BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation and ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Announce Reciprocal Arrangement
ArbNet and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) announced today an agreement to allow applicants to be considered for accreditation by both organizations through a single application.
The BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation Scheme is aimed at botanical institutions wishing to establish their credentials as botanic gardens. BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation sets international standards and assesses and places a high value on the unique skills, knowledge and data in botanic gardens. No other international program of accreditation exists that is specific to botanic gardens.
The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program establishes and shares a widely recognized set of industry standards for the purpose of unifying the arboretum community and fostering the professionalism of arboreta worldwide. There are four levels of accreditation, which recognize various degrees of development and capacity in arboreta - public gardens with a substantial focus on trees and woody plants. No other international program of accreditation exists that is specific to arboreta.
Both BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation and ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation (at levels III and IV) set similar standards for leadership, collections management, horticulture, public education, research, staff, and networking. Each accreditation platform, however, supports different target institutions. BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation recognizes botanical institutions with a focus on plant conservation and sustainability, while ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation is tailored to gardens with a strong focus on woody plants and trees.
