BGCI

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) is the largest international network of botanic gardens and related institutions working collectively for plant conservation and environmental education. Our vision is ‘A world in which plant diversity is valued, secure and supporting all life'. We have over 500 members in almost 120 countries and provide them with technical and policy guidance as well as regular up-to-date information through our website www.bgci.org and in the form of newsletters and magazines. BGCI runs international congresses for people to share best practice and ideas as well as training courses on a range of subjects. This includes the International Diploma Course in Botanic Garden Education run in conjunction with Kew.

BGCI is committed to supporting botanic gardens to realise their potential in education for sustainable development. We provide information and resources as well as working with our members to develop education programmes in many countries. For example, we have:

• run teacher training courses in India and Indonesia
• organized education training programes in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Russia
• supported the set up of interpretative exhibitions in China and Japan
• provided grants for education programmes in Argentina, Brazil, India and Mexico
• developed policy guidelines for botanic gardens on Education for Sustainable Development

To find out more about BGCI and its work, click here (www.bgci.org)

Durban Botanic Gardens

The Durban Botanic Gardens is currently the oldest surviving botanic garden on the African continent. The then province of Natal was declared British territory in 1842 and movements occurred soon thereafter to establish a botanic garden in Durban 7 years later in 1849. An ‘experimental allotment' was developed on the banks of the Umgeni River, north of the city centre. This garden was later reestablished as a botanic garden on the current Berea site in 1851. The existing Gardens, now 15 hectares in extent, occupy what was once the eastern vlei (a large coastal wetland). The resulting high water table is responsible for the lake in the Gardens which is fed by an artesian well that flows year round. The Gardens is a haven for wild birds, especially in the vicinity of the lake, where a regular bird monitoring group meets monthly to record and monitor numbers of species. Pink-backed Pelicans began breeding at the Gardens lake area in late 2003 and have remained ever since; the Gardens is now the furthest point south for breeding Pink-backed Pelicans. 

As a city botanic garden, the Durban Botanic Gardens provides a wonderful bridge to nature. Learning about plants is essential for the development of a more eco-literate and environmentally responsible society in which the threats to biodiversity and key environmental issues such as climate change are clearly understood and responsibly acted upon. The Durban Botanic Gardens currently runs annual accredited guides training programmes in association with local environmental education partners. This provides a regular stream of legally accredited volunteer guides to support the Gardens schools education and tourism programme. Our education programmes include curriculum-linked schools guided programmes, schools greening, a public lecture series programme and a new interpreted alien invasive plant garden.

The Gardens is now entering an exciting new developmental phase. The Garden Window Project will see a range of plant related facilities being developed on recently acquired land that was once leased by the City to local sports organisations.