BOTANIC GARDENS DAY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Botanic Gardens Day is an annual day of celebration to highlight the role of plants in our lives and the important work botanic gardens and arboreta undertake every day to conserve them for future generations.
Hop over to the @BotanicGardensDay Facebook page, join and follow, give it a like, share it with colleagues and friends, ask them to do the same, let’s spread the word!
THIS YEAR’S THEME IS ‘MORE THAN A GARDEN…PROTECTING OUR PLANTS AND LANDSCAPES’
The theme reflects the fact that botanic gardens and arboreta are not only nice places to visit — they also conduct ecological research, safeguard plant diversity through living collections and seed banks and educate and empower communities in environmental sustainability.
Botanic gardens are known as vital green spaces of social, cultural and heritage value within communities, but are also increasingly being recognised as the frontline in tackling the biggest challenges facing our future — biodiversity loss, adaptation to a changing climate, food security and pest and disease management.
Kings Park seed collection team visited the Kimberleys in response to incursion of Myrtle Rust to the north of WA. Credit: Kings Park & Botanic Garden
FORUMS AND WEBINARS
We are excited to announce, that during May 2024, in the lead up to Botanic Gardens Day we will host and present forums and webinars aimed at industry professionals and the many plant lovers out there.
WEBINARS HOSTED BY COSTA GEORGIADIS
In the lead up to Botanic Gardens Day on 26 May, BGANZ will again hold four online webinars every Thursday evening in May at 7pm–8pm AEST, hosted by Costa Georgiadis, highlighting members and other experts, and their amazing knowledge.
To watch the webinars live, head to Costa’s Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube pages at 7pm AEST (9pm NZST) on the dates below! They will also be recorded so don’t worry if you can’t make it on the night.
2 May: Science Saving Species, with Maurizio Rossetto (Botanic Gardens of Sydney), Emma Simpkins (Auckland Council) and Russell Larke (Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria).
9 May: Caring for Country in Botanic Gardens, with Renate Johnny (Alice Springs Desert Park), and Jade Smith, Blake Poletti and Amanda Shade (Kings Park & Botanic Garden).
16 May: Citizen Science and Conservation in Botanic Gardens, with Emma Cutting (the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor project) and Alex Wall (the VegeMap project).
23 May: Friend Raising in Botanic Gardens, with Tracey Whitby (President, Friends of Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens), John Bentley (President, Friends of Melton Botanic Gardens) and Viv Canham (President, Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens).
WEBINARS FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
We have two professional development events in May. These will be held via MS Teams.
17 May BGEN Webinar, 12 noon AEST, Ways to connect our future plant protectors with nature.
Speakers: Ngaire Gilligan from Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha and Mak Djukic from Botanic Gardens of South Australia.
28 May BCARM Webinar, 10AM AEST, Advocating for our gardens – the hidden pressures on our living collections.
Speakers: Damian Wrigley from Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Barbara Wheeler from Auckland Botanic Gardens and Amanda Shade from Kings Park.
2023’s BGANZ Collections and Record Management (BCARM) professional development webinar
EVENTS ON BOTANIC GARDENS DAY
- Costa will be livestreaming from one of our member gardens on 26 May, so keep your eyes peeled!
Lawrie Smith (L) and Costa Georgiadis (R) at the gardens’ 20th birthday celebrations on Botanic Gardens Day 2023. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
- Events are planned at many botanic gardens in Australia and New Zealand. We’ll keep you posted on these closer to the time.
Botanic Gardens Day 2023 at Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
BACKGROUND
Botanic Gardens Day was launched in 2016 by BGANZ with ABC TV’s Gardening Australia host, and Botanic Gardens Day Australian Ambassador, Costa Georgiadis, and New Zealand Ambassador, Jack Hobbs. On Botanic Gardens Day each year botanic gardens, arboreta and gardens in Australia and New Zealand hold over 120 events, with more than 80,000 members of the public engaged, to celebrate the vital work botanic gardens do for plant conservation.
Gardens hold many special events on the day every year – to find out what your local garden is planning check your local gardens’ websites for details. As the day approaches more updates on gardens’ web and facebook pages will appear.
If you have any questions or would like your event added to the list, please email Dr Rebecca Harcourt, media@bganz.org.au.
Botanic Gardens Day 2023 at Emerald Botanic Garden. Credit: Credit Central Highlands Regional Council