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The National Parks, Rivers, and Beaches Authority spearheaded a symposium to mark the Botanical Gardens' 260th anniversary, held under the theme: “260 Years of Heritage – Honouring the Legacy, Preserving the Past, Cultivating the Future”.

Acting Director of National Parks, Rivers, and Beaches, Rodica Tannis, said the survival of the Botanical Gardens is indeed a legacy, as none of the founders of the Botanical Gardens could have imagined that the Gardens would have endured to this time.

Tannis highlighted several activities to commemorate the 260th celebrations, including an initiative to plant 260 trees, waived entrance fees to parks to facilitate public exploration, Kew Gardens team visit, and a return visit of a local team to Kew Gardens, and a training workshop for Botanical Gardens' Tour Guides. Patrons can look forward to the Botanical Gardens' end-of-year signature event – 'Nine Nights of Lights', to mark the event, Tannis said.

The Acting Director issued a call to Vincentians to protect what has been entrusted to them so that future generations can enjoy it and extended gratitude to all who maintained the Gardens over the years.

Delivering the keynote address was Dr. Christina Welch of the University of Winchester. Dr. Welch delved into the history of the SVG Botanical Gardens, noting that the Gardens sustain several important flora and fauna and possess a remarkable heritage of which Vincentians at home and in the Diaspora should be proud.

Director of Forestry Services, Mr. Fitzgerald Providence, focused on the Garden’s advancement with several pathways. The audience heard that the Botanical Gardens were instrumental for the distribution of plants across SVG, the region, and the world, and the development of Sea Island Cotton. Providence emphasised that the Gardens is not only a place of heritage and aesthetics but also provide ecosystem services such as watershed management and climate control.

The Director of Forestry Services said the Nichols Wildlife Complex within the Gardens provides an essential wildlife reserve for several birds, including the national parrot.

He explained that in 2010, a team catalogued and developed a plant database and made a call for it to be updated. He also stressed the need for tissue culture and other propagation methods to multiply and preserve important species in the Gardens, an improved management plan, and more technical collaboration going forward.

The Resident British High Commissioner to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Godffrey Patton, Sir Louis Straker, and Dr. Jerrol Thompson were among the attendees at the symposium held at the Curator's House on September 8th.

SOURCE: The Agency for Public Information (API)