News published: 24 May 2023

Roots 20.1 Accessibility

The latest issue of BGCI’s education journal Roots, which focuses on accessibility is now available. As botanic gardens we know that there may be barriers or challenges to the use of our sites by some audiences, and if we can identify and adapt those then we can make the botanic garden a more inviting and meaningful place for those individuals or audiences who have previously been prevented from enjoying these important spaces.

This issue features a range of articles from BGCI members on their accessibility journeys and attempts to make their gardens a more welcoming and accessible place for all.

You also find back issues of Roots in our resources section.

Contribute to the next issue of Roots

The next issue of Roots will focus on nature and the role that gardens play in connecting visitors with plants, biodiversity and nature. Now more than ever our planet and our wildlife are in crisis. Global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and habitat degradation are having a huge impact on nature. There is a lot of information out there about what is happening and what we all need to do to play our part. But this can often be overwhelming and scary. At the heart of these messages however is the fundamental connection that we as humans share with nature. If we can feel more connected with and love nature, then making the right choices to care for our planet is a natural next step. Botanic gardens are essential to that message and have a role to play in connecting visitors with nature. But how do we do it? What is the best way of going about it, are there strategies, tools and messaging that we can use as a community to strengthen our progress? We are currently looking for a variety of articles on this important topic.

To contribute, please send a 100 word abstract to Helen by 15th July 2023