The Royal Botanic garden Edinburgh would like to take this opportunity to highlight to you and your organisation that Ministers are looking to make up to three appointments to the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), one to fill a current vacancy and two others due to positions becoming vacant later in 2021.

We are looking for a Trustee in each of the three areas below to help us to:

• Continue to develop as a successful visitor attraction.
• Guide our excellent biodiversity science in the areas of research, policy and funding.
• Develop our wide ranging national and international education programme.

RBGE is a world leading botanical institute delivering first class biodiversity research to underpin the conservation and sustainable use of the world’s plants. We are also one of Scotland’s leading visitor attractions welcoming a million visitors a year to our four gardens across the country. As we begin our next 350 years our science and research remain resolutely focused on the global biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency.

The challenges of the last year, due in large part to humankind’s rapacious and unrelenting inroads into the natural world, have highlighted our awareness of interdependencies: the interdependence of human and environmental health, and the interdependence of social justice and sustainable development.

The three Trustee positions offer an unique opportunity to play a key role at RBGE, working as a force for global change towards a future that is greener, kinder and more equal.

RBGE’s mission is “to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future”. We contribute significantly to the Scottish Government’s National outcomes, not only though protecting and enhancing our environment, but also in the fields of economic development, education and skills development, social inclusion and international cooperation. We are also part of a global network of botanic gardens and research institutes working in 35 countries worldwide.

RBGE is committed to diversity, equality and racial justice. We value very highly the benefits of having different points of view and broad experience on our Board of Trustees. Accordingly it is my hope that we will receive applications from a wide range of talented people irrespective of race, age, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

Our work is guided by three themes:

• Unlocking knowledge and understanding of plants and fungi for the benefit of society.
• Conserving and developing botanical collections as a global resource.
• Enriching and empowering individuals and communities through learning and engagement with plants and fungi.

On this occasion Ministers are looking for people to undertake three distinct roles on the Board of Trustees and applicants should demonstrate evidence of at least one of the following:

• leading and developing a successful visitor attraction;
• biodiversity science – research, policy and funding;
• education policy development and strategic delivery.

Applicants also need to demonstrate evidence of a number of other skills:

• analysis and decision making;
• constructive and supportive challenge;
• commitment and empathy for mission and objectives of RBGE;
• communication and influencing skills.

If you know people who would be interested in taking on one of these roles, then please direct them to www.appointed-for-scotland.org where full details can be found. The appointments will be publicised on the website from early February with completed applications being submitted by 25 February 2021.