Reviewing and renewing - BGCI's US office

For the past few months, BGCI has been short of a team in the US, our wonderful colleagues moved to pastures new and the US project has been undergoing review. Rick Daley, ex-director of Denver Botanic Gardens and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and ex-BGCI US board of directors has been hard at work surveying our US members to find out what they want. Of course, it is always important to start any programme finding out what is actually needed, so it will be great for BGCI to use the results in developing the US project.

Of course, the US gang have produced loads of exciting resources, particularly for education, which we are reviewing and hope to work on. There is the Planet Plant website - for 8 -12 year olds, focusing on some of the charismatic flora of the US, curriculum materials for middle schools on plants and the Education e-update newsletter.

So far, we have been working with an on-line education network, called Grid Club, to develop Planet Plant into an international version. We have some plans through and will be looking for financial support. We are going to evaluate the curriculum materials (again, if we find the funds!), and make them accessible either to download or as hard copy (or both) for gardens to use and share with their local schools. Plus, we have given the Education e-update a bit of a make-over. Brian Johnson (used to be the US education officer, but now working hard on his PhD) is producing a monthly international Education e-update.

This electronic newsletter for garden educators is to share the latest in news and views from colleagues around the world, so make sure you subscribe, and view the latest issue on the BGCI website. Plus, we need your help - send us your news and we will include it in Education e-update.