Annual Report 2009-2010 Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium people • plants • culture Annual Report of the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium 2009–2010 “Grove” by Fiona Hall. Santos Museum of Economic Botany Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium GPO Box 1047 ADELAIDE SA 5001 Telephone: +61 8 8222 9311 Facsimile: +61 8 8222 9399 Copies of the report are available from: www.environment.sa.gov.au/botanicgardens Telephone: +61 8 8222 9320 ISSN 0728-7704 ISBN 978-0-9807021-3-2 ABN 36 702 093 234 Contents Letter of Transmittal 1 Chair’s Foreword 2 Director’s Report 3 Three Great Gardens and State Herbarium 4 Corporate Governance 5 Role, Vision and Mission 5 Principles 5 Legislative Responsibility 5 Functions and Objectives 6 Board Membership and Organisation 6 Contribution to South Australia’s Strategic Plan 2008 7 The Board’s Strategic Plan 2009-2012 8 Sustainability 9 Health & Wellbeing 11 Collections 12 Biodiversity 17 Connecting People 20 Human Resource Management 23 Our Partners 23 Reconciliation Statement 26 Mandatory Reporting 27 Financial Report 28 Financial Performance 28 Auditor’s Opinion 32 Certification of Financial Reporting 33 Annual Financial Statements 34 Appendices 53 Appendix 1: Publications 53 Appendix 2: Research Collaboration 56 Appendix 3: Scientific Grants 58 Appendix 4: Research Students 59 Appendix 5: Organisational Chart 60 Appendix 6: Staff 61 Appendix 7: Visitor Numbers 63 Appendix 8: Friends of Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Inc Report 68 Letter of Transmittal North Terrace, Adelaide South Australia, 5000 [email protected] www.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au Telephone (08) 8222 9320 Facsimile (08) 8222 9301 30 September 2010 Hon. Paul Caica, MP Minister for Environment and Conservation Parliament House North Terrace ADELAIDE South Australia 5000 Dear Minister The Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium is pleased to present its Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2010, as required by section 23 of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium Act 1978. Judy Potter Chair Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium 1 Chair’s Foreword The accreditation by the American Association of Our role as exemplars of sustainability is critically Museums of the Board of the Botanic Garden and State important, particularly in our arid state. The water- Herbarium (the Board) is a remarkable achievement. saving projects coming to fruition in the gardens, such as Our institution is the first outside North America to be the wetlands capture, storage and reuse of stormwater, accredited and signifies the excellence of our gardens, are valuable in themselves and as educators for our collections, education and research programs. community. It is credit to the dedication and inspirational work of Our taxonomic, genetic and ecological research is everyone connected to the gardens and herbarium – the making a significant contribution to creating a more staff, volunteers, Friends, Board members, Foundation botanically sustainable future as we face a global members, South Australian government, and those who challenge of a changing climate. visit the gardens. Our considerable achievements in all three of our Our work on the accreditation began in 2005. It has glorious gardens and in the herbarium throughout been a long process, but it has been more than just 2009–10 were possible only through dedication, hard a successful submission. It has been a time for us to work and support of many. The Board values the deeply and critically examine our place, our progress support of the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Adelaide and our endeavours. Such evaluation must also Botanic Gardens Foundation, volunteers and honorary continue if we are to remain worthy of our accreditation associates, the ongoing support and generosity of our and maintain our standing with the community that we donors and sponsors and the industry, government and continue to serve. Just as the plants we nurture in our community bodies that make an important contribution gardens grow, so must we. to various committees. Special thanks to Mr Allan Holmes, Chief Executive Department for Environment Our role is far more than mere display. Even those who and Heritage and the Hon. Paul Caica, Minister for the visit the gardens for a short respite from the stresses of Environment and Conservation and previous Minister modern life—and most of our visitors do come to look, Hon. Jay Weatherill for their continued support and learn and relax—could be enlightened or inspired by a investment in the gardens and State herbarium. I extend certain theme, composition or display in any part of the my appreciation and deep thanks, to previous Chairs, gardens. On completion, the new western entrance will Kym Winter-Dewhirst and Ian Little for their support, open up the Adelaide Garden to the business, education Stephen Forbes Director of Botanic Gardens and staff. and cultural boulevard of the city and provide greater Each and every one has played an invaluable role in a opportunity for the community to also experience and very successful year. learn about the global role of botanic gardens. We have an impressive array of more formal interpretive and educational programs and tools. The education and outreach program is engaging future gardeners and Judy Potter carers for our environment. They are being taught well. Chair 2 Director’s Report All forward-looking organisations aspire to benchmark project explores the challenges associated with water themselves against their peers nationally and scarcity and interprets the importance of water for people internationally. In this, the Botanic Gardens and State and the links to projected climate change scenarios. Herbarium is no exception. The State Herbarium has made significant advances in The American Association of Museums (AAM) is the only collections development and providing online information body worldwide that offers botanic gardens and herbaria to the scientific community. Exceeding one million (as collections-based scientific and cultural institutions specimens, the Herbarium’s collection and online or ‘museums’ for AAM purposes) the opportunity for database management systems are opening up their work accreditation. It is the field’s primary vehicle for quality and vast scientific knowledge to the world. The upgrade assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. of the Australian Virtual Herbarium, preparation of the new electronic edition of Flora SA and digitisation of Three years ago the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium all volumes of the Marine Benthic Flora are but a few of set itself the ambitious target of becoming the first the initiatives progressed this year that will advance the international institution to be accredited by the AAM. The scientific community’s understanding and conservation of process is self-motivated and is no small task, involving a our biodiversity. self-study and a site visit by a team of peers. Our Strategic Plan sets out this shift in emphasis in In congratulating everyone concerned for achieving what planning for the Gardens and Herbarium and for programs is the highest recognition achievable, I can do no better associated with their collections, to planting and connecting than echo the words of AAM President Ford W Bell with people. It also articulates our values of trust, connect, who, when announcing the three museums joining the discover, which reflect our internal aspiration—to interact distinguished list of accredited institutions in 2010, stated: with each other within the organisation and with the ‘Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement. But put broader community. simply, it means the citizens of the communities served by these “museums” have in their midst a truly outstanding These values and the clear directions for collections “museum”.’ development and for the themes and messages to be communicated, provide us with a solid foundation from In formulating the Strategic Plan to take the Botanic which to prosper and build on our achievements to date. Gardens and State Herbarium through to 2012, we reflected Further, it provides us with an environmental leadership on the importance of the Gardens to the South Australian mandate: helping our community learn about and hence community over 150 years. take on the 21st century challenges associated with water, Throughout its history the Gardens has maintained energy, food security and the conservation of ecosystems significant roles in recreation, culture and education for and landscapes. South Australians. Our high visitor numbers aside, the I extend thanks to the Hon. Paul Caica, Minister for Gardens’ place in the hearts of the community was never Environment and Conservation and previous Minister Hon. more obvious than in the generosity demonstrated by so Jay Weatherill; Ms Judy Potter, Chair of the Board of the many as part of the Gardens 150 celebrations. Although Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, and previous chairs these ended in October 2007, progress towards completing Mr Kym Winter-Dewhirst and Mr Ian Little; and Mr Allan the associated capital program continues, and includes the Holmes, Chief Executive, Department for Environment Western Entry and the Garden of Health. and Heritage for their ongoing support. Of course, our Our focus continues on collections development, including achievements over the past year are attributable to living, herbarium and cultural collections. Our purpose the unwavering dedication of the Gardens’ community, in this is to continue