The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is proud to be at the forefront of plant research, education, and horticulture to achieve a better future. Realising our full potential will deliver high-quality scientific evidence to inform action, maximise the global value of the National Botanical Collection, and enrich and empower individuals and communities through learning and engagement.
Our four Gardens – Edinburgh, Dawyck, Logan and Benmore – are places of beauty, pleasure, and contemplation for our one million visitors each year. Their landscapes and plants are internationally renowned and their value to society goes far beyond the visitor experience. The National Botanical Collection includes a world-class herbarium of three million preserved plant specimens, an internationally significant living plant collection of 13,750 species and an extensive botanical library and archive.
These collections and our international collaboration form a strong foundation for our research programmes ranging from the diversity and distribution of species and the threats they face, to how they can be best conserved and sustainably used. The programmes enrich our knowledge of key ecosystems that support biodiversity, regulate climate and benefit humanity. They also advance the sharing of important botanical data around the world, and harness technological innovation including improved DNA sequencing technologies.
Our staff, tutors and volunteers provide an extraordinary range of expertise, and their commitment and energy are remarkable. Our education programmes embrace taxonomy, biodiversity science, conservation horticulture and cultural heritage, engaging individuals, community groups and our partners around the world. Our online courses and in-country training now reach students in over 55 countries.
Communicating and sharing the world of plants and the need for science, horticulture and conservation is so much more than providing information. It’s about affording opportunities for dialogue, inspiring and upskilling people to get involved and to act. That is why we put so much effort into engagement with our visitors and partner organisations, from guided tours and community programmes to outreach projects and the arts. We are committed to achieving a step change in equality for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people, beyond enhancing the cultural accessibility of our collections. This will include broadening representation in science and horticulture, enhancing employment and career development opportunities and addressing barriers to participation, such as funding.
Why the RBGE Board is supporting Boardroom Apprentice
This represents an opportunity for succession planning and enables the Boardroom Apprentice to shadow highly talented and experienced individuals in their roles as RBGE Trustees. They will learn what the roles and responsibilities of being a Trustee are and give them the confidence, skills and experience to put themselves forward for similar roles in the future. The RBGE Board will welcome the chance to impart their knowledge to the Boardroom Apprentice so the Apprentice will be willing and prepared for the challenge and opportunity of attending the Board of a Public Body and getting involved in the governance and decision making of one of the top Botanic Gardens in the world.
Location of Board and Committee Meetings
Location of most meetings is: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR. One meeting a year is normally at one of the other gardens in Scotland. Joining via Teams is an option.
Frequency and timing of board/committee meetings
Board meetings are quarterly towards the end of the month in March, June, September. The meeting in December is during the first or second week of the month.
Date of Board Meetings (January 2024 – December 2024)
TBC
Committee of the Boards and meeting dates (January 2024 – December 2024)
Not applicable
