Executive Summary

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) is established for the increase of knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of Australia’s plant heritage by establishing, as an integrated resource, a collection of living and herbarium specimens of Australian and related plants for study, interpretation, conservation and display.

The mission of the Gardens is ‘to grow, study and promote Australian plants’.

This Management Plan for the ANBG sets out the future management of the Gardens for the next seven years.

Part One (Chapters 1 and 2) describes the Gardens itself, as well as the legislative context and other relevant background information. Part Two (Chapters 3 to 10) details the management actions that will be taken during the term of this Management Plan to support the Gardens’ purpose and mission.

In addition to continuing ongoing and routine activities, the key outcomes the Gardens aims to achieve during the term of this Plan are described below.

Growing Australian plants (Chapters 3, 7 and 8)

To improve the living collection by:

• relocating the nursery and redevelopment of the existing nursery site for new horticultural attractions such as displays of wetland plants;
• rationalising existing separate depot facilities and equipment;
• extending the rock garden and displays of Australian annual flowering plants; and
• developing thematic displays and/or interpretation on the origins of Australia’s flora, including Gondwana;

Studying Australian plants (Chapters 4 and 6)

Continue to participate in the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, with particular emphasis on:

• completing the co-location of the Australian National Herbarium collection, staff and laboratories;
• completing the database which captures the herbarium collection and integrates plant name and specimen data from the Australian National Herbarium with records for the living and photograph collections;
• facilitating and contributing to the development of the Australian Virtual Herbarium to electronically link herbarium data sets across Australia and make this data available to the community;
• developing additional interactive identification tools focusing on pea flowers, eucalypts, grevilleas and orchids;
• establishing a research program examining the origins of the Australian angiosperm flora using molecular, morphological and biological techniques; and
• developing effective spatial modelling tools to assist management of small or restricted populations, such as rare and threatened plants.

Promoting Australian plants (Chapters 5 and 6)

Host major exhibits and educational activities and implement interpretive strategies to meet the identified needs of visitors to the Gardens. Major targets will include:

• redeveloping the core area visitor facilities including a new Visitor Centre (combining reception, display, public herbarium and retail facilities) and an associated core precinct area (plaza, cafe and environmental education functions) and redeveloping the existing Visitor Centre as a functions facility;
• achieving excellence in the environmental education program;
• improving the directional and orientation signage in the Gardens as part of a review of the thematic displays.

Support a series of community outreach activities, particularly to:

• increase and broaden membership of the Friends of the Gardens; and
• expand the range of programs where volunteers can assist in the Gardens.

Administration and Management (Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 9)

• Establish a best-practice facilities management system for the infrastructure and collections of the Gardens, with a first priority on completing an accurate detailed survey of the Gardens.
• Modernise infrastructure and service facilities to meet efficiency, safety and environmental standards, with particular focus on upgrading water supply and reticulation systems.
• Undertake further visitor surveys to assist in preparation of the next Management Plan.
• Evaluate management options for the southern extension.
• Pursue appropriate commercial partnerships and revenue raising opportunities.

 

---

Updated 15 December, 2004 , webmaster, ANBG (anbg-info@anbg.gov.au)

---