Faculty of Science Welcomes UBC Botanical Garden, Nitobe Memorial Garden

The UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, including the Nitobe Memorial Garden, have joined the Faculty of Science. The transfer of these major venues to UBC Science creates a cluster of biodiversity and natural history related attractions within the Faculty, which is already home to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Pacific Museum of the Earth. “I'm very excited by this opportunity to develop strong connections between the Botanical Garden and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum in community engagement, education and research,” says Dean of Science Simon Peacock. “The Botanical Garden focuses on living plant biodiversity which directly complements the biodiversity collections housed in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, particularly in the Herbarium Collection. Through these venues, we have an unparalleled opportunity to share our passion for, and communicate the importance of, biodiversity with the broader community. The transfer also presents us with number of exciting opportunities to advance our biodiversity education and research programs.” The Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research were previously housed within the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. “Following a consultation with stakeholders at the Botanical Garden, within the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and in the Department of Botany, it became clear that the proposed transfer presented great opportunities and enjoyed broad support,” adds Peacock. Patrick Lewis will take on the appointment of Director, UBC Biodiversity Collections. The new portfolio encompasses the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research as well as the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Lewis will be responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of both venues, working closely with the Associate Director of the Botanical Gardens, Douglas Justice, and the scientific co-directors of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Wayne Maddison and Jeannette Whitton. Prior to his new appointment Lewis served as Director of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. About the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research Established in 1916, UBC’s Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is Canada's oldest continuously operating university botanic garden. The mission of the Garden includes research, conservation, teaching and public display of temperate plants from around the world, particularly Asian, alpine and native plants. The Garden’s research arm is the UBC Centre for Plant Research, which produces world-class research on topics including plant adaptation, evolution, genomics, plant physiology and biotic interactions, phytochemistry, plant biotechnology and plant breeding. The Botanical Garden also includes the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, a 308-metre walkway which reaches heights in excess of 17.5 metres, enabling visitors and researchers to experience the unique biodiversity of a Pacific Coastal Rainforest canopy.

Visit the new UBC Botanical Garden website: www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca. About the Nitobe Memorial Garden The Nitobe Memorial Garden, a traditional Japanese tea and stroll garden located at the University, is considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America and among the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan.

About the Faculty of Science

UBC Science is one of strongest and most diverse faculties of science in Canada. Committed to advancing education and research at the frontiers of science, the Faculty delivers high-quality undergraduate programs across 18 disciplines to a student body of 7,000, and generated almost $100 million in research funding in 2010.

The Faculty's researchers have included two Nobel Laureates, eight Fellows of the Royal Society of London, 60 Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, and 47 Canada Research Chairs. Over the past five years, the Faculty's initiative to transform undergraduate science education--launched by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman--has improved the classroom experience of thousands of students at UBC. Also home to three natural history venues, the Faculty delivers outreach and community engagement programming to 8,000 K-12 students and teachers a year.