Landscape adaptation through climate change—creating and protecting botanical landscapes and plant collections for the future

PETER E. SYMES

Botanical Horticulture Consultancy, Australia

peter.e.symes@outlook.com
https://www.petersymes.com

Link to onsite registration: https://duo.dr13.cnrs.fr/public/evenement/index

Link to seminar: TBA

Future projections indicate unprecedented rates of mean surface temperature rise and greater probabilities of extreme weather events. Significant temperature increase has already occurred, especially with additional heat in urban centres. Changes in precipitation are more uncertain, but these are likely to vary, from drying regions and more severe droughts, to increases in high rainfall rates and flooding.

Botanic gardens and arboreta are facing a range of climate-mediated risks such as heat stress, water scarcity, intense rainfall and storms, wildfires, and changing pest, disease and weed dynamics that will likely impact ecosystems, infrastructure, living landscapes, and people. These compounding factors along with complexity and uncertainty present vast challenges for stewards of botanic landscapes who must make informed decisions now for better future outcomes in plant conservation and landscape health.

The presentation is planned to include the following topics:

- Overview of global climate change (including some French projections)

- Climate change risks confronting plants (from an Australian context)

- Case study responses to these risks such as the Landscape Succession Strategy (heritage botanic landscape) and - Climate Assessment Tool

- An overview of the Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens

- What have we learnt from climate change adaptation?

Links to more information:

• Climate Assessment Tool - https://cat.bgci.org/

• Landscape Succession Strategy - https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/landscape-succession-strategy/

• Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens - https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/climate-change-alliance/

• Landscape Succession Toolkit and Menu of Adaptation Action for Botanic Gardens & Arboreta - https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/climate-change-alliance/tools-and-products/

Watch previous seminars on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrX4IsZ8WIFcDa0ZmC7rcQg