Australian National Botanic Gardens Management Plan 2012–2022 © Director of National Parks 2012 ISBN: 978-0-646-57570-4 This Work Is Copyright
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Australian National Botanic Gardens MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012–2022 Australian National Botanic Gardens Management Plan 2012–2022 © Director of National Parks 2012 ISBN: 978-0-646-57570-4 This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior permission from the Director of National Parks. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: Director of National Parks GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13051 694 963 This plan is available online at anbg.gov.au/gardens or from the Community Information Unit, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (email [email protected], phone 1800 803 772). Credits Designer – Siobhan Duffy, CSIRO Editor – Elizabeth Hutchings Editing Indexer – Barry Howarth Front cover images – (large image) Helen McHugh, ANBG; (small images) David Woltschenko Printed by Paragon Printers, Canberra ANBG vision Australians value, conserve and appreciate our rich plant heritage. Foreword The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), on the lower slopes of Black Mountain in Canberra, contains the world’s most comprehensive display of living Australian native plants. The diverse living collection provides an inspirational place for learning, quiet contemplation and passive recreation. The ANBG is valued for its scientific and horticultural research into Australian plants and related flora. It is recognised for its role in the dissemination of knowledge and information about Australian plants and for its contribution to plant conservation. The ANBG provides learning experiences focusing on Australia’s unique flora and landscapes, and influencing public attitudes to the conservation of plants and the environment. Growing partnerships and collaborations will assist the ANBG to champion the conservation of Australian native plants through its work in ex situ conservation. The Australian National Herbarium—jointly managed by the ANBG and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)—is the world’s largest collection of Australian plant specimens and supports cutting edge research into the taxonomic and evolutionary origins of Australian plants. The ANBG is a Commonwealth reserve under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and is managed in accordance with the Act and associated Regulations. It is a requirement of the Act that management plans be prepared for Commonwealth reserves (s.366 of the EPBC Act). This management plan sets out the goals for the ANBG for the next ten years and how this national institution contributes to its botanical research and education on Australian plants, and how its iconic landscape will be managed for that period. The ANBG will demonstrate its continued commitment to increasing knowledge about the Australian flora through growing and showcasing a national collection representing Australia’s plant diversity, undertaking world-class scientific and horticultural research, and informing the community through education programs that connect Australians to our unique natural heritage. Peter Cochrane Director of National Parks ANBG vision i Acknowledgements The Director of National Parks is grateful to the many individuals and organisations who contributed to this management plan, in particular Parks Australia and Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research staff; the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens; botanic gardens across Australia and their friends and volunteer guides; community members who took part in discussion groups; and those who responded to the call to ‘have your say’ and public comments that contributed to the development of this management plan. ii Australian National Botanic Gardens | Management Plan 2012–2022 Summary The Australian National Botanic Gardens has been growing, studying and promoting Australian plants and related flora for over 40 years. As a botanic garden and national institution managed by the Australian Government, the ANBG has a mandate to serve the nation; to conserve its living and herbarium collections as significant records of the story of plants in Australia’s cultural and natural heritage; to encourage and support the cultivation, use and conservation of Australian plants and to be a custodian of the national story of Australia’s unique flora. The vision for the ANBG is that Australians value, conserve and appreciate our rich plant heritage. To achieve this vision, the ANBG’s mission is: To inspire, inform and connect people to the Australian flora. This management plan describes how the ANBG will be managed for the next ten years, both as a Commonwealth reserve under the EPBC Act and as an institution, playing a national role through the science and research activities associated with the knowledge and assets within the ANBG. Part 1 of this plan is an introduction to the ANBG, providing a description of the reserve and the institution, and details of its vision, mission, goals and corporate values. Part 2 is the management plan for the ANBG. It presents the legislative context and background information followed by details of how the ANBG will be managed. This is structured around five key result areas and nine goals. Each goal is followed by a direction setting statement which describes where the ANBG aspires to be in ten years. Challenges are described, and policies and actions to achieve the nine goals are set out. This plan aims to be strategic and for the most part specific details of daily operations are not outlined. The national focus for the ANBG is reflected in the majority of its nine goals and the outcomes that it aims to achieve during the life of this plan: Goal 1: Manage the national botanic garden to showcase Australia’s plants. Outcomes: • The national living collection is maintained to high curatorial standards. • The tree landscape is successfully managed for conservation, succession, maintenance of heritage values and public safety. • Successful pioneering of propagation techniques for Australian native plants supports the ANBG, industry and conservation. Summary iii Goal 2: Champion the conservation of Australian plants and the role of ex situ conservation in integrated conservation management. Outcomes: • Successful development of a national network of native seed banks contributes to safeguarding Australian plant species from extinction. • Successful collaborations highlight the ANBG’s expertise and contribution to plant conservation. • Accurate information is readily available to the Australian community to foster understanding and appreciation of conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity. • New living collection displays are developed that highlight the principles of sustainability through inspiring design and interpretation. Goal 3: Create an inspirational place for enjoyment and learning. Outcomes: • Interpretation and experiences that connect people with plants and inspires learning and understanding of the value of Australia’s unique flora. • Events and activities hosted at the ANBG are enjoyed by a wide variety of people. • Collaborations with tourism agencies and interests raise the ANBG’s profile. • New developments improve the accessibility of the ANBG site and encourage greater exploration of the living collection. Goal 4: Engage communities in valuing and conserving Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. Outcome: • Productive relationships with diverse communities increase understanding of and active involvement in the valuing and conservation of Australian plants. Goal 5: Increase knowledge of Australian flora through outstanding research activities. Outcomes: • Through the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, the ANBG makes significant contributions to understanding and knowledge about plant systematics, taxonomy, biogeography and the evolutionary origins of Australian plants and related floras. • Horticultural science research generates practical outcomes that improve knowledge of the horticulture of Australian plants for industry and conservation. • The Australian National Herbarium’s taxonomic and geographic representative scientific collection of Australian and related floras is further developed to the highest curatorial standards. iv Australian National Botanic Gardens | Management Plan 2012–2022 Goal 6: Be the gateway for knowledge about Australian plants. Outcomes: • The ANBG is the central authoritative and accessible point for information about Australian plants. • Research-based knowledge and supporting resources are widely used by a variety of clients through high quality electronic communications and information delivery networks. • Strong partnerships with like-minded organisations bring together accurate and comprehensive information to foster understanding, appreciation and conservation of Australia’s flora. Goal 7: Facilitate and collaborate in national and international policy and practice to support the work of plant focused institutions and organisations. Outcomes: • The ANBG’s ongoing participation in and contribution to effective national and international policies, protocols and standards relevant to the work of botanic gardens is recognised. • The ANBG is a centre of expertise with regard to the flora of Australia and for national and international collaborative efforts including the Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand