Scientific Programme
Congress Theme
Addressing Global Change: a new agenda for botanic gardens
The Congress will include a diverse and stimulating programme of plenary keynote addresses, symposia and workshops on the most challenging current concerns of botanic gardens worldwide, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, sustainability, environmental education, innovative horticulture and collections management, and much more. Specific opportunities to consider the following themes and priorities will be provided:
- The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation – 2010 and beyond
- Addressing the threat from invasive aliens, pests and diseases
- Building sustainable botanic gardens
- Frontiers of science and conservation biology research in botanic gardens
- Addressing climate change through botanic gardens
- Poverty alleviation – the special roles of botanic gardens in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
- Spreading the word – effective messages for change
– Environmental education in botanic gardens - Botanic garden horticulture – including collections management and priorities, as well as how botanic
gardens must face the challenge of providing access to their collections and benefit sharing (ABS) - Capacity and training – strengthening botanic gardens and their networks for the tasks ahead.
Language
The official language of the congress will be EnglishPreliminary Congress Programme
| Sunday 13th June | |
| Guided tours of the National Botanic Gardens available all day for delegates. Pre-Congress Workshops |
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| 18.00 – 20.00 | Welcome Reception at the National Botanic Gardens |
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| Monday 14th June | |
| 08.00 – 09.00 | Registration |
| 09.00 – 09.40 | Opening Ceremony Speakers: • The President of Ireland (tbc) • Minister with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Government of Ireland • Chair, Board of Directors, BGCI • Secretary General BGCI • Director National Botanic Gardens of Ireland |
| 09.40 – 10.00 | Coffee Break |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Plenary – Keynote Addresses 1 & 2 |
| 10.00 | Keynote 1. The GSPC beyond 2010 and International Year of Biodiversity Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD |
| 10.30 | Keynote 2. Plant conservation, Botanic Gardens and the International Agenda Sara Oldfield, Executive Secretary, BGCI |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Parallel Session 1
• The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation – 2010 beyond (Botanic gardens and the implementation of the GSPC) • Addressing the threat from Invasive aliens, pests and diseases (Developing an international plant sentinel network) • Building sustainable botanic gardens (Green buildings in botanic gardens) • Frontiers of science and conservation biology research in botanic gardens (The use of molecular techniques in plant conservation) |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch Break |
| 14.00 – 15.00 | Plenary – Keynote Addresses 3 & 4 |
| 14.00 | Keynote 3. Building sustainable botanic gardens Duncan Stewart, environmental campaigner, television presenter, award-winning architect and specialist in ecological design and energy |
| 14.30 | Keynote 4. Ecological restoration – the future role for botanic gardens Steve Hopper, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K. |
| 15.00 – 15.30 | Tea Break and Posters |
| 15.30 – 17.30 | Parallel Session 2
• The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation – 2010 beyond (Including special symposia on cycad and tree conservation) • Addressing the threat from Invasive aliens, pests and diseases (Special session on the Emerald Ash Borer in the USA) • Building sustainable botanic gardens (Examples and case studies from around the world) • Frontiers of science and conservation biology research in botanic gardens (The role of botanic gardens in ecological restoration) |
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| Tuesday 15th June | |
| 09.00 – 10.00 | Plenary - Keynote Addresses 5 & 6 |
| 09.00 | Keynote 5. Title to be confirmed Huang Hongwen, Director, South China Botanic Garden, China |
| 09.30 | Keynote 6. tbc |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Coffee Break and Posters |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Parallel Session 3 • The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation – 2010 beyond (Special session on conserving island plants) • Addressing the threat from Invasive aliens, pests and diseases (The work of botanic gardens) • Building sustainable botanic gardens (Examples and case studies from around the world) • Frontiers of science and conservation biology research in botanic gardens (Special session on cryptogamic plants and fungi) |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch Break |
| 14.00 – 15.00 | Plenary – Keynote Addresses 7 and 8 |
| 14.00 | Keynote 7. Trees, arboreta and climate change Gerard Donnelly, Director, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, USA |
| 14.30 | Keynote 8. tbc |
| 15.00 – 15.30 | Tea Break and Posters |
| 15.30 – 17.30 | Parallel Session 4
• Addressing climate change through botanic gardens |
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| Wednesday 16th June | |
| Excursions and Study Tour | |
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| Thursday 17th June |
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| 09.00 – 10.00 | Plenary - Keynote Addresses 9 and 10 |
| 09.00 | Keynote 9. Effective environmental education Scot Medbury, President, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York, U.S.A. |
| 09.30 | Keynote 10. New roles for old gardens: managing and developing an effective botanic garden in modern times Peter Wyse Jackson, Director, National Botanic Gardens of Ireland |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Coffee Break and Posters |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Parallel Session 5 • Addressing climate change through botanic gardens (Addressing the thorny issue of assisted migration) • Working with local communities towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (Reaching wide audiences - ensuring social inclusion) • Environmental education in botanic gardens (Case studies from around the world) • Botanic garden horticulture (Access and benefit sharing in practice) |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch Break |
| 14.00 – 15.00 | Plenary – Keynote Addresses 11 & 12 |
| 14.00 | Keynote 11. Sculpture in botanic gardens: meeting the needs of a diverse audience of visitors Sharilyn Ingram, Canada |
| 14.30 | Keynote 12. New models, new gardens - meeting national needs: the development of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Jordan HRH Princess Basma bint Ali, Royal Botanic Gardens, Jordan |
| 15.00 – 15.30 | Tea Break and Posters |
| 15.30 – 17.30 | Parallel Session 6 • Addressing climate change through botanic gardens (Conserving plants in changing climates) • Working with local communities towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (Case studies from around the world) • Environmental education in botanic gardens (Case studies from around the world) • Botanic garden horticulture (Sharing experiences) |
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| Friday 18th June | |
| 09.00 – 10.00 | Keynote Addresses 13 and 14 |
| 09.00 | Keynote 13. Reflection on 40 years of plant conservation Peter Raven, Director, Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, U.S.A. |
| 09.30 | Keynote 14. tbc |
| 10.00 – 10.30 | Coffee Break |
| 10.30 – 12.00 | A new agenda for botanic gardens Stephen Blackmore, Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, U.K. |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Conclusions and Closure |
