European Botanic Gardens Consortium meeting and IPSN workshop at VMU Botanical Garden in Kaunas

The European Botanic Gardens Consortium took place in Kaunas, Lithuania in May. The event, which was attended by representatives from a dozen botanic gardens from across Europe, was held in conjunction with a workshop organised by the International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN), focusing on the emerald ash borer beetle, a major threat to ash trees.

As noticed by the director of the VDU Botanical Garden, dr. Nerijus Jurkonis, it is symbolic that the meeting of EBGC took place in the VDU Botanic Garden, which is celebrating a century: “A hundred years ago, the then botanical garden in Kaunas was created based on the best examples of European botanical gardens – as an equal member of the international botanical family. That’s how we feel and that’s how we are today – sharing experiences with colleagues, listening to their suggestions and advice, responding to global challenges and trends with our activities.”

The two-day working meetings of the EBGC, during which issues important to the organisation were discussed, were supplemented by numerous excursions, both introducing the activities and collections of the VDU Botanical Garden, and other botanical objects: VU Botanical Garden, Dubrava Arboretum, Dzūkija National Park, Panara medicinal and spice plant farm, Kaunas Oak Forest protected by the European ecological network “Natura 2000”; the Lithuanian Museum of the History of Medicine and Pharmacy was also visited.

The participants of events are grateful to dr. Nerijus Jurkonis (Director at VMU Botanical Garden in Kaunas) and his staff, for the wonderful hospitality.