On the 1 October the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation brought together a cross-sector group including those involved in some of the innovative environment initiatives it has recently funded and a wider circle of interested people for a one-day symposium loosely themed on 'the garden'. The aim of the day was for participants to share learning and to discuss how a creative engagement with the natural world can facilitate change to more sustainable ways of living.

The discussion was lively and wide-ranging and the following key points emerged:

• The need to develop a positive, creative vision of the future to inspire people to change.
• The importance of influencing the corporate sector, despite the difficulties.
• The gap between the many innovative ‘grassroots’ projects that are already happening and political perception of public engagement in the issues.
• The need to keep on doing the same things, whether or not they are popular / in the public eye.
• Change is happening – there is room for optimism!
• Different sectors of society, for example homeless people, have particular experiences/approaches/sympathies to bring to environmental engagement.
• We may be more persuasive if we combine logical/rational and emotional/artistic approaches.
• The value of cross-sector exchange.
• The environment remains a minority interest for many funders, rather than being seen as integral to everyone's strategy for making the world a better place.

The programme for the day is below, with links to the presentations, where applicable. Following the symposium, an informal email network for discussion and exchange has been established. Please contact Louisa Hooper at the Foundation if you would like further information and/or to be included in the network.

The Garden Symposium programme

Introduction
Sian Ede, Louisa Hooper, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (CGF)

Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI)
Growing a Social Role for Botanic Gardens
Until recently few botanic gardens have been required to consider their public roles or engage with their local communities. Last year, BGCI commissioned Leicester University’s Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) to carry out research into the social role of botanic gardens in the UK and Ireland. Building on the findings of this research, BGCI is now working with RCMG to promote the social role of botanic gardens throughout the UK. They are collaborating with an initial group of three gardens to frame new values, goals and practices designed to unlock their potential for encouraging positive social change and raising environmental awareness. RCMG Presentation PDF download 5MB
Ceri Jones, Research Associate, RCMG, University of Leicester

Islamic Gardens in the UK
In the first ever study of its kind, BGCI commissioned a report from the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK at the University of Cardiff, which set out to examine the potential of Islamic gardens for promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainability within the Muslim community, as well as fostering inter-faith understanding. The report highlights the potential for botanic gardens to promote conservation and ecological sustainability by actively engaging with and supporting faith-based gardening projects. BGCI Presentation PDF download 18MB
Julia Willison, Director of Education, BGCI

Homeless Link
Virtual ‘Garden for Change’ in Second Life
Homeless Link has ‘planted’ a 3D virtual version of its ‘Places of Change Garden’ in Second Life, giving an international audience interactive access to the garden and its themes. The original award-winning ‘Places of Change Garden’ was created by 500 volunteers from more than 40 homeless agencies across England for the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2010. Homeless Link Presentation PDF download
Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive, Homeless Link

Natural History Museum (NHM)
Citizen Science: the Urban Tree Survey
As part of its Citizen Science programme, inspiring people to become active guardians of the natural world while contributing to the advance of scientific knowledge, the NHM has launched a three-year urban tree survey across England. Via an interactive online map, members of the public are given the tools to identify and locate the trees in their neighbourhood, increasing their own knowledge and adding to scientific understanding of urban tree populations and how these are affected by climate change and other factors. NHM Presentation PDF download
Ailsa Barry, Head of Interactive Media, and Dr Johannes Vogel, Keeper of Botany, NMH

Publica
The School Looks Around
The 1948 publication, The School Looks Around, promoted the idea of the local survey as an adventurous and open-ended process, a voyage of discovery ‘to bring the individual into sympathy with his/her surroundings, not passively, but as an active unit.’ Inspired by the book’s methods and aims, and using contemporary creative mapping processes, Publica has developed projects in four secondary schools to make the local area and issues of society and citizenship come alive for young people, and establish new and lasting connections between pupils, schools and their communities. Publica Presentation Pdf Download 4 MB
Stephen Escritt, Director, Publica

Green Alliance
New Times, New Connections: Civil society action on climate change
It is vital that efforts to deliver a bigger and better society also deliver a more sustainable and resilient one, but to what extent are non-environmental civil society organisations engaging with the issues? In October, Green Alliance will launch a new national survey with key recommendations on how to mainstream action on climate change across civil society. GA Presentation PDF download
Rebekah Phillips, Senior Policy Advisor, Green Alliance

NVA (‘nationale vitae activa’)
Kilmahew Woodlands, Glasgow, environmental regeneration project
‘The underlying premise is to explore if public spaces can advance social change. Can the experience of a landscape be so profound, other or different, that it changes people’s lives and inspires them to change society?’ (Angus Farquhar, NVA) Over the last two years NVA has been working with individuals, local groups and partners to develop a new vision for the former Kilmahew estate and St Peter’s Seminary in the Firth of Clyde, which includes an environmental training programme to offer employment to young people in surrounding areas.

Galapagos Conservation Trust
Gulbenkian Galapagos Artists’ Residency Programme
Since 2007, 11 artists from a variety of disciplines have visited the Galapagos, touring the islands with a naturalist, undertaking research with scientists, and engaging with local people. The impact of the residencies has been significant and surprising – for the artists, the scientists and the islanders – as the artists bring new perspectives to the challenges, local and global, faced by sites of conservation and natural heritage.
Toni Darton, Chief Executive, Galapagos Conservation Trust

Image:Allium neapolitanum, Naples garlic; composite image of stem section stained with Toluide Blue O.
Rob Kesseler in collaboration with the Instituto Ciencia Gulbenkian, Portugal.