Chairman’s report

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

On 17 March, sadly, the doors to the Foundation & Friends Cottage and the Growing Friends Nursery were closed, our volunteer roles suspended, and all events and exhibitions postponed or cancelled. Our team is observing all social distancing practices, working from home, to pivot the organisation and keep us viable during these unprecedented times. All costs have been minimised where possible. We are a small charity, and the effects of the pandemic have certainly been felt, with all our revenue-raising activities cancelled for the foreseeable future.

As the world continues to adapt to this new way of living, with physical interaction restricted, it is important for us to retain our cherished lines of communication with our members and the broader community, including the ongoing distribution of The Gardens magazine, in order to keep familiarity and comfort within our everyday lives. Our magazine is loved as a member

“We must re main innovative, agile a nd lea n where we ca n”

benefit, and although we will not be dispensing with the printed magazine, we must remain innovative, agile and lean where we can at this time.

Our new digital magazine offers us many untapped opportunities as a new portal to share information about Foundation & Friends and the Botanic Gardens with the world. Technology will help us reach further, making it possible for us to connect and communicate with a broader community.

Whether you are a longstanding Foundation & Friends member or someone who is reading about the organisation for the first time, we invite you to embrace this change. We welcome any feedback you may have for us. It is through connectivity and sharing of information that we can reinforce the strength of our community, and in time, return to a ‘new normal’ together.

While this winter will be a season of hibernation for us, the work of the

Botanic Gardens powers on. There has been enormous regrowth and rebirth in many areas of our Gardens affected by fire and storm damage over summer and autumn, which is a testament to the resilience of the teams, including volunteers working on the ground at all three Gardens. The Horticulture team is taking every precaution, practising social distancing and following strict health guidelines, to continue their vital work, with only key personnel remaining onsite at this stage.

NEW INITIATIVES Our exhibitions have suffered greatly during the pandemic. The PL NTS exhibition had to be moved online but happily will hang in Lion Gate Lodge in July. The online gallery was visited by thousands of people, providing colour and light during a dark time. The Fungi exhibition will now be combined with Botanica, and this has been deferred to autumn 2021. The difficult decision was made to move the 20th anniversary celebration of Artisans in the Gardens to October 2021. We thank our artists and Foundation & Friends volunteers for being flexible with these changes.

The team at Foundation & Friends has been working hard, innovatively and remotely, to launch the Botanic Gardens Gallery, our new ecommerce platform. Following our Mother’s Day promotion, the Gallery now hosts new items from some of our favourite artists in Cultivate, a new pop-up exhibition, which will hang in Lion Gate Lodge in October. See page 18 for a full update on all of our exhibitions.

If you visited the Garden in summer you will have noticed that our water features had been decommissioned. The Horticulture team works closely with Sydney Water on the water usage plan to ensure they are protecting our Living Collection while also proactively reducing water usage. We are actively working on a long-term water solution and irrigation masterplan, with the goal of making our Botanic Gardens independent of potable water for the majority of the Living Collections.

“The online gallery was visited by thousands of people”

Memories of Home: Night Queen by Neha Gupte, from PL NTS exhibition

In February, we had the opportunity to appear on the largest high-definition digital billboard in the US as part of a campaign to bring global awareness to Australia’s bushfire crisis. Known as Godzilla, the screen in Times Square, New York City, is about the size of a football field. We responded quickly, and the turnaround of the necessary advertising collateral was achieved in a weekend by our amazing team. This helped us maximise our opportunity to spread the word abroad about the Vital Science work being completed by scientists at our Botanic Gardens.

Our Bequest Information Forum in March was a successful new initiative. A panel of three professionals led an engaging discussion regarding estate planning for bequests and related issues. We intend to now make these regular events, for our community to engage and consider their legacy.

Finally, a farewell to Jimmy Turner, our outgoing Director of Horticulture. Jimmy has been a great supporter and friend to Foundation & Friends over many years, and his passion and contributions will be sorely missed. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome John Siemon, Curator Manager of the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, to the role of Acting Director of Horticulture Management of the Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands. As many of you may already know, John is an active member and supporter of Foundation & Friends.

We hope we can welcome you back to more events at the Gardens soon. In the meantime, keep safe and well, and enjoy the activities we have to offer you online. We look forward to your ongoing support, critical for seeing us through, and the time when we can again meet in person to enjoy and celebrate our wonderful Gardens together. Ian Breedon

“There has been a mazing regrowth throughout our Botanic Gardens, and it’s a joy seeing so much colour and life returning to our precious green spaces”

What a difference a magazine cycle makes. In the last edition we spoke of raging and devastating bushfires, and our precious Botanic Gardens dying from drought. Since then we’ve experienced storms, flooding and now the global threat of a pandemic. These are quite unbelievable times that we live in.

These crises have had a significant financial impact on the Foundation & Friends organisation. Growing Friends has temporarily shut, our national and international tours, exhibitions and events are cancelled or postponed, and our volunteer roles have been suspended. It will be a rocky road to recovery, and with the help and support of the Board and staff, we are working hard to ensure the stability and longevity of the organisation.

Despite the challenges we face, there have also been numerous wins to celebrate. The team at Foundation & Friends has never been busier, and I’m so proud of their hard work and dedication. In February, the bushfire appeal appeared in Times Square, New York City, on the biggest digital screen in the US. It was amazing to see us on an international stage, gaining support for causes that matter to us. I ask that you consider supporting the appeal as we near the end of the financial year, as any donation – big or small – makes a huge difference to the vital work of the Botanic Gardens.

Caption

The effects of climate change that we have recently experienced really highlight the importance of all the scientific work that is already being done by our scientists at PlantBank at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, and the incredible work that will be done once the new Australian Institute of Botanical Science opens.

Although the PL NTS exhibition was postponed, I am pleased to announce that it will return to Lion Gate Lodge in July. In the meantime, the team has launched an online store, The Botanic Gardens Gallery, to preview and sell our talented artists’ works. Proceeds from sales directly support Foundation & Friends and the artists. Read more about the online gallery on page 18.

As we navigate this uncertain time, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our members and supporters – your patronage to the organisation is more valuable now than ever before. We are a strong community, and together we will make our way through these murky waters and return to a sense of normal.

There has been amazing regrowth and new life sprouting throughout our devastated Botanic Gardens, and it’s a joy seeing so much colour and life returning to our precious green spaces. I look forward to welcoming you back to some of our community events at the Gardens when circumstances allow – hopefully that won‘t be too far away. Melissa Ellis