Learning, Connection, and Climate Resilience: Reflections from the 2025 BGANZ Congress

Earlier this month, IrisBG's Shanna T. Jones had the pleasure of attending the BGANZ Congress in Canberra, Australia, hosted across the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), the National Arboretum Canberra, and Old Parliament House. With Advancing Our Reach as this year’s theme, the program delivered an inspiring blend of science, practice, and community—bringing together horticulturists, researchers, managers, educators, and plant records professionals from across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. Below, Shanna shares are a few highlights and learnings from across the week.

Between reconnecting with gardens already using IrisBG, meeting teams exploring the software for the first time, and attending sessions centered on climate resilience and ecological recovery, this year’s Congress left me energized about the future of plant collections and the expanding role of digital records.

Field Trip: Survive and Thrive— Seed Banks, Alpine Plants & Fire Recovery (Mon., November 3)

The first day took us deep into the science and stewardship work happening across Australian Capital Territory (ACT). We began with a hands-on field trip hosted by ANBG, which included three immersive components:

1. Tour of the New Seed Bank Facilities (ANBG)
2. Talks on the impact of the 2020 fires, and the ANBG Survive and Thrive project.
3. Bushwalks towards Boombera rocks to view impacts of the 2020 fires and regrowth since.

Tour of the New Seed Bank Facilities 

Our visit to the “Survive and Thrive” program offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at ANBG’s expanding Seed Bank.
A few standout insights:

• The power of soil seed banks. The team shared remarkable findings, including an unexpected flush of Viola improcera—a threatened species—germinating from the soil seed bank. These seedlings are passed to the nursery for growing on and identification.
• Seed morphology studies. Researchers are examining how seed shape and structure influence dispersal through the environment—a critical piece of conservation planning.
• Viability of aging seed. Long-term germination studies are helping ANBG understand how older seed behaves under varying treatments.
• Embracing experimental failure. One of the strongest messages from the team: Failure is a data point, not an endpoint. Each unsuccessful attempt helps refine the environmental conditions needed for survival.

Talks: impact of the 2020 fires + ANBG's Survive & Thrive project

The alpine nursery and field staff shared their ongoing experiments in simulating cold-climate environments for high-elevation species:

• Fogging systems and shade cloths to replicate alpine moisture and light conditions
• Specialized soil mixes
• Cold and warm stratification protocols
• Precision techniques such as seed nicking

This work, much like plant records, is iterative, evidence-driven, and essential for preserving species under increasing climate pressure.

Namadgi National Park — Ecological Recovery

Before leading us through portions of Namadgi National Park, ANBG staff discussed the long-term effects of the Black Summer 2020 fires.

Key insights:

• The 2020 Orroral Valley Fire—sparked by a helicopter malfunction—resulted in complete ground consumption over extensive areas
• The Alps region has experienced eight major fire events across the 20th century; 2003 and 2020 were especially catastrophic.
• Several fire-sensitive ecological communities remain vulnerable:

o  Mountain plum pine

o  Juonama snow gum

o  Callitris endlicheri forest

o  Mountain teatree thickets

o  Box gum

o  Alpine ash

Yet data collected through spatial analysis, plot surveys, and tools like infrared heat detectors and cryptogam assessments showed up to 99% recovery in certain areas after only one year—a hopeful reminder of ecosystem resilience.

Bogs, Fens & Carbon Stores Under Threat
Another compelling session focused on bogs and fens in the ACT.
 

Highlights:

• Fens (brushes and sedges) are major natural carbon stores, closely linked to bog ecology.
• Threats include increased fire frequency/intensity and pest damage (notably deer and pigs).

• The 2020 fires resulted in a 97% loss of sphagnum moss, with cascading impacts

  o    extended recovery periods
  o    flora/fauna loss
  o    species composition shifts
  o    peat erosion

  

This session underscored the vital role of long-term monitoring—something many gardens rely on IrisBG to support through consistent location, condition, and observation records.

Namadgi National Park bushwalk 

Namadgi National Park is located on Ngunnawal Country, an ancient, ecologically dense, and and diverse landscape managed by Ngunnawal people for many centuries

Equipped with plant lists (with colored images!) and on the look out for jumping jack ants and snakes, we set out for our group bush walk toward Boombera Rocks in Namadgi National Park to view impacts of the 2020 fires and the regrowth that has occurred since.

 Our 2.5 km walk through the Alpine bush forest featuring a mix of towering eucalyptus and other native Australian trees and rocky outcrops, showed signs of past fire damage alongside verdant regrowth. 

Below are a few plants I managed to snap decent photos of and check off my list.

Conference Sessions (Tues., November 4)

I caught several excellent talks that highlighted both the diversity and the urgency of work across Australasian gardens.

Botanic Garden of Sydney as an Industry Leader in Camellia Conservation — Ashley Filipovski

This session highlighted the Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s long-standing leadership in camellia conservation, tracing back to the first Camellia planted in Australia more than 200 years ago. With modern biosecurity restrictions preventing new imports, the Gardens are working with Camellia Ark to preserve rare species and culturally significant cultivars already in the country. Their work includes advanced propagation techniques, national and international field collection trips, and a newly designed landscape celebrating the Camellia’s Asian heritage. The initiative safeguards genetic diversity while renewing public engagement with this iconic genus.

Planting for Pollinators — Rowena Danks, Wheen Bee Foundation

Rowena Danks shared the Wheen Bee Foundation’s national programs supporting pollinator conservation, from Bee Friendly Farming to Australian Pollinator Week. A key focus was their Powerful Pollinators Planting Guides—free, region-specific resources helping gardeners and land managers choose native plants, create habitat, and improve pollinator health. Since 2019, the Foundation has produced 34 guides across eight states and territories, each developed with local botanists and ecologists. The talk emphasized how small, informed planting decisions can strengthen ecosystem resilience.

A Volunteer’s Journey — John Bentley, Melton Botanic Gardens

John Bentley presented an inspiring look at how volunteers transformed Melton Botanic Garden’s scattered plant records into a fully functional botanical database using IrisBG. With limited funding and a 27-hectare site to manage, the Friends of the Melton Botanic Garden consolidated legacy data, trained volunteers, and implemented consistent procedures—culminating in the launch of their public-facing Garden Explorer in 2022. Their work has improved understanding of the collection’s conservation value, enhanced visitor engagement, and demonstrated the powerful impact community-led teams can achieve with the right tools.

BG Sydney’s Living Collections Climate Change Resilience Strategy — Damien Wrigley

This presentation outlined the Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s strategic approach to preparing their living collections for a changing climate. Working with climate scientists and botanical experts, the Gardens have identified species and landscapes most vulnerable to future conditions and developed recommendations for adaptive plantings, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term curation. The strategy supports conservation horticulture across their three gardens, The Domain, and the Australian PlantBank—positioning the organization to manage climate impacts proactively while contributing to global conservation targets.

Transformation of an Illegal Industrial Dumping Ground to the Melbourne Arboretum — Matthew Weller & Maggie McDonald

This session shared the remarkable transformation of a former industrial dumping ground into the emerging Melbourne Arboretum. After extensive soil remediation and native vegetation restoration, the next phase involves planting 20,000 eucalypt and corymbia trees to create a new “Australian Garden of Eden.” The project integrates Indigenous knowledge, scientific research partnerships, and community stewardship. It showcased how damaged landscapes can be restored into places of ecological, cultural, and educational significance through vision and long-term commitment.

Professional Development & Keynotes (Wed., November 5)

Keynote: The Garden That Waited — Rebecca Stanley, Auckland Botanic Gardens

Rebecca Stanley offered a candid reflection on Auckland Botanic Gardens’ evolving partnership with Mana Whenua, the Indigenous peoples of the region. She traced the organization’s journey from superficial engagement to genuine co-design, culminating in a collaborative Māori garden project on newly acquired land. Rebecca’s keynote highlighted the humility, discomfort, and institutional change required for botanic gardens—especially those built on colonial structures—to move toward authentic partnership and shared decision-making.

Keynote: National Threatened Species Policy and Action — Dr. Fiona Fraser, Threatened Species Commissioner

Dr. Fiona Fraser presented an overview of Australia’s Threatened Species Action Plan 2022–2032, centered on the government’s commitment to no new extinctions. She shared examples of conservation work led collaboratively by First Nations groups, state agencies, researchers, NRM organizations, landholders, and especially botanic gardens. 

While progress is being made, Dr. Fraser emphasized that recovery requires sustained, long-term effort and cross-sector collaboration. Her keynote encouraged gardens to consider their role in shaping “what’s next” for threatened plants.

iNaturalist: A National Approach to Citizen Science in Botanic Gardens — Patricia Kaye

This session explored how botanic gardens globally are using iNaturalist to support conservation, education, and community engagement. Patricia Kaye proposed a coordinated national approach for Australian botanic gardens, highlighting how shared datasets and unified participation could enhance biodiversity monitoring and public involvement across the sector.

Professional Development Workshop: Growing Our People — Growing the Plants — John Arnott

John Arnott led a sector-wide discussion on the horticultural skills shortage and the need for targeted professional development programs in botanic gardens. The workshop examined:

• the core skills needed for living collections curation
• lessons from previous BGANZ training initiatives
• future opportunities for member-supported development pathways

The session emphasized the importance of collaboration—within BGANZ and across partner organizations—to strengthen horticultural capacity and support the next generation of plant professionals.
 

Connection, Momentum & the Road Ahead

Throughout the Congress, I had the chance to connect with many gardens exploring new workflows, mobile data collection , and mapping integrations. Conversations with BGANZ members highlighted how committed our community is to improving data systems, making plant records more accessible, and building climate-resilient practices.
This year’s theme—Advancing Our Reach—felt especially fitting. Whether through digital tools like IrisBG, field-led science, cross-garden collaboration, or public engagement, the whole week underscored one message:

Plant records—and the people who care for them—are at the center of a changing world.

I’m grateful to the organizers, hosts, and everyone who stopped by to chat. 

A sincere thank you to:

• CEO Cassandra Nichols and the entire BGANZ team
• John Bentley, President of the Friends of Melton Botanic Gardens, for his support at the booth and entertainment throughout the week. 
• Australian National Botanic Gardens
• National Arboretum Canberra
• Parks Australia
• Kaigi Conferencing & Events

The IrisBG team looks forward to continuing these meaningful relationships and supporting your plant collections projects in the months and years ahead!