Urgent plant conservation action is more critical than ever. BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International) and IrisBG announce they have officially formalized their longstanding relationship with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). As the largest global plant conservation network, BGCI promotes efficient and rational approaches to plant conservation within botanic gardens. IrisBG is the leading botanical collection management software dedicated to providing effective plant records management. It is committed to cultivating a community that actively contributes to worldwide research and conservation efforts.
At the core of our MOA is the understanding that reliable and comprehensive plant collection data is vital to advancing botanical conservation initiatives. BGCI and IrisBG will work together to inspire enhanced record-keeping practices, improve data standards, and encourage the development of data-driven analytics. This initiative aims to make information about plant species and populations more accessible, thereby fostering a collaborative environment in the ongoing effort to conserve plant diversity.
This collaboration is set to foster informed, collaborative, and collective decision-making essential for managing and safeguarding the world's plant diversity. Additionally, BGCI and IrisBG will explore opportunities to harness novel approaches, tools, and technologies that enhance data capture, monitoring, and accessibility of plant conservation data.
With this joint venture, the two organizations will continue the fight against plant extinction and biodiversity loss, reinforcing their commitment to protecting and preserving the world’s botanical heritage.
“Botanical gardens conserve more than a third of plant diversity in their living collections and seed banks. It is essential that this material, and its associated data, is shared and used for species recovery and habitat restoration. We are delighted to be working with IRISBG to raise data standards, and to ensure that plant material and associated information is used to prevent plant species extinctions.”
Paul Smith, Secretary General, BGCI.
“We at IrisBG are thrilled to officially formalize and share our longstanding relationship with BGCI, with the hope that it will inspire botanical gardens, arboreta, and research institutions to put the value on the record-keeping and conservation efforts that are so direly needed. With a shared vision to create a dynamic and streamlined botanic garden data ecosystem, we will work together to empower botanical gardens with innovative and user-friendly tools to collaborate, share, and analyze their living collections data.”
Mari Rustan, Director of Strategy and Product Manager, IrisBG.
For over 25 years, IrisBG has offered a scalable and flexible software solution suitable for all types and sizes of botanical collections. Its robust platform allows the recording and mapping of accession records using any device. IrisBG is known for its extensive network. It includes a dedicated support team, unlimited email assistance, software tutorials, and two platforms for users to share insights and ideas: monthly IrisBG Coffee Chats and the IrisBG user forum.
Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) plays a key role in empowering and supporting botanic gardens to enhance their capacity to manage plant diversity and advance plant conservation efforts. As the leading global network for botanic gardens engaged in plant conservation, BGCI’s mission is to mobilise botanic gardens and engage a broad range of partners in securing plant diversity for the benefit of both people and the planet. To achieve this, BGCI actively promotes the vital role of botanic gardens to policymakers, funders, and the wider conservation community, ensuring that gardens are recognised as essential contributors to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The organisation serves as a global knowledge hub, providing access to best practices, training, resources, and expert guidance to support botanic gardens in their conservation activities. Additionally, BGCI plays a critical role in mobilising funding to implement impactful plant conservation initiatives within the botanic garden sector.