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GROWING HERITAGE
Garden Plants & Conservation
Wednesday 5 April – Thursday 6 April 2006
RHS Conference Centre, London, SW1
The two-day conference, held on 5 and 6 April 2006, with over eighty delegates, gathered together some of the key people involved in ornamental plants and gardening in the UK. The RHS President, Sir Richard Carew-Pole, opened the meeting and the opening address was given by Lawrence Banks, Vice President of both the RHS and the NCCPG, who had been present at the conference that had led to the establishment of the NCCPG in 1978. His speech combined the historical perspective with some incisive comments on today’s problems in plant conservation. At the Gala Dinner in the evening of the first day, delegates were treated to hearing Lord Heseltine talk about his enjoyment of plants and about how an interest that started during childhood ultimately led to the passionate development of his private garden and arboretum.
The conference addressed five main objectives with the delegates dividing up into smaller groups to debate these objectives in detail. Each group was chaired by established authorities: Knowledge, Rupert Wilson (RHS); Education, Gail Bromley (RBG Kew); Strategy, Peter Wyse Jackson (NBG Glasnevin, Ireland); Enhancing Diversity, Simon Thornton Wood (RHS) and Best Practice, Nigel Colborn. Each chairman gave a presentation on their objective to stimulate thought and debate for the subsequent discussion groups. The basis for discussion was the draft Action Plan that had been made available before the conference on this website. A final, plenary session heard report-backs from the discussion groups and allowed a further opportunity for comment. The conference’s deliberations were ably summarized by David Goodchild (NCCPG Vice Chairman).
A common theme throughout was the critical importance of the evolving electronic media in how we take forward cultivated plant conservation. For instance, a vital recommendation from the Knowledge discussions, is to create an online portal to co-ordinate cultivated plant information and from Best Practice, the suggestion of how the creation of ‘virtual collections’ where plant material representing a group of plants could be dispersed geographically, but co-ordinated via the internet, could perhaps allow for a more effective use of limited resources.
Another theme was the greater need for groups and individuals to work together, without creating more structures and bureaucracy, to ensure the delivery of the decisions made at the conference and for building up recognition by Government and other bodies. A common concern was the future restrictions to horticulture posed by national legislation flowing from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) including on the movement of plant material from botanic gardens to the horticultural world. It was accepted that the CBD was important and also that it would not go away, and therefore delegates were keen to find practical and workable models for how the horticultural world could become more proactive in its implementation.
All those who participated enjoyed the meeting and felt that it had been effective and constructive and were keen to become involved in the next steps. The draft Action Plan was revised based on the discussions at the conference and further comments and suggestions received from both delegates and those who were unable to attend. The agreed Action Plan for Cultivated Plant Conservation was then launched at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where an exhibit highlighting the themes of the conference was staged in the Plant Heritage Marquee.
Plant Conservation in ActionClick here to read the Cosmos atrosanguineus–chocolate cosmos story |
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We are very grateful to our growing list of those involved in offering their support and services in the organisation of this conference:
Dendrology Charitable Company, (part of the International Dendrology Society). The International Dendrology Society (IDS) promotes the study of trees and woody plants world-wide and brings together those who share the same interests.
Botanical Society of the British Isles
B&P Lightbrigade Group Limited
The Lakeland Horticultural Society
Further sponsor and supporters are still being sought – if you think you might be able to help, or would just like to discuss possibilities, please do contact us.
