Education E-update

Special Events... No Small Task!

BGCI's Seventh International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens is just over one month away! We look forward to joining our botanic garden colleagues from around the world at Durban Botanic Gardens (South Africa) 1-5 November for this fantastic event. Visit the Congress website for registration information and the latest updates on the Congress programme. Planning a special event such as a congress, symposium, festival or exhibition is no small task--we know from experience! In the news section of this issue of Education E-update, you'll find updates on many of the exciting and impressive events taking place at botanic gardens around the world. Send us information about your upcoming special events, and we'll include your news in the next 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 botanic garden network for Chile: The first-ever botanic garden network in Chile was constituted on 2 September. More than 50 representatives from botanic gardens, reserves, universities, and non-governmental organisations gathered at Metropolitan Park, just outside Santiago, to express their desire to work more collaboratively for plant conservation and environmental education. Following the constitution of the network, a two-day meeting was held on Education for Biodiversity. International speakers from BGCI and botanic gardens in Argentina, Australia, Mexico, UK, and USA, as well as speakers from all over Chile, presented case studies exploring the different approaches for the delivery of environmental education both within botanic gardens and in the natural landscape. The meeting was organised by Chagual Botanic Garden and the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity. For more information email Antonio Echenique.

Education and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation in Mexico: Botanic garden educators from all corners of Mexico gathered at UNAM Botanic Garden from 8-11 September to focus on how their education programmes are addressing the targets of the GSPC. The four-day national botanic garden meeting involved presentations, posters, and a one-day workshop. The workshop was run by BGCI and focused on education, the GSPC, and climate change. A gap analysis revealed that Mexican botanic garden education programmes are not fully addressing certain targets of the GSPC (e.g. Target 10, alien invasive species). The results of the meeting will be fed into the ongoing international consultation that will culminate in a report to the Convention on Biological Diversity late next year in Nagoya, Japan. For more information, email Teodolinda Balcazar.

Roots call for articles and resources: The next issue of BGCI's education journal Roots will focus on education and horticulture. The objectives of this issue are to raise awareness about the importance of education and horticulture, and to provide educators with ideas for developing relevant education programmes. If you are interested in writing an article for this issue or have an education resource that fits with this theme, please email Julia Willison. Roots is published twice a year and sent to all BGCI members. For membership information, please visit the BGCI website.

Chicago Botanic Garden to host 'Farm to Fork' symposium: On 3 October, Chicago Botanic Garden (USA) and the American Institute of Wine and Food will present an all-day symposium exploring the factors influencing our food systems from five perspectives: economics, legislation, the environment, nutrition, and community development. Engaging experts from across the country will address agricultural topics, including the impact of farming on global warming, rising food costs, and the organic farm at the White House.

Botanical Garden of the University of Lisbon begins tours in English: The Botanical Garden of the University of Lisbon (Portugal) has launched a programme of 10 different guided tours in English until May 2010. Each one-hour tour will focus on a different family of plants.

Berkshire Botanical Garden hosts 'Harvest Festival': Berkshire Botanical Garden (USA) is gearing up for its 75th Annual Berkshire Harvest Festival 3-4 October. Originally conceived as a harvest-season family and community festival, it is one of the largest and longest-running events of its kind in the country. Harvest Festival showcases local artisans and promotes a wide array of Berkshire area products. Local crafters such as wreath-makers, blacksmiths, and spinners will demonstrate their skills.

Wellington Botanic Garden celebrates spring with 'Tulip Sunday': Wellington Botanic Garden (New Zealand) celebrated the arrival of spring with Tulip Sunday on 27 September. Tulip Sunday is the 'jewel in the crown' of the annual Spring Festival and featured one of the country's biggest displays of tulips. Additionally, Wellington's Dutch community provided traditional food, music, and dancing.

Carnivorous plants exhibit opens at Olbrich Botanical Garden: A free exhibit on carnivorous plants was unveiled this month and runs through 3 January at Olbrich Botanical Garden (USA). In addition to the plants on display, youth and adult classes will be on offer throughout the autumn. Additionally, a special presentation by the director of the Wisconsin State Herbarium later this month will focus on how DNA has changed our view of carnivorous plant evolution.

New children's garden opens to public at Cheyenne Botanic Garden: The Paul Smith Children's Village at Cheyenne Botanic Garden (USA) officially opened its doors to the public in September. The theme of the new children's garden is sustainable living technologies past and present. The three-quarter acre site is filled with interactive landscapes including a natural wetland, a gravity-powered water works, a farm windmill, solar pumps, sculptures, a world vegetable garden, prairie plantings, a 'Secret Garden,' art/crafts plazas, a historic sheep wagon, tipi village, picnic orchard, puppet theatre and more.

We want to hear from you! Send us the latest news from your botanic garden or education site, and we'll include it in an upcoming issue of Education E-update.

PlantEd Poll

It's quick 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: Is your garden or education site planning any special events to mark the new spring or autumn season? Click on a response below to cast your vote!

Yes, we are planning special seasonal events.

No, we are not planning any special seasonal events.

Last month, we asked whether your botanic garden or education site runs education programmes focused on climate change. Here's what you said!

Tools You Can Use

Children and nature 'Call to Action': The Nature Action Collaborative for Children has launched a Call to Action to reconnect the world's children to nature. It encourages families, educators, and community leaders worldwide to make developmentally appropriate nature education a sustaining, enriching, fully integrated part of the daily lives and education of the world's children.

Earth Charter Schools Network for ESD: The Earth Charter Schools Network for ESD is a space for collaboration and sharing for teachers and students who are putting into practice activities and projects on education for sustainable development using the Earth Charter. The wiki provides students and teachers with access to beneficial resources and creates a sense of global community.

'The Handprint': The Centre for Environment Education (India) has launched 'The Handprint' to denote and measure action towards sustainability. Curriculum resources available on the website include a set of 12 Handprint Resource books developed in South Africa by Rhodes University Environmental Education and Sustainability Unit.

'Dirt! The Movie': Bringing to life the environmental, economic, social, and political impact that soil has, 'Dirt! The Movie' tells the story of Earth's most valuable and under-appreciated source of fertility--from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation.

What's in your education 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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