On 11 and 12 January the Botanic Gardens Education Network (Bgen) hosted their Annual Conference at RHS Wisley. Attracting delegates from a range of organisations, with a broad range of interests, the event represented an excellent opportunity to share ideas, knowledge and experience in delivering outreach programmes. As an organisation, we are very aware of the need to engage people on the importance of healthy soils and we attended with the aim of utilising shared knowledge to inform the development of our Soil Explorers activities and creating collaboration opportunities.
The conference was held at Hilltop – RHS Wisley’s flagship ‘horticultural scientific centre of excellence’. Featuring a permanent interactive exhibition, RHS Wisley’s archive and herbarium, and plenty of flexible learning space, this venue was an excellent backdrop to a conference centred on providing high-quality outreach programmes and testament to what can be achieved within horticultural education. Delegates were encouraged to interact with the space and explore the teaching spaces and wider gardens.
Bgen had worked hard to line up and interesting and varied programme for delegates to choose from, with highlights including lectures from our very own President and Senior Lecturer at Cranfield University Dr Jack Hannam talking on Engaging Wider Audiences on Soils’ Importance, Steve Nash, Head of Campaigns and Programmes at Paignton Zoo, who delivered a fascinating presentation on developing strategies from the ground up to secure audience engagement, and Jack Baker and the Chester Zoo Youth Board who discussed How to Engage Young People, From a Young Persons Perspective. All offered extremely valuable insights into the design and delivery of powerful messages to broad audiences.
The two days were rounded off by Sarah Garry, our Executive Officer and Trustee of Bgen, hosting the plenary session and a panel summarising some of the outcomes of the event. In the coming weeks and months we hope conservations started will be fruitful in informing our activities, watch this space for more information!
