Guiding landscape transition for climatic change: planning in the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia

The Climate Change Alliance: botanic garden horticulturists as agents for change

“…Firstly, a preliminary climate audit of the living collection holdings was undertaken by horticulturists, which matched Köppen-Geiger climate classifications (Rohli et al, 2015) with known plant distributions according to geographic zones defined by Brummitt et al (2001). They found that about 35 per cent of taxa were considered to be at the highest level of risk from projected climate change (Symes, 2017). Secondly, a landscape microclimate analysis was carried out to determine if site selection could be used to mitigate temperature rise.…”

“…Secondly, a landscape microclimate analysis was carried out to determine if site selection could be used to mitigate temperature rise. It was concluded that cooling potential from most sites was inadequate to counter the more extreme mean annual temperature increases of 3 °C projected by 2090 (Grose et al, 2015;Symes, 2017). While selection of landscape microclimates can modify exposure to solar radiation and wind, and, to some extent, can mitigate the effects of more extreme temperatures, there are considerable constraints in applying this tactic across entire landscapes (Symes, 2017).…”

“…It was concluded that cooling potential from most sites was inadequate to counter the more extreme mean annual temperature increases of 3 °C projected by 2090 (Grose et al, 2015;Symes, 2017). While selection of landscape microclimates can modify exposure to solar radiation and wind, and, to some extent, can mitigate the effects of more extreme temperatures, there are considerable constraints in applying this tactic across entire landscapes (Symes, 2017). These results indicated an urgent need to develop an integrated and strategic response to climate change.…”

“…Development of the LSS included seeking best practice examples of landscape adaptation plans through a worldwide literature review and obtaining industry feedback via forums such as LinkedIn Botanic Gardens Professionals (more than 5,000 members) and LinkedIn Horticulture (more than 40,000 members). This review revealed a confronting gap in knowledge regarding effective strategic management of cultural landscapes and living collections through a climate change lens (Symes, 2017).…”

“…Botanic gardens worldwide are stewards of landscapes and living collections that are interconnected with critically important plant diversity. In responding to a recognised knowledge gap (Symes, 2017), the current focus of the Alliance is to build the global capacity of botanic gardens to safeguard landscapes and living collections through a changing climate.…”