GUEST ESSAY A lesson for Botanic Gardens from the Covid-19 pandemic: reaching wider audiences through online activity

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24823/Sibbaldia.2022.1885

Keywords:

Guest Essay, Public engagement, Visitors, Education

Abstract

The power of botanic gardens to connect people to plants has traditionally stemmed from the physical interaction between visitors and living collections. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced many botanic gardens to consider alternative, online programmes of engagement. Here I argue that this experience has been revelatory, showing us that digital approaches provide the power not only to reach a wider audience, but to connect more deeply with that audience if the content is carefully designed. The new opportunities provided for connecting people to plants will be an important part of botanic garden engagement programmes in the years ahead.

References

ASSOCIATION OF LEADING VISITOR ATTRACTIONS (N.D.). Available online: www.alva.org.uk/details.cfm?p=615 (accessed December 2021).

CARRUS, G., SCOPELLITI, M., PANNO, A., LAFORTEZZA, R., COLANGELO, G., PIRCHIO, S., FERRINI, F., SALBITANO, F., AGRIMI, M., PORTOGHESI, L., SEMENZATO, P. & SANESI, G. (2017). A different way to stay in touch with ‘urban nature’: the perceived restorative qualities of botanical gardens. Frontiers in Psychology, 8: 914. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00914

CASTLEBERRY, K. (2020). The impact of Covid-19 on botanic gardens globally. BGJournal, 17(2): 7–8. Available online: www.bgci.org/news-events/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-botanic-gardens-globally (accessed December 2021).

CHEN, G. & SUN, W. (2018). The role of botanical gardens in scientific research, conservation, and citizen science. Plant Diversity, 40: 181–188. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2018.07.006

MOUNCE, R., SMITH, P. & BROCKINGTON, S. (2017). Ex situ conservation of plant diversity in the world’s botanic gardens. Nature Plants, 3: 795–802. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-017-0019-3

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Published

2022-02-07

Issue

No. 21 (2022): Sibbaldia the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2022 Beverley Glover

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How to Cite

GUEST ESSAY A lesson for Botanic Gardens from the Covid-19 pandemic: reaching wider audiences through online activity. (2022). Sibbaldia: The International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, 21, 5-12. https://doi.org/10.24823/Sibbaldia.2022.1885