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2022 Garden Highlights

It has certainly been another busy and productive year in the garden for everyone working at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). After two years of a pandemic…

Professor Jeremy Wilson, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and University of Stirling

Developing the evidence base for nature conservation. “I have spent over 30 years as a conservation scientist, studying the relationships between land-use change and biodiversity, and focusing mainly…

Dr Rebecca Yahr, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Sharing a love of lichens. “As a biodiversity scientist, I think there are three main themes that must be a part of my focus: diversity, conservation and people….

Dr Helen Senn, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

Ensuring the long-term survival of highly threatened species, in Scotland and around the globe. “What gets me out of bed in the morning is the feeling that I…

Dr David O’Brien, NatureScot

Using evidence-based conservation to inform policy. Nature is everywhere While many think of Scotland as a land of mountains, glens and lochs, in fact most of us live…

Professor Xavier Lambin, University of Aberdeen

Building the complexity of species interactions into conservation policy and practice. Professor Xavier Lambin’s research uses population ecology to solve pressing applied issues in wildlife management and conservation…

Dr Alessandro Gimona, The James Hutton Institute

Understanding the interconnected impacts of climate change and land-use change. Dr Alessandro Gimona is an ecologist and a geographer working at a range of scales, from regional to…

Dr Heidi Burdett, Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University

Multidisciplinary research to understand and protect vital marine ecosystems. “I am a marine biologist investigating the photosynthesis and biogeochemistry of coastal marine ecosystems, with the aim of better…

Dr Rosalind Bryce, University of the Highlands and Islands

Co-creating cultural narratives for sustainable rural development. Ecologist Dr Rosalind Bryce is Director of the Centre for Mountain Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands, and…

Professor Chris Quine, Forest Research

Research supporting the health of UK forests and biodiversity. Professor Chris Quine is Chief Scientist of Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission and the UK’s…

Dr Andrea Britton, James Hutton Institute

Bringing the underground into the limelight. Dr Andrea Britton is a plant and soil ecologist specialising in alpine ecosystems and the impacts of nitrogen deposition and climate change….

Stories from the Biomes: Threatened Chilean plants on the move.

Tucked away behind the glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a terrace that contains an exceptional collection of Chilean plants collected by RBGE staff and Chilean…

Professor Chris Spray, UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Science and Policy, Dundee University

Learning by doing. Professor Chris Spray is a self-confessed nature enthusiast, never happier than when his feet are in a wetland, his binoculars round his neck and with…

Dr Aline Finger, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Combining genetics and ecology to save species from extinction. Dr Aline Finger is a conservation geneticist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). Her work focuses on generating…

Stories from the Biomes: Moving the Ericaceous Collection

While the Edinburgh Biomes Project involves the more noticeable decanting of both Victorian Palm Houses and the Front Range Glasshouses, there are several research collections going through an equally significant change behind the scenes.

Jeanette Hall, NatureScot

Fostering resilience through genetic diversity and co-development. With global environmental change accelerating, resilience is crucial. And genetic diversity is central to species’ resilience. Jeanette Hall pioneers the use…

Professor Anne Magurran, University of St Andrews

Capturing complexity in measures of biodiversity. “My introduction to measuring biodiversity came during my PhD research at the University of Ulster, when I set out to compare ancient…

Professor Murray Roberts, University of Edinburgh

Advancing understanding of deep water habitats to support long-term management and conservation. Professor Murray Roberts is a marine biologist studying the biology and ecology of deep-sea (cold-water) corals….

Professor Davy McCracken, Scotland’s Rural College

Exploring interactions between farming and biodiversity. Professor Davy McCracken is an agricultural ecologist who has spent over 30 years studying farming and biodiversity interactions and advising on agriculture…

Stumperies and Rooteries

Rebecca Cross | BSc Horticulture with Plantsmanship | October 2022 History of stumperies The stumpery became known as a garden feature in the Victorian era. Though its origins…