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Dear Readers,
With the end of 2006 comes the end of my
time as Education Officer for BGCI (U.S.).
It has been an extreme pleasure to work closely
with so many of you over the past two years,
and I take with me great inspiration from
the work you are doing to promote the importance
of plants and the need for their conservation.
I am leaving my post with BGCI to work on
my PhD in environmental studies at Antioch
University New England. I look forward to
diving into my research and continuing to
work for environmental change in this world.
Many thanks for your camaraderie and friendship.
And watch your inboxes in early 2007 for news
on the new Education E-update!
Best wishes and happy holidays,
Brian Johnson
Education Officer, BGCI ( U.S.)
Editor, Education E-update
brian.johnson@bgci.org
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New downloadable
education resources from BGCI (U.S.):
BGCI (U.S.) announces the launch of two new
education resources for botanic garden educators!
The "Plants
for Life" discovery cart includes a series
of activities that focus on the importance
of plants and the need for their conservation.
"Plant
for the Planet: Plant Conservation for Home
Gardeners" is a one-session adult education
course focusing on plant conservation for
home gardeners. We provide the materials you
need-you just download and go!
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National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation grant program:
The Plant Conservation Alliance's Native Plant
Conservation Initiative Grant Program with
the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation is
changing back to a single yearly grant proposal
cycle. The program offers funding for a variety
of native plant conservation projects, including
environmental education. The new dates for
the single grant cycle in 2007 are as follows:
pre-proposal deadline, Thursday, Feb. 15;
full proposal deadline, Friday, March 23;
end of May, award announcements sent out to
the grantees. Visit the Plant
Conservation Alliance website for more
information.
Cell phone and printer
cartridge recycling program: Looking
for a simple conservation action your garden
can promote, and one that adds to your bottom
line? More and more conservation institutions
are partnering with companies such as AAA
Environmental to set up recycling programs
at no cost to the institutions. Your visitors
simply pick up small plastic envelopes at
your site, place their used cell phones or
printer cartridges in the postage-paid envelopes,
and drop it in the mail. The envelopes are
bar coded and you earn commission for every
mailer received. Visit the AAA
Environmental website for more information.
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Each month, we answer a plant conservation
education question that you've always wanted
answered. Send your questions to e-update@bgci.org.
Q: What are the most common
IUCN Red Listed plant species in botanic garden
collections around the world?
A: The IUCN Red List is
the international standard for threatened
species classification. At this time, not
all species have been scientifically assessed
to determine their conservation status. Of
those species that have been assessed, more
than 8,000 plant species have been identified
as threatened with extinction around the world.
Botanic garden collections contain many of
these species, representing a source of genetic
material for future conservation efforts.
The top three Red Listed plant species (by
number of total gardens who hold a species)
in botanic garden collections are Metasequoia
glyptostroboides (critically endangered);
Dracaena draco (vulnerable); and Echinocactus
grusonii (critically endangered). For a list
of the top 50 Red Listed species in botanic
garden collections, visit the Plant
Conservation Day website.
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Issue 19: December 2006
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In
the Spotlight
In each issue of Education
E-update, we shine the spotlight on
an innovative plant conservation education
program taking place at a botanic garden
or arboretum. In the spotlight this month:
Canadian Botanical Educators Network
This month, we head north
of the border to check in on our Canadian
colleagues in the plant conservation education
world. The Canadian Botanical Educators
Network offers a variety of resources
to its members and other interested parties.
In 2006, the Network sponsored its second
Biodiversity and Conservation Education
Colloquium. More than 40 plant conservation
educators gathered in Vancouver, British
Columbia, for the three-day event. Network
members also receive a quarterly email
newsletter, similar to Education E-update,
that highlights new available resources
and important conservation education events.
Members also share lesson plans and curricula
via a web-based clearinghouse. For more
information, visit this
webpage.
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Free
plant conservation resources
Looking for an easy way
to get plant conservation information
into the hands of visitors? BGCI's publication,
"A
Plant Conservation Checklist for Gardeners",
is the perfect solution! The Checklist
is available free of charge to botanical
institutions in boxes of 1,000. Submit
your Checklist request online and
we'll ship them to you right away! Requests
must be made by Dec. 30, 2006.
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Link
Your Website to Planet Plant!
Planet
Plant is BGCI's new plant conservation
website for kids ages 9-12. Every month
features a new plant with a great conservation
story to tell, plus loads of cool learning
activities. Increase your garden's "kid
appeal" by creating a link from your
garden's website to Planet Plant!
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Spread
the News!
Please forward this email
to education colleagues at your living
institution or to others who have an interest
in plant conservation education.
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