden, and a Learning Platform where students use data gathered from the sensor in guided Digital Technologies lessons

Shepparton Botanic Garden:

• Follow the Friends of Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton on Facebook and support a fantastic volunteer group

Plant Health Australia:

• Join the pest surveillance blitzes – The Botanic Gardens Biosecurity Network is calling on visitors, friends, volunteers and staff of botanic gardens to take part in three targeted biosecurity pest blitzes between September and November this year.

Wellbeing:

• Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful by Tara Haelle. Read this great article here.

Request for information:

• Tim Uebergang from the University of Melbourne would like to hear from anyone who can share a Position Description for an education role. Please contact Tim if you can help: tu@unimelb.edu.au

BGANZ news:

• Watch for and complete the short member survey coming to your inboxes this week asking your opinion on how BGANZ can best serve its members
• Contribute an article to the upcoming BOTANIC Gardener magazine by 12 October – the theme is ‘stories of recovery and regeneration’. Share on topics such as How did the Bushfires of last summer impact your garden? How has your garden responded to these impacts? How has your garden changed in this time of Covid? What single change adopted by your garden in response to Covid has inspired you? How have your visitors been impacted by Covid – and their response to your garden reopening, or to new programs? Share your innovations, aspirations, or frustrations with your colleagues. Please contact: Rebecca Harcourt, Managing Editor, managing.editor@bganz.org.au and secretariat@bganz.org.au in your response ASAP if you wish to submit an article/news item.

Article and links collated by Julia Watson, BGEN Convenor.