Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: About Us: Future Kew consultation

This document seeks local, national and international comment on Kew’s vision for the coming three years. We want to benefit from the views of many to ensure our forward planning is in keeping with majority views about what the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew might do over the next three years to achieve its mission and statutory functions. We live in exceptional times. People around the world are increasingly concerned about ongoing environmental change, declining quality of life for many, and the associated irreversible loss of biodiversity. Kew accepts the Stern Review’s belief that business as usual is not an option if people are to minimise the worst aspects of accelerating climate change due to our impact on global warming. Over the past year, we have asked what might Kew and its global partners do to really make a difference in the years ahead? The first steps in our proposed way forward are presented in this document. This is the first time Kew has sought widespread public comment at the conceptual stage of forward planning. Our mission requires us to both inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide, enhancing the quality of life. We can only inspire if we ourselves are on a path that genuinely contributes to global aspirations. We can only deliver science-based plant conservation through projects that capture the spirit of such aspirations in ways that are meaningful to as many people as possible. Kew has been a World Heritage Site since 2003. This welcome recognition brings with it significant responsibility – to conserve the buildings, landscapes, collections, intellectual capital and programmes that are of global significance, and to enhance these with contributions of lasting universal value and quality. This is the key underpinning of what lies before you. We would value hearing your views, so please read the full consultation document and participate in our public consultation. The results will be published on our website and will contribute to decision-making by our Trustees.