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A New Dutch Association of Botanic Gardens

Volume 2 Number 10 - June 1998
Gerda A. van Uffelen

During a well-attended meeting on the 18th of February, 1998 in Wageningen, The Netherlands, the Dutch Association of Botanic Gardens was founded. The aims of this new association are:

  • to stimulate outside contacts, as well as contacts between members;
  • the consolidation of the members' status as museums;
  • the improvement of horticulture.

This new Association is based on the close cooperation that has developed between botanic gardens over the years through their involvement in the Dutch Botanic Gardens Foundation (Stichting Nederlandse Plantentuinen (SNP). However, as it has not been possible to form an adequate financial basis for the maintenance of an office, the Foundation's tasks are now reduced to the following:

  • the management of the National Plant Collection, organised by representatives of each garden that maintains part of this plant collection;
  • the management of plant collections confiscated under the CITES convention.

This means that only those botanic gardens that accommodate either part of the National Plant Collection, or plants confiscated under CITES, will be involved in the Dutch Botanic Gardens Foundation. All other activities will be moved to the new Dutch Association of Botanic Gardens for contacts between members on topics such as management, education, biodiversity, conservation, and horticulture, as well as outside contacts at a national and international level.

The Board of the Association consists of: Bob Ursem (Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam) (Chairman); Annelies Heijnen (Stichting Botanische Tuin Kerkrade) (Deputy Treasurer) and Gerda van Uffelen (Hortus Botanicus Leiden), Secretary.

At the first general meeting, scheduled for the first half of the year, plans and ideas for the future will be discussed.

The office of National Plant Collections Foundation (SNP) has been closed until more funding can be found and is being supervised by the Chairman, K. Verhoeff, Mollaan 7, 6705 DC Wageningen.