Botanic Garden Achieves International Status

Hospitality & Tourism , 18th May 2023

Treborth Botanic Garden part of Bangor University has achieved a historic milestone in its history, having been recognised as an Accredited Botanic Garden. The Garden, on the outskirts of Bangor near the Menai Bridge, is now one of only seven Accredited Botanic Gardens in the whole of the UK and one of only three in Wales.

Gan ysgrifennu at bawb yn Nhreborth, dywedodd Sian Gwenlliad AS, “Mae’r achrediad yn gydnabyddiaeth bwysig o’ch gwaith allweddol yn hyrwyddo coetir brodorol, amrywiaeth o rywogaethau, ac ymchwil adademaidd. Mae’r gwasanaeth yr ydych yn ei hgynnig I’r gymuned ehangach hefyd yn hanfodol.”

The Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI) Accreditation is aimed at botanical institutions wishing to establish their credentials. The success of the staff and volunteers in achieving the accreditation demonstrates the Garden’s conformity to the highest international standards as a botanic garden.

Natalie Chivers, Curator at Treborth Botanic Garden said,

“This is the culmination of more than two years’ work to evidence that we meet the strict criteria to be acknowledged by BGCI as an Accredited Botanic Garden, which places us on the international stage with other high-profile botanic gardens such as Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, the Eden Project and our Welsh partner garden, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, amongst many other prestigious institutions the world over. The task of putting our case together for submission was led by volunteer Plant Records Officer Paul Smith, who spent many months assembling and preparing the evidence and liaising with BGCI and other stakeholders. This is a joint success for the Botanic Garden and the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden, who provide thousands of hours of volunteer support to the Garden every year.”

Botanic Gardens applying for Accreditation are assessed on criteria encompassing leadership, specialist horticultural expertise, collections management, public education, community and cultural activities, conservation actions, scientific research, staff, networking and sustainability.

Paul Smith, one of the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden said,

“When I saw the communication from BGCI saying that our application had been successful, I was both ecstatic and relieved. It has been a very exacting process covering many different aspects of Treborth that I had not fully appreciated before starting to help with this task. In addition to providing a summary and overview of the plant collection at Treborth, we have submitted lists of dozens of research papers and theses undertaken at Treborth, documented in detail our extensive contribution to the education of university students and of the public, explained our role in the well-being of visitors, and provided evidence of our conservation work on several very rare species such as the critically endangered endemic Cotoneaster cambricus that grows only on the Great Orme just 20 miles along the coast from the Botanic Garden. This is a well-deserved recognition of all that Treborth has achieved and the professionalism of its staff and volunteers.”

Congratulating everyone at Treborth Botanic Garden, local Assembly Member D9ian Gwenllian wrote:

“The accreditation is an important recognition of your key work in promoting native woodland, species diversity, and high quality academic research. The service you offer to the wider community is also essential.”

BGCI works with over 800 botanic gardens in 118 countries, whose combined work forms the world's largest plant conservation network. The achievement of Accreditation comes 60 years after Treborth Botanic Garden was established and marks an exciting new phase in its development both within the University and the global conservation community.

Mae Gardd Fotaneg Treborth, sy’n ran o Brifysgol Bangor, yn dathlu carreg filltir bwysig yn hanes yr ardd Fotaneg wrth iddi ddod yn Ardd Fotaneg Achrededig.

Mae’r ardd ger Bangor a Phont y Borth, bellach yn un o blith saith o Erddi Botaneg Achrededig yn y Deyrnas Unedig ac yn un o ddim ond tair yng Nghymru.

Mae Achrediad Rhyngwladol Cadwraeth y Gerddi Botaneg (BGCI) ar gyfer sefydliadau botanegol sy'n dymuno sefydlu eu rhinweddau. Mae’r cais gan y staff a’r gwirfoddolwyr i gyflawni’r achrediad yn dangos bod yr Ardd yn cydymffurfio â'r safonau rhyngwladol uchaf fel gardd fotaneg.

Dywedodd Natalie Chivers, curadur Gardd Fotaneg Treborth,

“Dyma benllanw dros ddwy flynedd o waith i ddangos ein bod yn bodloni’r meini prawf llym i ennill cydnabyddiaeth y BGCI fel Gardd Fotaneg Achrededig, sy’n ein gosod ar y llwyfan rhyngwladol gyda gerddi botaneg eraill o fri fel Gardd Fotaneg Frenhinol Caeredin, Gardd Fotaneg Prifysgol Caergrawnt, yr Eden Project a’r ardd sy’n bartner inni yng Nghymru, Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru, ymhlith llawer o sefydliadau eraill o bwys ledled y byd. Bu Paul Smith, Swyddog Cofnodion Planhigion gwirfoddol, wrthi am fisoedd lawer yn casglu ac yn paratoi’r dystiolaeth ac yn cysylltu â BGCI a rhanddeiliaid eraill, i’n helpu ni lunio’r cais a’i gyflwyno. Dyma lwyddiant i’r Ardd Fotaneg ar y cyd â Chyfeillion Gardd Fotaneg Treborth, sy’n darparu miloedd o oriau o gymorth gwirfoddol i’r Ardd bob blwyddyn”.

Caiff Gerddi Botaneg sy'n gwneud cais am Achrediad eu hasesu ar feini prawf sy'n cwmpasu arweinyddiaeth, arbenigedd garddwriaethol arbenigol, rheoli casgliadau, addysg gyhoeddus, gweithgareddau cymunedol a diwylliannol, gweithredoedd cadwraeth, ymchwil gwyddonol, staff, rhwydweithio a chynaliadwyedd.

Dywedodd Paul Smith,

“Pan welais yr ohebiaeth oddi wrth BGCI yn dweud y bu’r cais yn llwyddiannus, roeddwn wrth fy modd ac roedd yn rhyddhad hefyd. Bu’n broses fanwl iawn a oedd cwmpasu llawer o wahanol agweddau o Dreborth nad oeddwn wedi’u gwerthfawrogi’n llawn cyn dechrau helpu gyda’r gwaith hwn. Yn ogystal â darparu crynodeb a throsolwg o gasgliad planhigion Treborth, rydym wedi cyflwyno rhestrau o ddwsinau o bapurau ymchwil a thraethodau ymchwil a wnaed yn Nhreborth, sy’n dogfennu’n fanwl ein cyfraniad helaeth at addysg myfyrwyr prifysgol a’r cyhoedd, ac eglurodd ein rôl o ran lles ymwelwyr, a rhoddodd dystiolaeth o’n gwaith cadwraeth ar nifer o rywogaethau prin iawn megis y Cotoneaster cambricus sydd mewn perygl difrifol ac sy'n tyfu ar y Gogarth yn unig a hynny dim ond 20 milltir ar hyd yr arfordir o'r Ardd Fotaneg. Dyma gydnabyddiaeth haeddiannol i bopeth a gyflawnodd Treborth a phroffesiynoldeb y staff a’r gwirfoddolwyr.”

Mae BGCI yn gweithio gyda dros 800 o erddi botaneg mewn 118 o wledydd, y mae eu gwaith cyfunol yn ffurfio’r rhwydwaith cadwraeth planhigion mwyaf yn y byd. Daw’r Achrediad 60 mlynedd ar ôl sefydlu Gardd Fotaneg Treborth ac mae’n nodi cyfnod newydd cyffrous yn ei datblygiad o fewn y Brifysgol a’r gymuned gadwraeth fyd-eang.