The ANBG and Partnerships

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) has an important role in forming partnerships and influencing and facilitating collaborations to champion the conservation and increase understanding of Australian plants and associated ecosystems. Our rich partnerships with the public and private sector, as well as volunteers and local community groups, such as the Friends of the ANBG, also support the scientific and education work of the ANBG.

The ANBG is actively involved in collaborative conservation projects drawing on our horticultural capability and the scientific expertise of the Centre for Plant and Biodiversity Research. Our collaborations produce positive outcomes for species recovery, restoration ecology and environmental weed research.

Australian Seed Bank Partnership

The National Strategy and Action Plan for the Role of Australia's Botanic Gardens in Adapting to Climate Change (CHABG 2008) identifies seed banks as part of the national biodiversity safety net and recommends a national seed bank network. The Australian Seed Bank Partnership has been formed and is an alliance between eighteen institutions, including the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The partners are working to achieve a vision for seed banking in the next ten years to ensure that no Australian native plant becomes extinct. The partners are collaborating in efforts for collecting and storing seed as a long term insurance against the loss of biodiversity and their efforts also aim to improve Australia’s capacity to undertake restoration for biodiverse and resilient ecosystems. Science underpins much of the work of this partnership and makes a major contribution to improving both conservation and restoration outcomes from seed banking. The Australian National Botanic Gardens hosts the position of the National Coordinator of the Australian Seed Bank Partnership.

Australian Alpine Seed Ecology

Plant conservation and adaption to climate change

In conjunction with the Research Council, the Australian National University and the University of Queensland, the Australian National Botanic Gardens is home to studies on native alpine seed and seedling ecology. The project studies dormancy and germination of alpine species in the face of climate change.

Securing Zieria obcordata

Professional horticultural staff from the Australian National Botanic Gardens work in collaboration and partnership with many organisations to conserve Australia’s flora and associated ecosystems.

One example of this is the key role the ANBG has played in the Recovery Plan for Zieria obcordata which is an endangered species listed under both the Commonwealth EPBC Act and the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.

ANBG staff have developed horticultural techniques to enhance and preserve ex situ collections of Zieria obcordata and are co-ordinating plans for the re-introduction of healthier, more vigorous plants into depleted populations.

Australia’s Virtual Herbarium

Australia's major herbaria house over six million plant, algae and fungi specimens. These specimens provide a permanent record of the occurrence of a plant species at a particular place and time, and are the primary resource for research on the classification and distribution of the Australian flora.

Atlas of Living Australia

The Atlas of Living Australia project enables free access to Australian biodiversity information online. The Atlas will provide online access to biodiversity information from museums, herbaria and biological collections, including information previously not available to the public.

Volunteer Guides

Members of the community undertake our specialised training course before becoming volunteer guides in the Gardens. The course includes learning about botany, horticulture and science communication.

National Capital Education Tourism Project

The National Capital Educational Tourism Project (NCETP) works to increase and sustain the number of school students visiting the National Capital.

Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens (CHABG)

A partnership between Australia’s capital city botanic gardens. This forum is focussed on information sharing, discussion and coordination of strategic initiatives for their mutual benefit and for the benefit of their communities.

Underpinning our successful collaborations is a shared commitment to conserve and support the sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity, support the work of the ANBG and connect people to Australia’s unique flora.