News from BGANZ

28 March 2025

In this fortnight's eNews:

• BGANZ Botanic Gardens Week 2025 marketing material now available
• BGANZ Congress 2025 registrations & call for abstracts open
• Save the date! BCARM Forum Tuesday 29 April 12PM AEST
• Grant and funding opportunities
• Save the date! Cycad 2026: 13th International Conference on Cycad Biology
• Opportunity for NSW members to collaborate with WIRES on caring for injured animals
• News from the CCABG: Hort forum
• Member highlight: RBGV Cranbourne Gardens.

BGANZ Botanic Gardens Week 2025 marketing material now available

2025 marks the 10^th anniversary of Botanic Gardens Day (Week) and we think you'll be as excited as we are to celebrate it!

We have created some very attractive material for you to use to promote it, all of which is customisable.

We have created:

-a toolkit with downloadable and customisable templates for use online and as hard copy, e.g. posters. There are also examples of how to use these templates with the key messages (see above) and example ‘Passports’ for use on self-guided tours (see below)

-a briefing document including key messages and ideas for events

-a media release

-a template for promoting your Botanic Gardens Week events on our website: please return via email once completed and we'll upload your events onto our new and improved website, due to be launched in early April!

All the material is available on our website, https://www.bganz.org.au/botanic-gardens-week-2025/.

Please share with colleagues, especially those in event management and marketing.

Any questions, let us know at media@bganz.org.au.

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of Botanic Gardens Day (Week) so let’s make it a great one!

BGANZ Congress 2025: Registration now live and call for abstracts is open

Join over 200 industry professionals in sharing knowledge and experience to advance the role of botanic gardens and arboreta as globally recognised centres of excellence for plant science, conservation, education, and outreach.

Dr Paul Smith, Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), is the Special Keynote Speaker.

Presentations will focus on four themes, with emphasis on how we can work together to uplift our capabilities to increase our collective impact in horticultural curation and management, education and outreach, conservation and science, organisational management, and planning for a sustainable future.

For details, click here or scan the QR code below.

You won't want to miss it! Get your abstracts in before the deadline, 30 April.

Save the date! BCARM Forum Tuesday 29 April 12PM AEST

This forum will focus on grant funding received by BGANZ Vic and the opportunities that this money enabled to help various projects over many different botanic gardens across Victoria.

Tex Moon, Team Leader Dandenong Ranges BG and BGANZ Vic convenor, will present on the overall process and highlights of the funding.

Jill Burness, Grampians/Gariwerd Endemic Botanic Garden, WAMA, and Cathy Olive , Euroa Arboretum, will discuss projects funded by the grant.

Watch this space for details on how to join the meeting!

Grant and funding opportunities

Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) 2025-26 Grant Round

This is relevant to those capital city gardens interested in undertaking research with Japan.

Scientific innovation between the two counties is one of the key priorities. 

Cick here for details.

Closes 06-May-2025 2:00 pm (ACT Local Time).

Community Energy Upgrades Fund Round 2

This may be of interest to the many Australian Council-run botanic gardens.

It’s a grant opportunity for renewable energy infrastructure upgrades to local government-run facilities, with matching funding of up to $2.5 million.

Closes 13-Jun-2025 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time).

Click here for details.

Wettenhall Environment Trust Small Environmental Grant Scheme

This scheme is aimed at projects involving flora and fauna conservation around Australia.

Grants are usually under $10,000, but can be up to $15,000. Larger grants will be considered. 

Click here for details.

Save the date! Cycad 2026: 13th International Conference on Cycad Biology

17–22 August 2026 , Sydney, Australia

The theme, Cultivating Conservation through Science & Horticulture, aims to create momentum by promoting a crucial collaborative approach between the science and horticulture professions while enhancing the significant contributions we are all making with this plant group.

More details to follow in July this year.

Opportunity for NSW members to collaborate with WIRES on caring for injured animals

With the increasing demand on carers, who have traditionally done all rehabilitation and care at home, WIRES is trying to build capacity by constructing central aviaries where animals can be housed and rehabilitated for release and cared for by local WIRES groups.

Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden has been working with WIRES to construct a release aviary for injured animals on-site.

WIRES is always looking for more sites in NSW.

Please contact Kyla Shelly, COO of WIRES, kyla.shelley@wires.org.au or James Tebbatt (infrastructure manager), james.tebbatt@wires.org.au, for more information.

News from the CCABG: Hort forum

Horticulture Forum

The team at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh will be presenting at the next Horticulture Forum in June, giving not one but three quickfire presentations on:

• RBGE Living Collection Policy
• Living collection management in a changing climate
• Use of nature-based solutions in the living collections.

Date & Time: 1800 AEST Thursday 5 June

Link: Join Teams meeting here

Pop a reminder in your calendars and remember to share this with your horticulture staff and colleagues! This session will be recorded and uploaded for viewing for those who are unable to attend. The recordings for previous Horticulture Forums, including the previous held in February, can be found here.

Do you have climate adaptation work you are undertaking in your landscape or living collections that you would like to share with the community? We are open to applications for the 3^rd and 4^th quarter Horticulture Forums for this year.

Celebrate your achievements and share the insights you've learned in your climate adaptation journey. For further information please contact us as climatechangealliance@rbg.vic.gov.au.

We would love to hear from you!

Member highlight: RBGV Cranbourne Gardens

Read here how Russell Larke and a team of researchers have enlisted the help of the Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists Club in ensuring the survival of the critically endangered Avon Peppermint Eucalyptus omans.

Field naturalists have helped search for the elusive Avon peppermint gum. Credit: Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists Club

Join BGANZ. Connect. Learn. Grow.

Membership provides exclusive benefits, including unparalleled networking opportunities, access to industry leaders and expertise, valuable resources, and professional development through tailored programs, events, and forums.

Members also receive partner discounts and a collective voice advocating for the sector at national and regional levels.

We welcome botanic gardens, arboreta, allied industries and passionate individuals.

Join BGANZ today and strengthen your impact.

Click here for more information and to join.

BGANZ acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia and New Zealand on which we work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.