The BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation Scheme is aimed at botanical institutions wishing to establish their credentials as botanic gardens. The BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation assesses and places a high value on the unique skills, knowledge and data in botanic gardens and sets international standards for botanic gardens. There are three types of BGCI Accreditation – BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation, BGCI Conservation Practitioner Accreditation, and BGCI Advanced Conservation Practitioner Accreditation. No other international program of accreditation exists that is specific to botanic gardens.

The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program establishes and shares a widely recognized set of industry standards for the purpose of unifying the arboretum community and fostering the professionalism of arboreta worldwide. There are four levels of accreditation, which recognise various degrees of development and capacity in arboreta – public gardens with a substantial focus on trees and woody plants. No other international program of accreditation exists that is specific to arboreta.

Both BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation and ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation (at levels III and IV) set similar standards for leadership, collections management, horticulture, public education, research, staff, and networking. Each accreditation program, however, supports different target audiences. BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation recognises botanical institutions with a focus on plant conservation and sustainability, while ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation is tailored to gardens with a strong focus on woody plants and trees .

The accreditations that are most closely aligned are BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation and ArbNet Level III Accreditation. Under this new reciprocal agreement, those applying for BGCI’s Botanic Garden Accreditation who wish to be considered for ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation will be required to answer additional questions related to their focus on woody plant and tree species. Those applying for ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation at Level III or IV who wish to be considered for BGCI’s Botanic Garden Accreditation will be required to answer additional questions on their plant conservation and sustainability activities.

Institutes that are already BGCI Accredited Botanic Gardens or ArbNet Level III or IV Accredited Arboreta will be able to provide an addendum to their completed application to be considered for the other accreditation program.