exploring energy gardens - bgci · volume 11 • number 1 • january 2014 exploring energy gardens...

Journal of Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Volume 11 • Number 1 • January 2014

Exploring energy gardensBotanic gardens and biofuels

BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1) 01

BGjournal is published by Botanic Gardens ConservationInternational (BGCI). It is published twice a year.Membership is open to all interested individuals,institutions and organisations that support the aims of BGCI.

Further details available from:

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3BW UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953, Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5956 E-mail: [email protected], www.bgci.org

• BGCI-Russia, c/o Main Botanical Gardens, Botanicheskaya st., 4, Moscow 127276, Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 219 6160 / 5377, Fax: +7 (095) 218 0525, E-mail: [email protected], www.bgci.ru

• BGCI-Netherlands, c/o Delft University of TechnologyJulianalaan 67, NL-2628 BC Delft, NetherlandsTel: +31 15 278 4714 Fax: +31 15 278 2355E-mail: [email protected]

• BGCI-Canarias, c/o Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo,Apartado de Correos 14, Tafira Alta 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, Spain. Tel: +34 928 21 95 80/82/83, Fax: +34 928 21 95 81, E-mail: [email protected]

• BGCI-China, 723 Xingke Rd., Guangzhou 510650 China.Tel:(86)20-85231992. email: [email protected]/china

• BGCI-Colombia, c/o Jardín Botánico de Bogotá, Jose Celestino Mutis, Av. No. 61-13 – A.A. 59887, Santa Fe de Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. Tel: +57 630 0949, Fax: +57 630 5075, E-mail: [email protected],www.humboldt.org.co/jardinesdecolombia/html/la_red.htm

• BGCI(US) Inc, c/o Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, Illinois 60022, USA.E-mail: [email protected], www.bgci.org/usa

BGCI is a worldwide membership organisation established in 1987. Its mission is to mobilise botanic gardens andengage partners in securing plant diversity for the well-being of people and the planet. BGCI is an independentorganisation registered in the United Kingdom as a charity(Charity Reg No 1098834) and a company limited byguarantee, No 4673175. BGCI is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation in the USA and is a registered non-profit organisation in Russia.

Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarilyreflect the views of the Boards or staff of BGCI or of itsmembers.

Suzanne SharrockDirector of GlobalProgrammes

EDITORS

Sara OldfieldSecretary General

Volume 11 • Number 1

Cover Photo: Child carrying firewood in Gorkha, NepalZzvet/Shutterstock.com

Design: Seascape www.seascapedesign.co.uk

EDITORIAL BIOENERGY AND THE ROLE OF BOTANIC GARDENS Sara Oldfield

NEPAL ENERGY GARDEN PROJECT: EXPLORING ENERGY GARDENS AS A SOURCE FOR LOCAL FUEL PRODUCTION Jon Lovett

BIOENERGY DAY @ UGA Terry Marie Hastings

WASTE-TO-ENERGY: CONSERVING PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES,IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS David K. Nkwanga

ENALGAE PILOT AT THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDENA CASE STUDY OF BIO-ENGINEERING WORK Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley

BIOENERGY PLANT COLLECTION AND RESEARCH IN THE XISHUANGBANNA TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN Zeng-Fu Xu, Jianxiang Hu, Tianping Huang, and Jin Chen

DESIGNING AN ENERGY GARDEN Trudi Entwistle

HASSAN BIOFUEL PARK: A CONCEPT FOR PROMOTION OFREPLENISHABLE GREEN ENERGY Balakrishna Gowda, K.T. Prasanna, G.C. Vijaya Kumar, C. Haleshi and K. Rajesh Kumar

RESOURCES

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In this issue of BGjournal we addressone of the most significant globalchallenges – the provision of

alternative energy. With the impacts ofclimate change ever more evident thesearch for reduced carbon energysources and the drive for sustainableenergy use become increasingly urgent.Plants are a key part of the solution.Preparing this compilation of articles hasbeen thought-provoking. BGCI’s mainaim is to secure plant diversity forpeople and the planet. We need toconsider biodiversity conservation withinthe context of tackling broaderenvironmental sustainability. Linkingplant conservation with bigger societalconcerns should help to increase therelevance and understanding of our workand that of the global network of botanicgardens.

The use of plant material for energy usedates back nearly 800,000 years. In many parts of the world fuelwoodremains the main source of domesticenergy as noted by David Nkwanga inhis article on waste-to-energy inUganda. David succinctly describes theconnections between plantconservation, livelihoods and energy useand presents one practical solutionbeing developed at Nature PalaceBotanic Garden. It is apparent thatbotanic gardens are well-placed to carryout research on “growing energy” and to inform and engage the public. AsBeverley Glover points out in the articleconsidering the potential use of algae ina low carbon economy, CambridgeUniversity Botanic Garden’s projectillustrates “how different scientists canwork together to explore the full potentialof green organisms to tackle globalconcerns, an ethos that underlies muchof our work at the Garden.”

Jon Lovett, Professor of Global Changeat the University of Leeds, provided thestimulus for this special issue ofBGjournal, which is sponsored by ESRCand DfID under the DevelopmentFrontiers Research Fund. Jon recognisesthe huge value of the global botanicgarden network in disseminating newideas. He envisages a global network ofdemonstration energy gardens showinghow local plants can be used to providelocally appropriate energy sources – an exciting idea! Working with TrudiEntwistle, Jon promoted a designcompetition for landscape architecturestudents at Leeds MetropolitanUniversity. I was delighted to judge thedesigns last year and I think you willagree the results of the students’ workas shown in this issue are outstanding!

Botanic gardens are already highlightingthe importance of biofuels and biomassin the provision of energy as highlighted,by Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley, author of theCambridge University Botanic Garden’sarticle and by Terry Marie Hastingswriting about Bioenergy Daycollaboration between the University ofGeorgia, Athens and the State BotanicalGarden. The Xishuangbanna BotanicGarden has an energy garden as apermanent display. This is described byZeng-Fu Xu, Jianxiang Hu, TianpingHuang, and Jin Chen in their article.

There are major controversies relating to the growing of energy plants on anindustrial scale, as noted by Jon Lovettand botanic gardens will help inform thedebate. I hope that you enjoy this issueof BGjournal and we welcome yourfeedback.

During 2014, BGCI staff will be workinghard to promote the role of botanicgardens in the implementation of theGlobal Strategy for Plant Conservation.This is a key part of our Five Year Planwhich is outlined on p. 30-31. We aredelighted to welcome Professor StephenBlackmore, one of the early proponentsof the GSPC, as the new Chair of theBoard of BGCI and we look forwardgreatly to the benefits of his wisdom,experience and guidance.

Sara OldfieldSecretary General, BGCI

BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1) • 0202

EDITORIAL:BIOENERGY AND THE ROLE OF BOTANIC GARDENS

Hopea chinensis in Yunnan, China (BGCI)

The School of Geography at the University of Leeds is collaborating with BGCI todevelop Energy Gardens for small-scale farmers in Nepal. The project aims to find a solution to controversies surrounding the use of biomass and biofuels for energyproduction by using indigenous plant species grown in field edges or as shade. By harnessing the power of plants through technological innovation, we hope totransform the lives of small-scale farmers. The research team includes geographers,sociologists, economists, botanists and engineers from the UK, Nepal and India.

BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1) • 03-06 03

NEPAL ENERGY GARDEN PROJECT:EXPLORING ENERGY GARDENS AS A SOURCE FOR LOCAL FUEL PRODUCTION

Author: Jon Lovett

Green terraced fields in the Helambu Himalayas, Nepal (Steve Estvanik / Shutterstock.com)

Background

Plants capture energy from the sunthrough photosynthesis and storeit in the form of vegetative growth.

This growth takes a wide variety of formsfrom woody to soft tissues, and can bequite complex chemically includingsugars, oils and other products. Plantsare thus ideal sources of renewableenergy. This energy is released throughburning wood and other forms ofbiomass, but more recently, plantproducts such as vegetable oils andsugars have been used to createbiofuels for running internal combustionengines. Indeed the first diesel engine,built by Dr Rudolf Diesel in 1885,included peanut oil in its fuel.

“ Energy Gardens grow plants

for energy production. Fuel wood

is one garden product, and new

technologies enable biomass to

be burnt more efficiently. Plants

can also be converted into

biofuel or gas. ”Biofuels and biomass are importantsources of renewable energy, yetimplementation of bioenergyprogrammes has attracted considerablecontroversy. The greatly increased use ofbiofuels that resulted from national andinternational policies encouraging theiruse coupled with a sharp rise in thecosts of fossil fuels, gave rise toconsiderable public concern. Biofuelshave been implicated in ‘food for fuel’controversies, food price increases,

loss of access to land through ‘landgrabbing’ and loss of biodiversitythrough conversion of naturalecosystems to biofuel plantations suchas for palm oil.

While the development of large-scaleindustrial biomass and biofuelproduction has an important role to playin sustainable energy provision, the realstrengths of using plants for energy isthat they can be grown in a wide varietyof situations and thousands of differentspecies can be used. This allows theopportunity to create ‘Energy Gardens’for small scale farms using indigenousspecies grown in association with foodcrops, for example in field bunds or asshade. We believe that, in combinationwith new technologies, it is possible toestablish community-based biofuelproduction systems that overcomeenvironmental and social concernsabout biofuels.

Developing new models

The Energy Garden concept originatesfrom an idea developed by the HassanBiofuels Park in India (See p. 23) whichhas developed an entirely new conceptin biofuel production. The system isbased on the use of indigenous oil seedplants which are grown in field bundsand as shade trees for local biofuelproduction, and the fuel produced isthen used for powering village-levelengines such as irrigation pumps or fortransport. The model draws on a

successful milk-marketing model forlinking communities and enhancingcooperation. In this way it completelyrethinks the provision of liquid fuel awayfrom the centralized mass-productionand distribution system currently inplace for the provision of fossil-fuels,

Not only is the Hassan project workingwith several thousand farmers in bothwet and semi-arid ecological zones, butit has also had a substantial influence onState and National biofuel policiesleading to a shift towards pro-poorcommunity-based biofuel productionaway from large-scale ‘land-grabbing’and ecological transformation projects.

The key features incorporated into theHassan approach are:

• If the biofuel value chain is integratedwith small-scale farming then itaugments ecological sustainability.

• It is also pro-poor because it is part ofthe livelihoods of the smallerproducers, who own about 70% ofagricultural land in India.

• All categories of farmers can beinvolved, both small and large.

• By planting an appropriate range ofoil-producing species production canbe maintained throughout the seasonsthereby enhancing employment duringthe ‘lean’ seasons.

BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1)04

Agricultural landscape in South East Asia (View Apart / Shutterstock.com)

Mountain landscape of Nepal (Rosliak Oleksandr /Shutterstock.com)

• Food planting area (and hence foodsecurity) is not affected if planting ison field margins, on bunds or asshade-trees.

• If cake from the oil extracting processis used as fertilizer then nutrients arereturned to the food productionsystem.

• Water-foot print is not a problembecause the biofuel plants will receivewater from crop irrigation.

• Selection of local species helpsmaintain biodiversity and ecologicalintegrity, for example there are about300 oil producing native species thatcould be used in India.

• Planting of trees can help with soilconservation.

The situation in Nepal is sufficientlysimilar to that in India for the concept tobe transferred. However, some importantquestions remain to be tackled by theproject.

Policy frameworks require rethinking atgovernment level and implementationremains a problem even if the policiesare revised. Old policy decisions need tobe removed in order to enable newpolicy thinking to help farmers in thebest way; and bureaucracy remains anobstacle. At a higher level, nationalbiofuel policies can control importedbiofuels, leading to the question ofwhether it is possible to reconcile traderestrictions with international law. At alocal level, incentives to growers need tobe assured through pricing, a stablemarket and favourable taxation. Forexample, can small-scale farmers be

protected from cheaper importedproducts without infringing tradeagreements? Moreover, whilst the smallfarmer model can provide some criticallocal needs, such as irrigation pump fuel,it will not be sufficient for more generalprovision of transport fuels. Finally thereis also the question of transfer anduptake of new technologies.

The project objectives

The objectives of this project aretherefore fourfold.

Firstly to investigate the institutionaleconomics of energy biomass andbiofuel production from local to nationaland global scales. Biomass energy is ofcourse traditionally used at a local level,but a range of institutions, such ascommunity forest management, govern


Cooking with fuel wood Annapurna, Nepal (Paul Prescott / Shutterstock.com)

access rights. With a shift to differentenergy production systems, such asbiofuel, novel biomass utilisation andreed-bed sanitation, different modes ofinstitutional mechanisms will emerge.These new institutions will be positionedin both national and global energy andclimate change institutional frameworks.

The second objective is to undertake atechnical assessment of resources andconversion routes. This would includeavailability of under-utilised biomass andwhether it can be used for a particularbiofuel; the potential of indigenous

species for energy production;opportunities for turning weeds andinvasive species into energy; sanitation,reed bed systems and energy; biocharproduction for improving crop yields andsoil quality; and technical innovations forbiomass conversion and energyproduction.

The third objective is to combine theinstitutional and technical analyses todevise socio-economic incentives andstructures for community cooperationand building long-enduring institutionsaround energy production andtechnology uptake. This would includeuptake and transfer of technologies inhouseholds and communities and therole of energy as a factor of productionin micro-enterprises.

The fourth objective is dissemination andknowledge transfer. The nature of theproject partnership ensures both north-south and south-south cooperation. The involvement of BGCI opens thepossibility of a novel dissemination routethrough display and pilot projects in aninternational network of botanic gardens.

Conclusions

The negative publicity associated withbiofuels and biomass as a form ofrenewable energy has resulted from a particular type of policy. Instead offocusing on the benefits of decentralisedenergy production for local use, andresearching the means to achieve that,biofuel production has aimed to mimicthe scale and distribution systems offossil fuels. This has resulted in problemswith land ownership, use of alienspecies, and carbon-intensive methodsof production. The Energy Gardenconcept is simple: grow fuel in situ usingindigenous plants. Harnessing the sun’senergy in this way side steps all theproblems, and brings direct benefits tothe people who need it most.

Jon C. Lovett, Chair in Global Challenges School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom


Maize can be grown for food or as a source of biofuel (Soo Hee Kim / Shutterstock.com)

Child carrying firewood in Gorkha, Nepal(Zzvet/Shutterstock.com) A range of fast-growing grass species can be grown

for biomass (BGCI)

Project partners:Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB)http://www.ansab.org/Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal (ESON) http://www.eson.org.np/Practical Action Nepal http://practicalaction.org/wherewework_nepalBotanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) http://www.bgci.org/Hassan Biofuels Park http://biofuelpark.org/Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) http://www.fedonepal.org

Centre for Doctoral Training in BioenergyThe University of Leeds, UK has launched a Centre for Doctoral Training inBioenergy funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences ResearchCouncil that will host 50 EPSRC funded PhD studentships over the next fiveyears (2014-2019) for UK and EU students. The centre will tackle theinterdisciplinary challenges of sustainable bioenergy through research ontechnical performance, cost effectiveness, sustainable production, foodsecurity and biodiversity. More information is available at:http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/bioenergy/

Introduction

More than 200 Athens seventh-graders (12-13 years old)experienced first-hand how

wood and other organic materialsgenerate energy at the first BioenergyDay @ UGA, held at the State BotanicalGarden of Georgia last October.

Through hands-on activities, thestudents learned some of the “bigconcepts” associated with alternativeenergy sources: What are alternativeenergy sources? Why is using alternativeenergy sources for fuel important for theenvironment? Why is it important to find non-food source items with which to create alternative energy?

And why are non-food source alternativeenergy sources so hard for scientists to develop?

But just as important, they had funlearning it, thanks to an effort thatbrought the State Botanical Garden ofGeorgia together with UGA bioenergyresearchers and engineers, and teachersand outreach specialists from across theUniversity of Georgia and beyond.

University of Georgia: Serving the State

The University of Georgia, a land-grantand sea-grant university with statewidecommitments and responsibilities is thestate’s oldest, most comprehensive andmost diversified institution of highereducation. Its motto, “to teach, to serveand to inquire into the nature of things,”reflects the University’s integral and


(University of Georgia)


BIOENERGY DAY @ UGA

Author: Terry Marie Hastings

The University of Georgia, Athens (UGA) teamed upwith the State Botanical Garden to celebrate NationalBioenergy Day – October 17th.

unique role in the conservation andenhancement of the state’s and nation’sintellectual, cultural, and environmentalheritage.

Located in Athens, Georgia (ClarkeCounty), about 65 miles northeast ofdowntown Atlanta, UGA is composed of 17 schools and colleges, with acombined undergraduate and graduateenrollment of almost 35,000 students.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a 313-acre preserve set aside by theUniversity of Georgia in 1968 for thestudy and enjoyment of plants andnature. Located three miles south of thecampus, it is a living laboratory, providingthe public of all ages and UGA facultyand students opportunities for learning,research, recreation and events. TheGarden contains a number of specialized(theme) gardens and collections, overfive miles of nature trails, and four majorfacilities including a tropicalconservatory.

Education at the garden enriches thecurricula of schools across the state ofGeorgia. The garden conductsinstructional field trips that address statestandards, lends materials for self-guided children’s programs, providesresources and programming for sciencenights, and hosts afterschool activitieswith an environmental focus. A variety ofprofessional development opportunitiesfor educators are offered throughout theyear.

Whistle-stop tour sparks interest

Planning for the event began late inAugust when members of the UGABioenergy Systems Research Institute(BSRI) were contacted by SouthernRegional Extension Forestry about anupcoming “roadshow” featuring AuburnUniversity’s mobile biomass gasifier.


(Leslie Boby)


The mobile unit, which contains a gasifier,gas filtration unit, and a combined heatand power generation unit, convertswood chips, switchgrass and otheragricultural byproducts to energy – on thespot. Over the past few years, it hastravelled more than 20,000 miles todemonstrate gasification and powergeneration from biofuels, coordinated bySoutheast Partnership for IntegratedBiomass Supply Systems (IBSS), apartnership of UGA, the University ofTennessee Center for Renewable Carbon,and Auburn University, in Alabama.

The gasifier was scheduled to do aWhistlestop Tour across the Southeast –including a stop in Athens – to promotebiofuels during the first week October.The tour was timed to coincide with the

first-ever National Bioenergy Day onOctober 17, when events in many stateswere planned to raise awareness aboutbiomass and the role bioenergy plays in communities. Their goal: to bringaudiences, ideally people who benefitfrom bioenergy, to biomass facilities towitness firsthand what goes on.

Tapping into UGA bioenergyexpertise

The planned gasifier stop in Athens soontransformed into Bioenergy Day @ UGA,an event that tapped into the deepbioenergy expertise of the University of Georgia, which is reflected in themembership of the Bioenergy SystemsResearch Institute, or BSRI. The goal of BSRI is to provide infrastructure,

support, and facilitation of integrativemultidisciplinary efforts in research,education/training, and public serviceand outreach in the area of bioenergyacross the campus, state, region,country, and world.

UGA faculty who are members of BSRIrepresent the university’s strengths inagriculture, forestry, environmentalscience, engineering, carbohydratescience, genetics and microbiology. The institute also has affiliate membersfrom industry, government and otherorganizations.

Robert Scott, executive director of BSRI,and associate vice president for researchat UGA, explained that BSRI’s mission isa reflection of UGA’s tripartite mission asa land grant university: research,instruction and outreach.

BSRI facilitates basic and appliedresearch projects in bioenergy thatrecognize the entire bioenergy lifecycleand environmental impact – frombiomass production and harvesting totransport, treatment, conversion, andrecycling. It also facilitates educationand training of the next generation ofscientists and engineers that will formthe 21st century workforce in thealternative energy field.

BSRI’s outreach mission, said Scott, is to involve our public and privatestakeholders in the development anddissemination of next-generationbioenergy technologies.

“Education and outreach are criticalcomponents of the BSRI mission,” said Scott. “We believe it is important to provide unbiased information to thepublic about renewable energy scienceand technology and how this mightimpact their lives.”

“If we can provide students practicalhands-on experience with the scienceconcepts, we can help them develop thetools necessary to understand thetradeoffs between fossil fuel-based andrenewable energy futures.”

One of UGA’s most significant bioenergyprojects, the BioEnergy Science Center,or BESC, provided a ready source ofbioenergy education and outreachexperience for UGA’s Bioenergy Day.

Farming for Fuels

BESC is one of three BioenergyResearch Centers established by U.S.Department of Energy’s Office ofScience in 2007 to accelerate researchtoward the development of cost-effective advanced biofuels. UGA is oneof the 18 institutions that partner throughBESC on multidisciplinary research(biological, chemical, physical andcomputational sciences, mathematicsand engineering) focused on thefundamental understanding andelimination of biomass recalcitrance.One of BESC’s goals is to educate andinform students about the basics ofenergy production and utilization.

Jan Westpheling, UGA professor ofgenetics, and the leader of the BESCoutreach team, was excited about theopportunity to bring BESC’s bioenergyoutreach program to Athens. Inpartnership with the Creative DiscoveryMuseum in Chattanooga, Tenn., BESCstaff at UGA and Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory had developed a highlysuccessful set of hands-on exhibits andlesson plans about producing renewable

energy from biological sources, calledFarming for Fuels. The activities teachbasic concepts such as the carboncycle; how woody biomass, such astrees and grasses, can produce biofuels;and the technical and economicobstacles to a bio-based fuel economy.The BESC outreach program hasexpanded nationally to reach more than60,000 students, teachers and parentsby partnering with museums and centersin Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Michigan,Illinois, Florida, New York and Arizona,but the Bioenergy Day @ UGA lastOctober was the program’s first visit toAthens.

“The nine Farming for Fuels workstations allow students to understandfundamentals of the complex nature ofplant cell walls, the issues affecting theuse of food versus nonfood crops toproduce biofuels such as ethanol, andthe mechanical differences between carsrun by hydrogen, solar and wind power,”explained Westpheling.



“We believe it is important

to provide unbiased information

to the public about renewable

energy science and technology

and how this might impact

their lives. ”

“ 24 events in 13 states

across the US were organised

on the first ever Bioenergy Day,

For example, one activity involvestesting the sugar content of differentliquids and learning how yeast fermentssugar into ethanol for biofuels. In anotheractivity, students use a microscope tosee the differences between plant cellswith their thick cell walls of cellulose andanimal cells with thin cell membranes.Students visiting the different exhibitscan plant seeds, grind corn, soybeansand grass; and make molecules of water,ethanol and other fuels.

Once the students who visit the Farmingfor Fuels exhibits are back in theirclassrooms, lesson plans from theCreative Discovery Museum helpteachers teach more about biofuels.

Willing partners make it happen

University of Georgia partners wereeager to join in the Bioenergy Day @UGA effort.

The State Botanical Garden was anatural partner. As a Public Service andOutreach unit of the University ofGeorgia, the Botanical Garden providesthe public of all ages and UGA faculty

and students opportunities forrecreation, events, research and learningthrough its natural areas, displaygardens and building spaces.

The planning committee consideredlocations on the central UGA campus,but kept coming back to the BotanicalGarden as a potential location for theevent. With its beautiful natural settingand excellent facilities – including theCallaway Building’s indoor conferenceand meeting space – needed to protectexhibits in the event of rain, and adjacentoutdoor space – needed for parking thebus-sized mobile gasifier, it was aperfect fit. Moreover, the BotanicalGarden staff were enthusiastic andsupportive of the educational mission of the event. In addition to a library,laboratories, and offices, the buildingcontains an auditorium, reception area,and conference and meeting facilities.

The UGA Office of Sustainability, whichleads the university’s programsadvancing campus sustainability efforts,with its mission of providing leadershipon environmental issues, was anothernatural partner for BSRI.

The staff from the Creative DiscoveryMuseum staff, who made the 175-miledrive from Chattanooga to Athens thenight before, were undaunted by theprospect of 200 middle-schoolersdescending on their exhibits. Staff forthe mobile gasifier also were wellprepared for the students.Their efforts were assisted by the UGAOffice of Service Learning, whichconnected the event organizers with themiddle school, and recruited andorganized over 50 UGA faculty andstudents to be on hand to guide the 7thgraders through the hands-on displays.The Service learning staff also providedthe liaison with the students’ teachers toassure everyone knew what to expect.

On October 8, the Hilsman MiddleSchool students arrived on school busesstarting at 9:30 a.m. For two hours, thegroup of high energy students in the firstwave followed their curiosity from exhibitto exhibit, and after a brief pause, thesecond wave flooded the BotanicalGarden’s Callaway Building. And by1:30, the students had returned to theirclassrooms.

“The students were excited about theexhibits and I am sure some of themwalked away with a lot of new interest inscience,” said Dan Geller, UGA Collegeof Engineering, and chair of the BSRIOutreach committee. “We couldn’t havedone it without all of our willing partners,but we’re already planning on doing itagain in 2014.”

Terry Marie HastingsDirector, ResearchCommunicationsOffice of the Vice President for Research708 Boyd Graduate StudiesResearch CenterUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA 30602USA


(Leslie Boby)

Introduction

NPBG in central Uganda, EastAfrica was started in 2001 with aspecial focus on medicinal plants

that are crucial for the treatment ofcommon ailments in the localcommunity. Such medicinal plants arenow becoming less and less accessibledue to a number factors which includedeforestation, agricultural expansion,urbanization etc. The botanic garden isadministered and financed by NaturePalace Foundation. In 2005, NPBG wasregistered as a participant in the world-wide implementation of the InternationalAgenda for Botanic Gardens inConservation.

Uganda’s cooking energyparadox

Uganda as a country is losing its naturalforest estate at a rate of 2.3% perannum with overall forest cover droppingfrom 24% to 18% between 1990 and2005 (Forestry sector support, 2009).According to the National EnvironmentManagement Authority, Uganda alreadyhad a fuel wood deficit of 2.7 millioncubic metres in 1986. The increase infuel wood consumption for industrial useis also on the increase. The maincontributing factors to such a fuel wooddependence situation include: limited

access to electricity, high electricitytariffs and prices of alternative fuels(MEMD, 2006).

While Uganda’s natural forests continueto be over-exploited and depleted, ruraland urban populations have beenincreasing. The unsustainable rate atwhich forests and trees have continuedto be exploited, coupled with theincreasing population, ineffectiveness offorest resources management programs,and unabated poverty in rural areasmakes the attainment of sustainabledevelopment and environmentalsustainability challenging. Highdependence on fuel wood and charcoalfor cooking within the context ofdepleted natural forests and trees furtheradds to the problem.

The genesis of the Waste-to-Energy Program by NPBG

Natural forests act as living gene banksand in the case of Uganda are believedto contain a good number of plantspecies which are not yet documentedand therefore not recognized in thescientific world. With every forestcleared a wealth of plant geneticresources is therefore bound to be lost.

With only 5% of the rural populationhaving access to electricity, more than

90% of the country’s total energy needscome from biomass sources. Of this,wood accounts for 80%, charcoal 10%and crop residues at nearly 4%. Wood inthe form of firewood and charcoal arethe main sources of cooking energyavailable for the majority of Ugandans,providing about 93% of the country’stotal cooking energy needs. Thehousehold consumption of firewood andwood for charcoal was estimated at 22.2million tons in 2006 (MEMD, 2007), withsmall-scale industries consuminganother 5.5 million tons creating a totalannual biomass demand of 27.7 milliontons. Annual biomass consumption per


A 3-stone cookstove – wasteful and a health hazard

WASTE-TO-ENERGY:CONSERVING PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES,IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS

Author: David K. Nkwanga

Nature Palace Botanic Garden (NPBG) in Uganda is a unique community botanic gardenwhose conservation priorities are largely informed by identified community needs.

capita is estimated, for rural and urbanareas respectively, at 680 kg and 240 kgof firewood and 4 kg and 120 kg ofcharcoal. Fuel wood therefore is a keydriver of deforestation. People have tocook their food to survive; therefore nokind of sensitization can stop them fromclearing forests for fuel unless analternative is provided. This is thereason why NPBG came up with theWaste-to-Energy program to provide analternative fuel. The program is basedon the notion that our impact in regard to plant resources conservation is morelimited if we don’t do something aboutthe alarming rates of deforestation.

How the Waste-to-Energyprogram is contributing to plantgenetic resources andcontrolling deforestation

NPBG’s Waste-to-Energy programfocuses on the production of fuelbriquettes for cooking. Briquettesprovide a suitable alternative becausethey are perfect substitutes for charcoalthat provide the main form of cookingenergy among urban and peri-urbandwellers. The fuel briquettes are cheaperthan charcoal providing a saving, whilethey can cook for a longer time thancharcoal. This fits well in the social-cultural context in central Uganda wherefood (especially banana) is simmered fora long time. Fuel briquettes have ahigher heating value than wood orcharcoal, are smokeless when burningand give off an intense and steady heat.

Relating it to greenhouse gas emissionreduction, since briquettes are made ofwaste material, the green house gasemissions savings can be thought of interms of the number of trees leftstanding as a result of replacingfirewood and charcoal.

It is estimated that each ton of

charcoal requires the felling of 88

medium sized trees. Using this

figure the total amount of

deforestation avoided by the

Waste-to-Energy program by

NPBG is equivalent to 8,030 trees

annually and there are plans to

triple this figure by the end of 2014.

The multi-pronged benefits of aWaste-to-Energy project

Recycling of solid waste into fuelbriquettes utilizes an appropriatetechnology that presents a number ofenvironmental, economical and socialbenefits. Generally, it addressesdeforestation, health related problems,unemployment etc. Specific examples of the potential of waste recyclingtechnology include:

• Reduces rate of deforestation – each ton estimated to save about 88 medium sized trees;

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions bysaving trees that would otherwise becut to provide firewood and charcoal;

• Controls respiratory problems,especially among women and childrenthat are associated with excessinhaling of smoke;

• Enhancement of hygiene andsanitation conditions in communitiesand households;

• Reduces work-load of women andother gender-based vulnerabilities;

• Good candidate for Carbon Trade as a sustainable financing mechanism.The potential for carbon tradepresented by this intervention is astrong pointer to long-term financinghence to sustainability and greateropportunities for poverty reduction.


Making briquettes manually

Making clean cookstoves Exhibition: Energy from waste

A traditional wood stove

The health impacts of smokefrom wood stoves

Exposure to smoke from traditionalcookstoves and open fires – theprimary means of cooking andheating for nearly three billion peoplein the developing world – causesalmost two million premature deathsannually, with women and youngchildren the most affected. In sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, the lack ofaccess to clean cookstoves and fuelfor cooking is especially acute, with athird of the urban population and thevast majority of the rural poor usingfirewood and charcoal to cook theirdaily meals over open fires orinefficient stoves. Smoke fromcooking contributes to a range ofchronic illnesses and acute healthimpacts such as pneumonia, lungcancer, chronic obstructivepulmonary disease, cataracts and lowbirth weight. In fact, the World HealthOrganization states that harmfulcookstove smoke is the 5th worstoverall health risk factor in developingcountries (Global Alliance for CleanCookstoves). The carbonizationprocess used in making thebriquettes reduces the amount ofharmful emissions compared toburning raw biomass.

How briquettes are made

Fuel briquettes are processed biomassfuels that are burned as an alternative towood or charcoal for cooking andheating. They are made by compactingloose biomass residues into solid blocksthat can replace fossil fuels. Theprocess of making briquettes involves

carbonizing the biomass material, mixingwith a binder e.g. cassava starch,compacting and finally drying thecompacted material.

The waste situation in theCountry

Uganda’s urban and peri-urban centresgenerate a lot of bio-wastes resultingfrom the eating and food preparationhabits of the population. Over 70% ofthe wastes are biodegradable. At themoment such wastes are a majorchallenge because of the characteristicabsence of an effective system ofcollection, poorly managed oruncontrolled dumping sites and a bigpercentage of un-collected garbage. In Kampala, for example, according tothe National Environment ManagementAuthority, only an estimated 50 - 70% of the generated solid waste is collectedand well managed. Such conditionslargely contribute to the pollution of theenvironment and the proliferation ofdiseases and in many cases there aredisputes from communities near thedumping sites. The Waste-to-Energyprogram therefore is turning a probleminto an opportunity.

The role of Nature PalaceBotanic Garden

The Waste-to-Energy project at NPBG is implemented at various levels:

• NPBG has developed a briquetteproduction unit which, as well asproducing briquettes for variousobjectives including demonstration/training, also serves as a training unit.

• The briquettes are used at the gardenfor cooking needs and the excess aresold to the public.

• However, production and sellingbriquettes is not the core business ofNPBG. The main focus is to promoteand train other groups, individuals orcompanies that can take this on as abusiness venture.

Challenges

i. Technological limitations: The technologies used are stillrudimentary. While advancedtechnologies that can produce betterquantities and quality exist, theyrequire a big investment;

ii. Limited financing for technologicaland quality improvement;

iii. Opportunities in the voluntary carbonmarket remain complex and un-tapped.

Recommendations

i. Partnerships for carbon trade: Weneed to develop partnerships withinstitutions that are more conversantwith carbon trade issues;

ii. Partnerships for technologicaldevelopment which should lead toquality and quantity improvementhence impact;

iii. There is need for increasedinvestment in innovation and researchin Appropriate Technology such thatsimple adoptable technologies can befurther developed and up-scaled.

References

, Forestry sector support. 2009.Department of the Ministry of Waterand Environment, Government ofUganda.

, Ministry of Energy and MineralDevelopment. 2006. Government ofUganda.

, Uganda Renewable Energy Policy.2007. Ministry of Energy and MineralDevelopment, Government of Uganda.

David K. Nkwanga, Director Nature Palace BotanicGarden P.O. Box 29455, Kampala, Uganda


Burning briquettes Drying briquettes

This pilot facility has grown out of a long-standing collaborationbetween InCrops at the University

of East Anglia and the Department ofPlant Sciences University of Cambridge.InCrops is a partner in the EnergeticAlgae Project, known as EnAlgae, whichseeks to establish what role algae canplay in the development of a low carboneconomy. The pilot plant at theCambridge University Botanic Garden is one of a network of EnAlgae facilitiesthat is co-funded by the INTERREG NWEurope strategic initiative.

Cambridge Water is also supporting theproject, as the company is interested inthe bioremediation aspects of the work.Most drinking water in the region comesfrom boreholes, which are becomingincreasingly contaminated with nitrateleaching through the soil. The process to remove nitrate from groundwater ishighly effective, but the drawback is thecreation of a by-product of nitrate-richbrine. The EnAlgae pilot is being used to test if the brine might be a suitablesource of nutrients for microalgae. This contributes to the wider interest in finding solutions to turn waste into a re-useable resource with value.

The facility showcases a six metre longphotobioreactor with patented low energydesign by Steve Skill, another EnAlgaecollaborator. The reactor has a capacity of300L, and will be used to test the growthof a variety of commercially promisingalgal strains. Disposable bag reactors areused to run smaller experiments, andgenerate inoculum for the bioreactor.

At present, several different species ofmarine microalgae are being tested fortheir ability to grow in the presence of

BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1) • 14-1514

Brenda Parker from EnAlgae explaining to visitors which algae are grown in the disposable bag reactors

ENALGAE PILOT AT THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDEN

A CASE STUDY OF BIO-ENGINEERING WORK

Author: Dr Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley

In one of the overwintering polytunnels at the BotanicGarden in Cambridge, there is a new and ratherunusual addition nestled between the papyrus and thebanana trees. The garden is acting as a host for a pilotplant, testing how feasible it is to culture microalgae inour geoclimatic conditions.

cultures are effectively very dilute,typically only 1-5 grams per litre ofculture media. By exploring some of thevast biodiversity of microalgal species,there may be potential to improve theviability of this. However, biofuels are notthe only interesting aspect ofmicroalgae. Lipids can be utilised fortheir Omega 3 fatty acid content in anutritional context, protein can be usedto supplement animal feed, andantioxidants have applications incosmetics and nutraceuticals.

the brine wash. All of the data gatheredfrom the experiments is fed into a centraldatabase. This will enable other partnersto use computer models to betterpredict the impact of location andclimate conditions on microalgal growth.This is one of the many reasons that theinteraction with the Botanic Garden hasbeen advantageous. Horticultural teamsrecording temperature and sunlight canshare this vital information with theEnAlgae researchers.

One of the interests of the EnAlgaeproject is to understand if microalgaecan be a viable feedstock for bioenergy.Algal biomass can be used as afeedstock for anaerobic digestion, andlipid extracted from the microalgal cellscan be converted into biodiesel. Thereare a number of challenges to makingthis economically feasible, as microalgal


Outreach events are a key component of the project, and the EnAlgae teambased at the Garden have organisedtours, talks and workshops exploring the various applications for microalgae. This work supports the small, butgrowing algae industry in the UK. The EnAlgae team also work with theeducation department at the BotanicGarden to use the facilities foreducational visits and as a learningresource for schools.

For further information about CambridgeUniversity Botanic Garden, please seewww.botanic.cam.ac.uk; to learn moreabout the EnAlgae Project, please visitwww.enalgae.eu.

Dr Beatrix Schlarb-RidleyDepartment of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridgeCB2 3EA

The photobioreactor, patented design by Steve Skill

The polytunnel in which the algal growth facility is located; the experimental set-up is being discussed withstaff at the Botanic Garden

“ The Botanic Garden is

delighted to host this exciting

new facility. This project is a

great example of how different

scientists can work together to

explore the full potential of

green organisms to tackle

global concerns, an ethos that

underlies much of our work at

the Garden. ” Beverley Glover, Director of the Botanic Garden

Introduction

Development of sustainablebioenergy can reduce our relianceon fossil fuels, improve

environmental quality, and increase theincome of farmers. The development ofthe bioenergy industry will very muchdepend on the use of feedstocks andtheir genetic resources for breeding.Meanwhile, to achieve low carbondevelopment requires the promotion of low carbon lifestyles and the use ofcarbon-neutral energy. Botanicalgardens could be ideal settings forpromoting the ideas and developing newfeedstock varieties and technology onthese aspects.

Bioenergy plant collection

China has around 31,000 species ofvascular plants accounting for 10% of the world’s total, of which about 4,000species have potential for bioenergydevelopment. Xishuangbanna TropicalBotanical Garden (XTBG) of the ChineseAcademy of Sciences is the largestbotanical garden in China with an area of1,125 ha. It is located in the southern partof Yunnan province in southwest China,bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.Its collections include over 12,000species of tropical and subtropical plantscultivated in its 38 living collections.Among which, about 695 species makeup the bioenergy plant collection.

The Bioenergy Garden in XTBG coversan area of 13 acres. The gardencomprises of three areas: the classifiedcollections, the miscellaneouscollections, and the popular scienceexhibition area. It has collections of


BIOENERGY PLANT COLLECTION AND RESEARCH

IN THE XISHUANGBANNA TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Authors: Zeng-Fu Xu, Jianxiang Hu, Tianping Huang, and Jin Chen

The science exhibition area at XTBG

A wooden car is part of the Bioenergy Gardendisplay

more than 5,400 energy plants of 350species belonging to the 50 families.Based on the compounds of biomass in the plants, the Bioenergy Garden isdivided into 5 functional collections,including oil, starch, hydrocarbon, fiber,and firewood plants. About 1,490 plantsof 141 species belonging toEuphorbiaceae, Myristicaceae,Lauraceae, etc. are grown in the livingcollection of oil plants, about 1,410plants of 57 species belonging toFagaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, etc.in the living collection of starch plants,about 400 plants of 12 species of theEuphorbiaceae in the living collection ofhydrocarbon plants, about 1,850 plantsof 136 species belonging to Urticaceae,Malvaceae, Tiliaceae, etc. in the livingcollection of fiber plants, and about 250plants of 4 species belonging toCaesalpiniaceae, Mimosaceae, etc. inthe living collection of firewood plants.These bioenergy plants are widely usedor have a great potential for biofueldevelopment in tropical and subtropicalareas. Examples of these bioenergyplants include: physic nut (Jatrophacurcas), which is the most studiedbioenergy plant in XTBG, and an oilseedplant used for producing biodiesel andbio-jet fuel; cassava (Manihot esculenta),a starch plant used for producing bio-ethanol; African milk bush (Euphorbiatirucalli), a hydrocarbon plant containing

a poisonous latex that can be easilyconverted to the equivalent of gasoline;Miscanthus, the fast-growing perennialgrasses with a great potential forproduction of cellulosic ethanol; andSenna siamea, a tree widely used by thenatives of the minority nationality Dai asa firewood.

Display and exhibition foreducation

In the popular science exhibition area,visitors can view various displays aboutbioenergy, such as charts and posters inthe bioenergy exhibition hall, sculptures,wall of hopes, wooden car, woodenpistons, and seaweed columns. Thusvisitors can see the whole picture of thebioenergy industry, including feedstock


Main entrance to the Bioenergy Garden

Wall of hopes in the Bioenergy Garden (showing various seeds of bioenergy plants in heart-shaped glass bottles)

A biofuel plant – Jatropha curcas – in the BioenergyGarden

supply and logistics, biomassprocessing and conversion, biorefineries,distribution, bioenergy end use,sustainability, and environmental risks.By visiting this energy garden, visitorscan learn about the process fromgrowing bioenergy plants in the field tostoring biofuels in fuel tanks, and to canunderstand the linkages betweenbiological resources and the biofuelindustry and connections with globalclimate change.

This Bioenergy Garden shows therelationship between bioenergy plantsand the life of humans, and alsoprovides a good platform for scientificresearch and exploitation of bioenergyplants. The exhibition of bioenergyplants and the dissemination of newbiotechnologies for bioenergy isexpected to have an impact on China’snational bioenergy policy and legislation.We believe that tropical areas withabundant rainfall and sunlight are thebest place for bioenergy development,and the perennial woody oil plants arethe sustainable biofuel feedstock.

Bioenergy plants research

To take full advantage of thesecollections of bioenergy plants andpromote bioenergy development inChina, XTBG has established several

research groups devoted to working onsuch aspects of bioenergy plants asgermplasm collection and evaluation,functional genomics, conventionalbreeding (e.g. hybrid, mutation,polyploid), transgenic breeding, tissueculture propagation, large scaleplantation, biofuels conversion, andenvironmental effects. As an example,we found that treatment with the plantgrowth regulator 6-benzyladenine (BA, a synthetic compound with cytokininactivity) significantly increased the seedyield of the biofuel plant Jatropha curcasby promoting female flower tendencyand increasing the percentage of femaleflowers and the number of flowers perinflorescence, thus resulting in anincrease in fruit number (Journal of PlantGrowth Regulation 30 (2): 166-174,2011).

Dr. Zeng-Fu Xu Professor in Molecular Breedingof Energy Plants, Xishuangbanna TropicalBotanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 88 Xuefu Road, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China


Wooden pistons in the Bioenergy Garden

Living collections of bioenergy plants in the Bioenergy Garden

Planting growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (BA)treatment significantly increased the seed yield ofthe biofuel plant Jatropha curcas

“ By visiting the energy

garden, visitors can learn about

the whole process, from growing

the plant to using the biofuel and

understand the connections with

Mike Tucker:Power of Plants – Biofuel garden

The task of designing an energy gardenwas an interesting and challenging one,especially not knowing a great deal aboutthe subject. After some desktop study, inwhich I just scratched the surface, I wassurprised at the amount and variety ofvegetation that can be used within theprocess of producing biofuel.

As I looked further my main focusbecame the cells within the plants whichhold the key to the production of usableenergy. These cells then formed the mainconcept of my design, using them asinspiration to create a contemporarymodular layout that would showcase a variety of biofuel vegetation. Eachplanting area contains a different type ofbiofuel crop, creating a wider awarenessof the variety of plants used.

“Plants have a built-in power that canhelp us sustain our ever growing needfor energy, whilst protecting ouratmosphere and reducing reliance onfossil fuels”.

The central element of the design is analgae producing light tower which allowswaste carbon dioxide from the buildingservices to bubble through and beabsorbed by the algae. Energy bolts,


DESIGNING AN ENERGY GARDEN

Author: Trudi Entwistle

Trudi Entwistle, a senior lecturer in Landscape Architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University,UK, in collaboration with Dr Jon Lovett and the School of Geography at Leeds University,challenged her students to design an interpretive Energy Garden as part of their course. The students, who were studying for BA (Hons) degrees in Landscape Architecture andGarden Design, were asked to design something that could potentially be used by botanicalgardens to explain to the public about biomass energy using energy plants in an attractiveand informative setting. Here we present their results and the thinking behind theirinnovative designs.

created from stainless steel and lightingdart along the paving leading the waythrough the cells of the bio-crops. Ist,2nd and 3rd generation bio-cropspopulate the garden, creating everchanging colours and tecturesthroughout the year.

“Creating an energy garden design hasbeen a real eye-opener with respect tothe world wide need for local, clean,renewable energy sources that canbenefit not only the masses but alsosmall remote communities cut off fromthe mainstream of modern life.”

Planting: Algae, barley, coppiced willow,coppiced hazel, flax, maize, miscanthus,potatoes, rapeseed, sugarbeet,sunflower, switchgrass and wheat.


Chrissy Lee Overend

My concept for the energy garden wasto try and make others aware of unusualways of extracting fuel. I wanted to alsoremind us of the fight between new andold methods of creating energy.

The garden uses algae, bamboo andeucalyptus for producing biofuel.

The design demonstrates how energysources can be extracted from unusualplaces, such as an aesthetically pleasingarea, which at first sight may appear to

be no more than an attractive garden. As well as this, the garden and its plantshave promise for the future, when evenmore revolutionary methods of energyextraction are refined.

The garden includes coal gambioncubes with algae tubes around them toshow the fight between old and new.

Planting: Eucalyptus gunnii – selectedfor its suitability for the UK climate, itsrapid early growth and the fact it retainsfoliage in the winter. Species of bamboo(Phyllostachys aureosulcata, P. nigra andP. aurea) were selected for variety ofcolour and ability to regenerate rapidlyafter harvesting.

“I enjoyed having the chance to learnmore about energy sources and howthese are extracted. The challenge to putthis knowledge in to a working designwas very useful and I feel will help me infuture designs.”

Sue Smallwood: Futurity

“Initially the concept of designing anenergy garden on a small scale was alittle daunting, however being pushedout of your comfort zone is alwaystesting. The more I researched thesubject, the more fascinating it became.The garden had to be representationalrather than productive due to the sizeand the amount of fuel you couldproduce each year.”

The design raises awareness of thediversity of fuels, which can be grownwithin our climate. I initially usedcharcoal, which is a by-product of fuel,to produce the concept for the design.This helped me to produce organicshapes, incorporating crop rotation andseasonal changes, producing an ever-changing design for the garden. Notonly did I have to consider the fuel, butalso the long-term effects of croppingand the ever-changing arrangement ofspace, scale and the aestheticalrepercussions.

The garden aims to reflect thejuxtaposition of old and new biofuels.The algae sculptural spheres light up,absorb carbon dioxide and represent theworld’s future fuel and energy. Thegarden works on a six-year crop rotationfor the coppiced woodland area.


Jacqui Tucker: The Energy Garden

“After being assigned the task of comingup with a scheme for an energy garden, I wondered what direction I would takefor the new design. Inspired by theknowledge that fossil fuels and naturalresources are rapidly depleting, throughover exhaustion and the fact that we arebleeding the earth dry, my researchmade me look deeper into renewableenergy and how it could be used onlarge and small scale projects.

I came up with the idea of ‘Urban Farms’,where bio fuel crops were grown on roofstructures, plazas and road side vergeswithin the inner city, these crops wouldthen be used to produce heat sourcesthrough composting and bio fuel throughthe waste products. This process became

“My knowledge of biofuels, their usesand design has increased dramaticallyafter this module making me even moreaware of the consequences we facewhen making fuel choices.”

a celebration of the power locked withinplants and within its ‘life cycle’ of growth,harvest, and decay then finally beingreborn into a renewable energy source.”

From our constant destruction of theplanet and near exhaustion of fossilfuels, this urban farm is a place thatharnesses the power of plants toproduce heat, light and electricity. It is a place that brings with it life, hope,nurturing and inspiration as we moveforward to the next generation and to the

Harpreet Rattan: The Energy Garden

Bio-fuels have been accepted as apotential to resolve the challenges of theever increasing demand on fossil fuels,petrol prices and climate change. Thechallenge to design an Energy Garden tofit in the calibre of Bio-fuelsdumbfounded me.

“Personally I found it quite difficult at firstto conjure an idea. It’s a new conceptthat no other Landscape Architect hascovered and so the inspiration wasdissipated. Instead of designers I lookedinto plants that make first and secondgeneration fuels which includedrapeseed, sunflower, mustard etc andthat are grown in the U.K.”

The concept behind the Energy Gardenis to inform individuals about biofuels.The garden design is to interpret thetypes of plants used to make biodieseland also to make people understandthat it’s the oils unfit for humanconsumption that make the biodiesel.

The general layout of the garden is acontemporary design and the plants giveheight, texture and colour.

The garden design is a curvaceous flowthat mimics oil when in contact withwater. The garden includes a sculpture


future of biofuel energy. The EnergyGarden is a celebration of the beauty,diversity and the potential source of newenergy found within plants, representinga new beginning and a new future for ourenvironment. The algae sculpturerepresents a new beginning and steptowards the future. The design’s inertcentre symbolizes the past depletion offossil fuels as a non-renewable source,the radiating planted pods contrast newvibrant growth that celebrated arenewable future.

Materials: • Filterpave – a 39% permeable surface

made from colorful mosaic of 100%post-consumer glass aggregatesolidified with a 60% natural plant-based bonding polyurethane.

• Recycled concrete• Rainwater harvesting using

underground tanks• Reed bed system to filter ‘grey’ water

using Phagmites australis

All images are © Leeds Metropolitan University

which is an oil tank where people candispose of their used cooking oil. The idea is to convert people fromdiscarding oil down their drains and helpthem to learn that used cooking oil canbe regenerated into a greener fuel.

Introduction

The Biofuel Park uses indigenousflora integrated into sustainableagricultural production, to help

meet most of the farmer’s energydemand. The Biofuel Park concept wasinitiated to create a strategy of developingthe feed stock supply chain throughparticipation of the farming communitythat made use of marginal lands, andwhich did not affect agriculturalproduction. The strategy investigatedhow non edible oil seed crops, such asPongamia, Mahua, Simarouba, Neem,Calophyllum and Mesua, could produceenergy feed stocks throughout the year tomeet raw material needs. The Park is anovel concept developed by theUniversity of Agricultural SciencesBangalore and the Government ofKarnataka. The aim is to use non-edibleoils derived from a diverse mix of speciesbeneficial to agriculture, primarily on landnot being used directly for agriculture.This provides an additional activity forfarmers to give added value at villagelevel, generating rural employment andbuilding energy security for the villages.

The biofuel programme

The program was launched in 2007,following a six year development period,and covers an area of about 6,900 sq kmwith annual rainfall ranging from 7,000

mm along the Western Ghats, decliningeastwards to about 450 mm. Given thediversity of crops and soil types, andwith land holdings of individual farmersvarying from 1 ha to 3 ha accounting formore than 80 % of land, it was achallenging task.

The major objectives of the programmewere to develop self reliance in basicenergy needs using local resources and


Village level meeting at the Biofuel Park

HASSAN BIOFUEL PARK –A CONCEPT FOR PROMOTION OF REPLENISHABLE GREEN ENERGY

Authors: Balakrishna Gowda, K.T. Prasanna, G.C. Vijaya Kumar, C. Haleshi and K. Rajesh Kumar

The Hassan Biofuel Park near Bangalore in southernIndia is a centre for providing appropriate technologyto build a rural energy base with communityparticipation using local plant diversity.

Fuel wood trees in the Hassan Biofuel Park

Simarouba and Maize intercropped

adopting appropriate technology, whilegenerating employment and ensuringgood agriculture production. This wouldbe achieved by growing multipurposetrees in a decentralized mannerproviding benefits including oil seedsthroughout the year and building astrong resource base in the villages.

Park activities started with the selectionof better clones of tree oil seed crops formass multiplication and planting invillages. Initial ground work was carriedout on suitability of species, identifyinghigh yielders in terms of oil content andseed yield, and developing vegetativepropagation techniques through grafts,thereby advancing flowering and fruiting.The approach involved decentralisedcollection and processing of the seedslocally to minimise transport costs.Appropriate tools were developed for

use in rural areas for value addition; andby products were used locally as manurefor food crops, oil cake as animal feedand as substrate for bio-gas production.

At the end of the value chain, the oilobtained from these oilseed trees wasused to safely blend up to 20% withPetro diesel in agricultural machinessuch as tractors and irrigation pumps.The oil is also used in generators toproduce electricity, and in the futurethere is the potential to meet primarypower needs for lighting houses,pumping water for drinking; and also toelectrify schools and primary health carecentres.

Trees as a source of energysecurity

Trees are a source of multiple resourcesin rural areas, meeting demands forfood, fodder, timber, medicine, fuel,shelter for people and animals, manure,maintenance of soil health and waterpercolation. The extensive use of trees inagro ecosystems and their multipurposenature has resulted in large scaleplanting both in urban landscapes and inrural ecosystems. A study of the treesacross the different agro ecologicalregions of Karnataka, India revealedmore than 350 promising species of oilyielding plants with potential foralternatives to petroleum and dieselfuels.

Further analysis of the species alsoshowed that more than 15 species weredistributed across habitats from thecoast to hills in both wet and dryregions, with as many as eight speciesenjoying a wide ecological and climaticrange with good yield of oil from theirseeds. Traditionally these oils werealready being used for lighting lamps,medicine and for other household needs.

The plant species adapted to differentclimatic and edaphic situations yieldingoil seeds in different parts of the yearmaking the system work all through theyear are listed in Table 1.

These trees are grown along borders,bunds, back yards, avenues, ravines andalso in community lands and degradedlands. They serve as good soil binders,wind breaks, aid water percolation,provide plant litter biomass to improve soilfertility, minor timber, fuel and also providefruits which have a seed oil content in therange of 20-70%. In contrast to edible oilsderived from agriculture these trees do notcompete with food production, but rather,sustain it.

Achievements of the BiofuelPark:

• 2110 villages covered for datainventory.

• 1,524,949 seedlings of five bio-fuelcrop species produced (Honge, Hippe,Neem, Jatropha and Simarouba)

• Planting on 19,008 acres (equivalenton bunds, margins, waste lands,ravines, community lands etc.)


Nursery of quality planting materials

Farmers carrying saplings for planting

• 1,227 training programs held invillages of Hassan District.

• 261 on campus training programsheld at the Biofuel park

• 2,012 Awareness programs held invillages of Hassan district.

• About 97,733 farmers and interestedpeople participated in the programwith around 50% being women.

• Complete biofuel village with everyhousehold planting biofuel species –70 villages.

• Market linkages - feedstock withassured price and purchase

• 466 Oil seeds growers & collectorsassociations are formed.

• Additional production of 10,000 tonsof feed stock by 2016 in the districtamounting to Rs. 150 million

References for further reading:

, Anonymous 1969. Wealth of India: raw materials. Publication andInformation Directorate, Council ofScientific and Industrial Research,New Delhi, pp 206–211.

, Naik, M., Meher, L.C., Naik S.N., DasaL.M. 2008. Production of biodieselfrom high free fatty acid Karanj(Pongamia pinnata) oil. BiomassBioenergy 32:354–357.

, Pavithra, H.R., Chandrashekar Sagar,B.K., Prasanna, K.T., Shivanna, M.B.,Balakrishna,G. 2013. Localisation ofstorage reserves in developing seedsof Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre, apotential agroforestry tree. J. Am. OilChem. Soc. 90, 1927–1935.

, Pavithra, H.R., Balakrishna, G.,Rajesh, K.K., Prasanna, K.T.,Shivanna, M.B. 2012. Oil, fatty acidprofile and karanjin content indeveloping Pongamia pinnata (L.)Pierre seeds. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc.


Above: Agroforestry – millet and biofuel treesTop: A hand expeller

Name Seed yield-kg/ per tree Oil (%) Harvest season

Aphanamixis polystachya 20-25 40-44 December - May Azadirachta indica 10-25 25-30 June- July Calophyllum inophyllum 30-40 48 -65 April-May

October-December Jatropha curcas 0.5-1.0 30-45 August-October Madhuca indica 20-40 35-45 July - August Mesua ferrea 20-40 50-60 August-October Pongamia pinnata 20-40 28-38 January - March Simarouba glauca 10-25 40-55 February- April

Table1: Tree species yielding non edible oil

“ The Biofuel Park aims to

incorporate biofuel species into

the local agricultural system and

use them to develop rural energy


Biofuel Park Mission:

To motivate farmers, women self-helpgroups and entrepreneurs, to providean interactive coupling betweentechnology, economy, environmentand society for speedy developmentof the biofuel sector.

Mission Objectives

• To promote holistic growth of thebiofuel sector through area- basedregionally differentiated strategies;

• To increase the coverage of areasunder biofuel plants in farmers’marginal lands, degraded forest andnon-forest areas; with appropriateelite clones to enhance yields;

• To promote marketing of feed stock(seeds) locally;

• To establish convergence andsynergy among stake-holders fordevelopment of biofuels, production,marketing, value addition andaccrual of local benefits;

• To promote, develop anddisseminate technologies for valueaddition and production ofintermediary products;

• To generate employmentopportunities for skilled andunskilled persons.

Strategy

To achieve the above objectives, theMission would adopt the followingstrategies:

• Decentralised approach forproduction and marketing to assureappropriate returns to growers;

• Promote cooperatives and self-helpgroups to ensure adequate returnsto farmers;

• Promotion of research anddevelopment on productiontechnologies;

• Enhanced feedstock production;

• Facilitation of capacity-buildingand human resource development;

• Setting up village clusters andfederations and networking tobenefit members of the clusters.

Key Elements of the Biofuel ParkMission

• Research and development forbiofuel species development;

• Identification of new candidates forbiofuel production;

• Establishment of nurseries to raisequality biofuel seedlings;

• Raising high yielding biofuel speciesamong the farming communities inmarginal lands, borders and bundsand waste lands;

• Awareness building among farmers;

• Training farmers on biofuel valuechain in villages;

• Building a market network offarmers and industries;

• Develop farmers association on thelines of the milk production systemavailable in the country;

• Management of existing and newbiofuel plantations;

• semi processing units at villages;

• Use of by products locally viz. de-oiled cake, production of biogas athome / community scale;

• Capacity building at village level.

A 2hp expeller

World biodiesel day celebration with the ICRAF/IFAD team

89, 2237–2244., Pavithra, H.R., Shivanna, M.B.,

Chandrika, K., Prasanna, K.T.,Balakrishna, G. 2010. Seed proteinprofiling of Pongamia pinnata (L.)Pierre for investigating inter and intra-specific population genetic diversity.Int. J. Sci. Nat. 1, 246–252.

, Prakash, D. and Misra, P.S. 1988.Protein content and amino acid profileof some wild leguminous seeds. Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 38, 61–65.

, Shivanna, M.B. and Rajakumar, N.2010. Ethno-medico-botanicalknowledge of rural folk in Bhadravathitaluk of Shimoga district, Karanataka.Indian J Tradit Knowl 9(1):158–162.

Balakrishna GowdaBiofuel Park, Department ofForestry and EnvironmentalSciences, University ofAgricultural Sciences,


Book Review

Why People Need PlantsCarlton Wood and Nicolette Habgood(Eds.)

This book highlights the importance ofplants and the ways in which peoplehave adapted and impacted upon them,throughout history. Within its 15chapters, it provides an overview of thevariety of ways in which plants areinvaluable to human survival.

Part one discusses the variety of ways weuse plants, from food to forensics. Withinthis section chapter 4 is dedicated to thediscussion of biofuels. Whilst acceptingthe historical significance of usingbiomass as energy, this chapter coversthe modern day relevance of biofuels.This includes an overview of the typescurrently in use, for example, wood,grasses, biodiesel and bioethanol. Thechapter explains how they are produced,along with considering biofuels andclimate change and how these sources ofenergy can and have aided commitmentto the Kyoto Protocol. The chapter closeswith a discussion of the issues andcontroversies surrounding biofuels, whichworks to balance the ideas raised in thepreceding pages. This includes the factthat the production costs of biofuelscurrently stand at double that of fossilfuels, biofuel crops, such as soyabean,have been blamed for a loss ofbiodiversity and some even argue that the production of certain biofuels makesthem responsible for the release of moregreenhouse gases than fossil fuels.

Part two covers plants’ association withhuman health and discusses nutritionand medicine, along with plants that areused recreationally such as coffee, tea,cocoa and even cannabis.

Part three focuses on modern biologicaltechniques, including micropropagationand genetic modification. As well as an

explanation of the methods used, thepotential benefits and successes ofthese techniques are discussed, forexample the production of insectresistant corn. However, the naturalalternatives and their possible benefitsare also highlighted.

Part four, concludes the book byconsidering ‘plants and the planet’. The chapter includes an overview of theimpacts humans have had on the planetand raises the need for conservationwhilst discussing the various types. The chapter ends with a look the futurewhich again highlights the importance of plants and swift human intervention in areas like food production andbiodiversity loss.

This book offers the reader a glance atthe many ways humans rely on andutilise plants from both a social andscientific perspective.

Published by Royal Botanic Gardens,Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK. Inassociation with The Open University,Milton Keynes, UKISBN: 978-1-84246-425-0

Beneficial Biofuels – The Food,Energy, and Environment TrilemmaDavid Tilman et al

Biofuels are often criticised for theirpotential to damage food production andthe environment. This paper gives a briefand accessible overview of five potentialsolutions to some of the problemsassociated with these issues. Forexample: the possibility of usingmunicipal waste rather specially growncrops or growing biofuel crops ondisused land as to not to impact on foodproduction and offer habitats to otherspecies.

Science (2009) Vol: 325 pp:270 -271http://www.sciencemag.org/content/325/5938/270

Bioenergy from plants and thesustainable yield challengeAngela Karp and Ian Shield

A common criticism of the move towardsbiofuels is the argument that arable land,vital for food production should not behanded over for growth of biofuel crops,therefore the development of cropswhich grow efficiently and produce alarge amount of usable biomass isessential.

This paper takes a scientific look at keybioenergy crops, including those grownfor grain or seed, like wheat, grassesand fast growing trees like poplar, fromthe point of view of their usefulness asefficient sources of biofuel. This isfollowed by a discussion of the potentialfor improving their efficiency, forexample, which plant processes totarget, e.g. photosynthesis and how tooptimise these process i.e. throughtraditional breeding or genetictechniques.

New Phytologist (2008) Vol: 179 pp. 15-32www.newphytologist.org

RESOURCES

28 BGCI • 2014 • BGjournal • Vol 11 (1)

Websites

Bioenergy science centre

The Bioenergy Science Centre (BESC)conducts research with the aim ofachieving easier access to the energystored within biomass. This focuses ondesigning plant cell walls which are easyto break down and the development ofmicrobes which can turn plants intobiofuels.

Their website provides information,resources and tools to inform the publicabout the centre’s research andbioenergy in general. The resourcessection includes various media whichexplain the role and research of thecentre, along with the science behind it,for a range of scientifically literateaudiences. This includes publicationsfrom BESC describing their currentresearch. In addition there are factsheetsand a page entitled ‘biofacts’ whichsummaries and explains BESC’s work inmore accessible language. There arealso videos and audio recordings, whichhighlight the importance of their researchand introduce some of the researchers.

For those looking for resources andideas about how to teach young peopleabout biofuels the Education section ofthe website includes information andresources aimed at children. Theseinclude lesson plans developed byBESC and the Creative DiscoveryMuseum. Chattanooga, as well as linksto engaging websites which aim to teachchildren about bioenegy and itsimportance.

http://bioenergycenter.org/besc/education.cfm

Biofuel Park

The University of Agricultural Sciences,Bangalore’s centre for excellence,Biofuel Park, aims to developtechnology, interest and motivation toallow rural India to produce biofuels in a way which is supplementary to otheragriculture. Its objectives involve thedevelopment of technology, strategiesand community involvement to allowrural India to become energyindependent whilst remaining rich inagrobiodiversity.

Their website includes details of theprogramme, their current research andactivities, as well as providing a source ofinformation for those wishing to gaininsight into biofuels in general. The siteincludes a description of the variousplants which are suitable for producingbiofuels, including their physicalcharacteristics and growth patterns. Thereare also brief and accessible summariesof the various methods which can beused to produce bioethanol and biodiesel.

http://biofuelpark.org/

In the Biofuels section of the Guardian’swebsite you can find all of the paper’scoverage of news related to this subject,including blogs and other media. Fromthe most recent articles to those datingback to 2011, this resource offers aneasily accessible look at development ofthis technology.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/biofuels

The Bioenergy site

Although biofules offer great potential itis important to remember the possibledangers and weaknesses involved withthis relatively new technology. In 2008the FAO produced its report on ‘TheState of Food and Agriculture’, in whichthere was a chapter devoted to theanalysis of the environmentalimplications of the growth of biofuelcrops.

This webpage offers an overview of themajor themes of this section of thereport, including the potential for biofuelsto cause the release of large amounts ofgreen house gases and the growth ofbiofuels degrading arable land.Additionally, there is a link to the relevantsection of the FAO’s report for those whowish to research these ideas in greaterdetail.

http://www.thebioenergysite.com/articles/175/environmental-impacts-of-biofuels

Guardian

BGCI’s INSTITUTION members receive numerous benefits: • Opportunities for involvement in joint conservation and education projects• Tools and opportunities to influence global conservation policy and action• Botanic Garden Management Resource Pack (upon joining)*• Our twice yearly e-publications:

- BGjournal – an international journal for botanic gardens- Roots - Environmental Education Review

• A wide range of publications and special reports• Invitations to BGCI congresses and discounts on registration fees • BGCI technical support and advisory services

BGCI’s INDIVIDUAL members receive• Regular e-publications (these publications are sent as a pdf file via email):

- BGjournal - an international journal for botanic gardens (2 per year) - Roots - Environmental Education Review (2 per year)

• Invitations to BGCI congresses and discounts on registration fees

J Conservation donor (BGjournal and Roots publications & special reports) 275 375 400K Associate member ( Roots and BGjournal) 80 100 125M Friend-available through online subscription only (www.bgci.org) 15 20 25

Institution Membership £ Stlg € Euros US $

Individual Membership £ Stlg € Euros US $

INDIVIDUAL members and donorssupport BGCI’s global network forplant conservation, and areconnected to it through ourpublications and events.

*Contents of the Botanic Garden Management Resource Pack include: Darwin Technical Manual for Botanic Gardens, A Handbook for Botanic Gardens on the Reintroduction of Plants to the Wild, BGjournal - an international journal for botanic gardens, Roots - Environmental Education Review, The International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation, Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, Environmental Education in Botanic Gardens, additional recent BGCI reports and manuals.

Many of these publications have been translated into Chinese. Please contact us for more details.

A BGCI Patron Institution 5500 7500 8500B Institution member (budget more than US$2,250,000) 1000 1200 1500C Institution member (budget US$ 1,500,000 - 2,250,000) 550 700 900D Institution member (budget US$ 750,000 - 1,500,000) 400 500 650E Institution member (budget US$ 100,000 - 750,000) 220 280 350F Institution member (budget below US$100,000)* 100 120 150

q I wish to apply for BGCI’s INSTITUTION / INDIVIDUAL membership (circle one).

Institution Name (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Contact Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Membership category (A-M) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please clearly print your name (or the name of your institution) in English on all documentation. An official invoice will be issued outlining the various payment methods when your membership application has been accepted.

Please contact [email protected] for further information.

Please join Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)

and help us to save plants from extinction

Established in 1987,

BGCI links more than

500 botanic gardens and

conservation organizations

in 115 countries,

working together to save

Plants for the Planet.

The global loss of plant diversity withwild places shrinking and plantspecies facing extinction at an ever-

increasing rate has an impact on theglobal economy and the livelihoods ofpeople worldwide. BGCI aims to mobilizebotanic gardens and work with partners tosecure plant diversity for the benefit ofpeople and the planet. Over the next fiveyears, BGCI will give greater emphasis todemonstrating the connections betweenplants and human welfare and onrestoring damaged ecosystems, while atthe same time continuing our focus onensuring that threatened plant speciesworldwide are effectively conserved.

BGCI’s ambitious plan for the next fiveyears supports global biodiversity andsustainable development action throughthree technical programmes:

Sustaining wild places and plants

At least 25% of the world’s plant speciesare presently threatened with extinctionand studies indicate that, with climatechange, this figure is likely to growconsiderably. Significant loss of plantdiversity will have catastrophic impactson human livelihoods. Botanic gardensalready cultivate around one third of theworld’s known plant species and aretherefore ideally placed to lead plantconservation efforts. Over the next fiveyears, working in the framework ofrelevant biodiversity policy, we willcontinue to focus on securing a futurefor threatened plant species and their

habitats and will strengthen thecoordinated role of botanic gardens in species recovery and ecologicalrestoration.

More specifically, our aim is that by 2018:

• Botanic gardens and the widerconservation community will be ableto effectively implement plantconservation policy and strategies,especially the GSPC, linking this tothe Aichi Targets and sustainabledevelopment policy.

• Comprehensive information on plantspecies, their status in the wild and inbotanic garden collections, isassembled and disseminated insupport of plant conservation andrestoration actions.


BGCI’S FIVE YEAR PLAN 2013 - 2018

• Conservation efforts for wild plantsand their habitats by botanic gardensand partner organisations are scaled-up and the work of the globalEcological Restoration Alliance (ERA)in replicating best practice worldwideis widely acknowledged.

• The skills and expertise of botanicgarden staff in horticulture, collectionmanagement, and plant conservationtechniques have been increasedthrough training, staff exchanges,provision of relevant information, andnetworking.

Connecting people with nature

More than half the world’s population livein urban areas and this is leading to agrowing disconnection with nature.Botanic gardens offer excellentopportunities for people to experiencenature first hand. Collectively botanicgardens engage with more than 250million visitors annually and have thepotential to reach larger numbers andmore diverse audiences. Science is at the


heart of modern botanic gardens andbotanic gardens can play a key role indeveloping a scientifically literate societywhere people are motivated to play theirpart in resolving environmental issues.Over the next five years we will continueto build the capacity of gardens toconnect with growing numbers of people,helping them to reach new audiences,developing scientific literacy andpromoting this work widely.

More specifically, we will ensure that:

• All botanic gardens have the capacityto deliver effective environmentaleducation and outreach programmes.

• Botanic gardens understand theirsocial and environmental roles and areincreasingly relevant to thecommunities within which they arelocated.

• Plants are valued by society and therole of botanic gardens in their studyand conservation is widelyunderstood.

Finding natural solutions forsustainable livelihoods andhuman well-being

Wild plants offer a wealth of servicesand goods of essential livelihood value.Worldwide, over half a billion people wholive in poverty depend on the availabilityof wild plant resources to sustain theirdaily subsistence needs. However, withthe general global loss of biodiversitycaused by habitat loss, the spread ofinvasive species and global climatechange, the availability of the range andabundance of plant resources oflivelihood value is under threat. Botanicgardens are centres of excellence forresearch, conservation and cultivation of economically important plants. In support of this, BGCI will publishreviews of work on important resourcespecies, share best practices, supportprojects to conserve and sustainably useplants valued by local communities andhelp to conserve the essentialknowledge about such plants typicallyheld by local communities.

Our aim is that by 2018:

• The role of wild plants in supportinglivelihoods and providing ecosystemservices is widely understood.

• Human wellbeing and livelihoodrequirements, as well as conservationneeds are being addressed throughmore sustainable use of the world'smost socio-economically importantwild plants.

We will be featuring:

• Projects that have used data from BGCI’sGardenSearch and PlantSearch databases

• Examples and case studies of botanicaldatabases that have a conservationfunction

• Articles about the use of databases to manage plant collections in botanic gardens and seed banks

• New methods and technologies forcollecting and using plant collection data

The deadline for submitting articles is15 June 2014

Please [email protected] for further information.

BGCI’s databases

BGCI maintains two databases:PlantSearch and GardenSearch.

PlantSearch gives an account of theglobal biodiversity safety-netprovided by botanic gardens througha list of the plants they cultivate andconserve. PlantSearch includes over1 million records, with data uploadedby over 1,000 gardens. It is the onlycomprehensive global database ofwild plant species in ex situcollections, and through its linkagesto the global IUCN Red List, allowsthreatened species to be identified inex situ collections. All plant records inPlantSearch are linked to theprovider’s record in the GardenSearchdatabase, which provides an on-linedirectory of the skills, expertise andfacilities available in over 3,000botanic gardens around the world.

Using the databases

BGCI uses PlantSearch to carry outglobal and regional surveys of threatenedspecies and their occurrence in botanicgarden collections as a means to setconservation priorities, as well as tomonitor progress toward globalconservation targets.

For the botanic gardens that contributedata to PlantSearch, the database providesa useful collection management tool,allowing gardens to identify threatenedspecies from amongst their own collectionsand also to find out which other gardensare cultivating the same species.

GardenSearch provides importantinformation on the resources, facilities andexpertise in botanic gardens around theworld in a dynamic searchable form. Thisis useful for developing partnerships andcreating linkages between and amongstconservation practitioners, policy makers,and botanic garden staff alike.

If you have used PlantSearch orGardenSearch data in your research or inyour day-to-day activities, we would liketo hear from you.


PlantSearch:BGCI’s online database of plants in botanic gardens

PlantSearch GardenSearch

GardenSearch:Your gateway to the world’sbotanic gardens

THE NEXT ISSUE OF BGJOURNAL

The next issue of BGjournal will be published inJuly 2014. The theme will be: Using databases to support plant conservation.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Descanso House, 199 Kew Road,Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, U.K.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953 Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5956E-mail: [email protected]: www.bgci.org

Printed on 100% recycled paper ISSN 1811-8712

This publication is supported by ESRC and DFID

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