(1) This week, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, hosted the 8th BGANZ Congress. Around 140 delegates from Australia, New Zealand and around the world attended the conference. The theme of the Congress was Preservation: Exploring and Adapting, underlining the need for adaptation of botanic gardens in their ongoing environment and the ever changing attitudes of the community. This covered both the natural, cultivated and political environment and the required strategies to ensure the preservation of endangered species can continue.

The BGANZ Congress Booklet is available for download (64mb PDF).

(2) At the end of next month, 26-29 Nov. 2017, the State Herbarium of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, The University of Adelaide and Flinders University will host the joint meeting of the Australasian Systematic Botany Society (ASBS) and the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists (SASB), including the biennial Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation Meeting. The conference with the theme Systematics 2017 — Integrating Systematics for Conservation and Ecology will be held at The University of Adelaide.

Plenary speakers will include Gonzalo Giribet (Harvard University), Judy West (Parks Australia), Nerida Wilson (Western Australian Museum), Shelley James (National Herbarium of New South Wales) and Kristofer Helgen (The University of Adelaide). Over 120 delegates have already registered, many of whom will give presentations on their research.

Please visit the Conference web-site for more information and registration.

The University of Adelaide, Barr Smith Library in the foreground. Photo: M. Seyfang (CC-BY).