Canberrans connect with nature at National Botanic Gardens during open day

Latest News

Canberrans connect with nature at National Botanic Gardens during open day

May 29, 2016

Attractions / Environment / Marketing / Parks /

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) in Canberra has thrown open its gates as part of the first Botanic Garden Open Day.

Organised by Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand Inc to raise awareness of the gardens' importance and educate communities on their native flora, the Botanic Garden Australia and New Zealand Open Day saw the Canberra attraction hold a series of art workshops and tours giving people the opportunity to learn by connecting art with nature.

ANBG Visitor Services and Events Manager Jennifer Salkeld told the ABC "it's about using their hands and their hearts to actually engage with the gardens here (and) understanding more about what's in our collection.”

The activities ranged from charcoal drawing to making clay statues, with visitors of all ages getting involved and learning about the science behind some of the flora.

Salkeld added “there's some very important sciences actually undertaken here.”

For the National Botanic Gardens, the open day fits in with a broader plan to increase the number of people through the front gates.

It was revealed last year that the gardens were struggling with declining visitor numbers.

Salkeld said the open day was one of many public programs aimed at boosting the garden's traffic, concluding “we're trying to encourage more of the community to engage with the work that we do.

"It's about bringing the community into our garden, to get them to explore more about what we do."

Image courtesy of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

24th May 2016 - AUCKLAND BOTANIC GARDENS BACKS INAUGURAL BOTANIC GARDEN OPEN DAY

19th May 2016 - BOTANIC GARDEN OPEN DAY TO CELEBRATE PLANT CONSERVATION

5th March 2016 - PUBLIC EVENTS MARK PARKS WEEK IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

26th June 2015 - AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS LAUNCHES MASTER PLAN TO WIN BACK VISITORS

10th March 2015 - DAY SPA OPENS WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

4th February 2013 - SUN RISES ON NATIONAL ARBORETUM

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.