In 2018, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) launched an international Botanic Garden Accreditation scheme and the first accredited botanic gardens at the 8th European Congress of Botanic Gardens in Lisbon, Portugal.  Today, BGCI updated the BGCI Accreditation Scheme.

BGCI has redefined the targets required to achieve Botanic Garden Accreditation and improved the application and mentorship process. Today, we are launching a revised version of the BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation Standards and a new platform to make the process of applying easier for gardens and for BGCI.

Standards Manual

Botanic gardens may wish to review the requirements set to achieve Botanic Garden Accreditation. The Standards Manual sets each target out clearly.

Download the Standard

Apply today

Apply today for BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation to establish your institution's credentials as a botanic garden.

Apply today!

BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation distinguishes botanic gardens from non-botanic gardens and recognises achievements in plant conservation. The scheme aims to raise awareness and recognition of the activities that botanic gardens do exceptionally well to policymakers and funders. Accreditation results in tangible benefits for participating gardens – such as recognition, peer review, creating standards for excellence, and funding – and acts as a motivator for botanic garden leadership.

For BGCI members BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation and mentorship is free of charge. For non-members a charge of USD 65 will be made to cover administrative costs.

The New System – Using the SheepApp

For those of you that have managed membership, applied for the Directory of Expertise, or applied for grants through the Global Botanic Garden Fund, the new platform for applying for BGCI Botanic Garden Accreditation will be familiar as it is also using the SheepApp!

To be accredited as a BGCI Botanic Garden, institutions will need to show that they carry out a range of conservation-related policies, practices and activities. Through the new system applicants will answer specific questions for each of the targets and provide evidence.

The criteria measured assess and value the fundamental components of a botanic garden in the following areas:

• Strategic direction and governance
• Open to the public
• Documented collections
• Public engagement
• Horticulture
• Research capacity
• Conservation activities
• Sustainability and ethics
• Specialist expertise
• Network membership