28/02 An
independent performance review of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
has praised its impressive achievements and set out
recommendations to ensure the major plant science research
facility and popular visitor attraction maintains and improves on
its success in years to come.
The review, carried out on behalf of Defra, concluded that the
Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew has met all of its statutory
obligations since the last performance review in 2001, such as
preservation and care for a wide variety of plant collections,
undertaking research into the science of plants and ensuring the
public have access to the collections.
The review makes a number of recommendations, for both Kew and
Defra to ensure a sustainable future for RBG Kew. The
recommendations are aimed at maintaining Kew’s world class
standard in scientific research, further improving the quality,
effectiveness and value for money of Kew’s services and sustaining
it as a major, iconic visitor attraction and a World Heritage
Site. The report also recommends that Defra remains the lead
sponsoring Department for Kew with support through its
Grant-in-Aid funding.
Natural and Marine Environment Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said:
“The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew plays a crucial role in
conserving the diversity of plant life on the planet and in
providing first rate scientific research into plant life and the
impacts of climate change. Kew’s wide range of living and
preserved plant exhibits also makes it a hugely popular tourist
attraction that brings joy to countless visitors.
“I welcome this review and Defra will consider its
recommendations in great detail. Our consideration of this report
will help us maintain the high standards at Kew and ensure the
best means to provide adequate financial support to continue its
success in the years to come.”
Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Professor Stephen
Hopper, said:
“We welcome this review’s findings that Kew is delivering
excellence both as an internationally-renowned plant science and
conservation organisation and as a leading visitor attraction.
Kew’s collections, knowledge, expertise and international
partnerships mean we have much to contribute in dealing with the
environmental challenges of our times. We welcome the report’s
recommendations, which are designed to enable us to continue to
deliver our mission and our statutory duties now and in years to
come. We will now consider these recommendations in detail.”
Defra and Kew will now examine the report’s recommendations in
full and separate, formal responses will be issued later this
year.
Notes to editors
The review was announced on 16 July 2009 and led by Sir Neil
Chalmers, Warden of Wadham College, Oxford and former Director of
the Natural History Museum.A copy of the Independent Review of
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew can be downloaded at
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/partners/kew/index.htmNon
Departmental Public Bodies are subject to regular Government
Reviews. RBG Kew’s last formal review was held in 2001.The Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation,
internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of
plants and world-class Herbarium as well as its scientific
expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable
development in the UK and around the world. Kew Gardens is a major
international visitor attraction. Its landscaped, 132 hectares and
RBG Kew’s country estate, Wakehurst Place, attract nearly 2
million visitors every year. Kew was made a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009.
Wakehurst Place is also home to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the
largest wild plant seed bank in the world. RBG Kew and its
partners have collected and conserved seed from 10 per cent of the
world's wild flowering plant species (c.30, 000 species).
The aim is to conserve 25% by 2020 and funds are being actively
sought in order to continue to develop this vital work. For
further information please visit www.kew.org. For more information
about the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, contact Anna Quenby, Head of
Public Relations, on +44 (0)20 8332 5607; pr@kew.orgor out of
hours telephone +44 (0)8332 5000.
Contacts:
Defra Press Office
Phone: 020 7238 6600
NDS.DEFRA@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Rosie Moss
Phone: 020 7238 5610
rosie.moss@defra.gsi.gov.uk