Education E-update

Strengthening Your Online Presence

Botanic gardens around the world are no strangers to the power of the Internet. Garden websites feature visitor information, plant collection details and even educational resources and activities. In this issue, you'll find some of the latest online efforts from botanic gardens and other plant-based organisations around the world. Is your garden or education site bolstering its online presence? Tell us about your plans, and we'll feature them in an upcoming issue of Education E-update.

Best wishes,
The BGCI Education Team
education@bgci.org (for general education enquiries to BGCI)
e-update@bgci.org (for Education E-update enquiries)

Education News from Around the World

New Roots, 'Climate change - can we handle it?': The latest issue of Roots has just been published and examines how botanic gardens are confronting perhaps the greatest challenge humankind has ever faced. Packed with excellent contributions from the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Oman Botanic Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden (USA), Zoological-Botanical Foundation (Brazil), Winterbourne Botanic Garden (UK) and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), this issue is invaluable for anyone developing an education programme on climate change. You can get your own copy of Roots by joining BGCI as an individual member.

Call for articles on Darwin's legacy: The next issue of Roots will assess the legacy of Darwin, in preparation for the celebration of the bicentenary of his birth in 2009 and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the 'Origin of Species', perhaps the greatest science book ever published. If you would like to contribute to this issue, please email Julia Willison.

Examining the role of botanic gardens in the 21st century: Are botanic gardens archaic and obscure or thriving 21st-century scientific institutions? This is the topic of a one-day symposium to be held at the Linnean Society of London on 15 May 2008. Julia Willison, BGCI's Head of Education, will speak about the socio-educational role of botanic gardens. The symposium is open to everyone and is intended to provoke debate and discussion on the important role botanic gardens can play in our contemporary world. Visit the symposium website for full details and registration information.

Garden Photographer of the Year: Get snapping! A new category, 'World Botanic Garden,' has been included in 2009's Garden Photographer of the Year competition. BGCI will receive 10 percent of the revenue raised through the entries to this category. Funds raised will be used for our work in environmental education in botanic gardens through training, workshops and conferences. Visit the competition website for more information.

Botanic gardens exhibit at the 2008 Olympics: Showcase your work in plant conservation during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing this August. A poster exhibition will highlight the work of botanic gardens in areas such as linking livelihoods and plant conservation, addressing climate change, educational programmes and policy work. The exhibition is being organised by the Science Network of the Botanic Gardens of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in collaboration with the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Committee and BGCI. Interested gardens are requested to email a confirmation notice to Ms Tang by 30 April 2008.

Eden Project launches '21st Century Living Project': The Eden Project's new '21st Century Living Project' will provide greater understanding of UK householders' behaviours and lifestyles, and what people can do to reduce their environmental footprint. One-hundred households will receive a survey, advice and even financial support to improve their environmental performance.

New website for Lombardy gardens: The Botanic Gardens Network of Lombardy (Italy) has launched a new website that highlights the coordinated efforts of its seven member gardens. The website includes information about the individual gardens, upcoming events and plant collections.

WEEC heads to Montreal: The Fifth World Environmental Education Congress will be held in Montreal, Canada, from 10-14 May 2009. The congress theme, 'Live together on Earth,' will explore the links between ecology, economy and ecosophism. The congress will also examine how environmental education can bridge these three dimensions of our relationship with the world. Full details can be found on the congress website.

Share your news with plant-based educators around the world! Send us news from your botanic garden or education site, and we'll include it in the next issue of Education E-update.

PlantEd Poll

It's easy and fun! Read this month's poll question and click on your response. We'll publish the results in the next Education E-update!

This month's poll: How many education staff (full- and part-time) are employed at your botanic garden or education site? Click on a response below to cast your vote!

It's just me!

2-10

11 or more

Last month, we asked if your botanic garden or education site highlights the endangered species of plants in your collection. Here's what you said!

Tools You Can Use

New website for plant-based educators in Canada: The Canadian Outreach Guide to Plant Biodiversity Education has been launched to support the plant conservation outreach efforts of Canadian botanic gardens, museums and zoos. The website gathers expertise from partner institutions to create an evolving database where activities, information, links, and other resources are shared within the network of Canadian botanic gardens.

CBD launches new educational website: The Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat has launched an educational module for children and teachers to accompany the 2008 International Day for Biological Diversity. The module consists of an online portal for primary school students and five lesson plans for educators. The web portal and lesson plans introduce the concept of biological diversity and highlight the importance of sustainable agriculture not only to preserve biodiversity, but also to ensure that we will be able to feed the world, maintain agricultural livelihoods, and enhance human well-being in the 21st century and beyond.

Free workshops on informal education and exhibits: The Garfield Park Conservatory (Chicago, USA) is facilitating a series of free workshops around the United States to explore the challenges and possibilities for informal education and exhibits at botanic gardens and other education sites. Educators, programme managers, exhibit developers, evaluators, and horticulturists are all invited to attend. Workshops will take place in May and June in Chicago, Pennsylvania, and California. For more information, email Melanie Harding.

New issue of 'Torah Flora' available now: Torah Flora is a free e-newsletter about plants and nature in Torah and Jewish tradition. To receive a copy or to subscribe to Torah Flora, send an e-mail to sci_educ@yahoo.com.

Sign up for Visitor Studies Group Summer School: Children as both formal and free choice learners make up a large segment of audiences in museums and living collections. The 2008 VSG Summer School, 'Seen but not heard: Listening to children's voices in visitor studies,' will focus on how to gather valid and reliable data from children. The course will take place 18-19 September at the Chester Zoo (UK). Visitor the Visitor Studies Group website for details.

What's in your toolbox? Send us your most valuable tools or resources, and we'll include them in an upcoming issue of Education E-update.

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