As the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens’ bicentenary draws to a close, we recognise the extraordinary contribution of volunteers to the years’ celebrations.
The Gardens rely on the passion and commitment of around 125 active volunteers who contribute around 15,000 hours of their time to ensure the health and vitality of Australia’s second oldest botanic gardens.
There has been a record visitation of over 507,000 people to the Gardens during the bicentennial celebrations, thanks in no small part to the support of hardworking volunteers and efforts of staff to deliver a first class program of events and projects.
As a final commemoration of the bicentenary, a Ginko Biloba, commonly known as the Maidenhair Tree, donated by the Friends of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, was planted on Monday.
The Ginko Biloba is one of the world’s most ancient tree species, with origins in China and fossil records providing evidence of its existence more than 200 million years ago.
This species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and can live in excess of 1,000 years.
The tree has been selected to mark the bicentenary for its longevity and botanical significance.
On behalf of all Tasmanians, I sincerely thank the volunteers for their contribution. We can be very proud of our Gardens and the contribution these volunteers have made to it over the past 200 years.