2nd International Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens

Proceedings of the 

2 nd International Congress 

of 

Alpine and Arctic 

Botanical Gardens 

München 

22-25 April 2009

• Introduction........................................................ 5 

Diversification of Collections 

• Jenny Wainwright-Klein (München, Germany) 

Experiences with the introduction of southern 

hemisphere alpines.............................................. 6 

• Richard Hurstel, Pascal Salze, Christophe Perrier, 

Rolland Douzet & Serge Aubert (Grenoble, 

France) 

Experiences with the introduction of southern 

hemisphere alpines: Southern Andes and Patagonia...................................................................... 

9 

• Anne Humburg (Seligenstadt, Germany) 

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens: the many faces of 

North America’s highest botanical garden...... 13 

Horticultural Practices 

• Otto and Verena Hegg-Nebiker (Wilderswil, 

Switzerland) 

Maintenance Guidebook for the Alpine Botanical 

Garden on Schynige Platte above Interlaken 

in the Bernese Oberland................................... 16 

• Arve Elvebakk (Tromsø, Norway) 

Rock garden landscapes in Tromsø Arctic-Alpine 

Botanic Garden......................................... 21 

• Tommy Prestø (Trondheim, Norway) 

Management of a semi-natural alpine garden 

facing changes in climate and grazing regimes.................................................................... 

24 

Education Concepts 

• Serge Aubert, Tim Catinat & Elodie Terret 

(Grenoble, France) 

Education through the new website of the Jardin 

botanique alpin du Lautaret............................. 27 

• Costantino Bonomi (Trento, Italy) 

Enquiry centred education for alpine Botanic 

Gardens: examples from the EU project «Plant 

Scientists Investigate»....................................... 31 

CONTENTS 

• Christine Freitag (Freising, Germany) 

Educative tools to connect an alpine garden 

to the surrounding vegetation......................... 35 

• Katie Price (Kew, United Kingdom) 

Kew’s Alpine House - what’s the point?......... 39 

Research and Conservation Activities 

• Gunter Karste (Wernigerode, Germany) 

Investigation on renaturation of the subalpine 

meadow vegetation on top of Brocken mountain 

............................................................................. 44 

• Andreas Gröger & Annette Menzel (München & 

Freising, Germany) 

Detection of climate change impacts in alpine 

and arctic botanic gardens: a long-term phenology 

observation program............................... 47 

• George Nakhutsrishvili, Sh. Sikharulidze 

(Tbilisi, Georgia) & R. Murtazaliev (Dagestan, 

Russian Federation) 

Conserning two Alpine Botanical Gardens of the 

Caucasus............................................................. 51 

Networking 

• Andreas Gröger (München, Germany) 

International Plant Exchange Network (IPEN): a 

transparent documentation instrument in accordance 

with the Convention on Biological Diversity 

(CBD).......................................................... 56 

• Isabella Vanacore Falco (Courmayeur, Italy) 

AIGBA, the association linking alpine gardens: 

the experience in the Aosta Valley.................. 60 

• Andreas Gröger (München, Germany) 

Mutual Publicity: a survey panel for European 

arctic and alpine botanic gardens................... 63 

Conclusions....................................................... 67 

Participant list............................................... 70 

3

4 

Jean Zollinger (1925-2007), La Rambertia, Switzerland 

Introduction

Introduction 

Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens are an extraordinary set of gardens, with their own history, 

outstanding collections, and specific challenges. To share knowledge and experiences within their 

field, the first Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens (“AABG I”) was held in Lautaret in 2006. 

In 2009, Munich proudly hosted the second congress (“AABG II”). 

A participant of the previous meeting was Jean Zollinger, the curator of La Rambertia, Switzerland, who 

died in 2008. With him, the community lost an open-minded friend and committed colleague, and it is 

an honour to dedicate this congress to him. 

In total, more than 30 participants joined AABG II, representing 19 Botanic Gardens from nine European 

nations. As agreed during the first meeting, AABG II was scheduled before the start of the main 

gardening season to also enable staff of smaller gardens to join the congress. 

The meeting was opened with a ‘who’s who’ of the participants, each giving a brief presentation of his or 

her garden, with a focus on those who were not presented in major talks during the sessions. From North 

to South, the participating gardens were: 

Norway: Tromsø, Kongsvoll 

Germany: Brockengarten, Schachen 

Austria: Vorderkaiserfelden, Kitzbüheler Horn, Patscherkofel 

Switzerland: Schynige Platte, La Rambertia, Schatzalp 

France: Lautaret, Haut Chitelet 

Italy: Viotte, Monte Baldo, Saussurea 

Slovenia: Juliana 

Georgia: Bakuriani 

As associated guests, Jardin Botanique Paris and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew also sent representatives to 

the Congress. 

The AABG II programme consisted of five sessions chaired by Serge Aubert, Costa Bonomi, Arve 

Elvebakk, and Andreas Gröger. Special enrichments to the programme were slide shows on the flora and 

natural habitats of various alpine and arctic environments. These presentations covered the following 

regions: Lesotho (J. Wainwright-Klein), the Caucasus (A. Gröger), Patagonia (R. Douzet), New Zealand 

(A. Humburg), and Svalbard (A. Elvebakk). There also were guided tours to the alpine collections of 

Munich Botanic Garden and an excursion to the nature reserve ‘Garchinger Heide.’ 

The Munich staff thanks our colleagues and friends from other gardens for their continuing support, 

which made the event possible. Special thanks are due to Serge Aubert. It is our hope and conviction 

that AABG II will have contributed to the long-term interactions between European Alpine and Arctic 

Botanic Gardens. 

Susanne Renner 

Andreas Gröger 

Jenny Wainwright-Klein 

(Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg) 

Introduction 

5

6 

Experiences with the introduction 

of southern hemisphere alpines: 

Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains of Lesotho 

Jenny WAINWRIGHT-KLEIN 

Alpengarten auf dem Schachen / Botanischer Garten München, Germany 

In 2001, the centenary year of the Alpine Garden on the Schachen, it was decided to expand the existing 

collection to include alpine plants of the southern hemisphere. In the following years two new geographical 

beds were laid out, landscaped and planted. Some of the plants were bought in but the majority have been 

grown from seed obtained through the international Botanic Garden seed exchange network and specialist 

plant societies, such as the New Zealand Alpine Club. The southern African plants originate from a joint 

plant collecting excursion with the Alpine Botanic Garden at Katse, Lesotho. 

Up until recently the main focus 

of the collections in the Alpine Garden on the 

Schachen was on the plants from the European 

Alps and the Himalayas with smaller collections 

from the Caucasus, Carpathians and Pyrenees, 

and some representatives of the flora of the 

Rocky Mountains and the Arctic. For years, Helichrysum 

milfordiae was the sole representative 

of the Southern Hemisphere montane vegetation 

and helped to propagate the myth that “southerners 

will not grow on the Schachen” by struggling 

along year after year, never flourishing 

but not managing to die either. Then, in 1998, 

young plants of Senecio macrospermus, a large 

forb which colonizes steep, damp mountain 

slopes in the Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains, 

were planted in the alpine garden and they 


flourished! This unexpected success, together 

with experience gained from the cultivation of 

plants grown from seed collected during an early 

excursion in the Lesotho mountains in January 

2002, convinced me that there were a lot of plants 

in the high mountains of Lesotho which would 

do well on the Schachen. The critical factor for 

success lay in collecting from habitats with a similar 

microclimate to the Schachen, i.e. the high 

mountain passes along the eastern Lesotho border, 

preferably above 2500 m, with snow cover in 

winter and high summer rainfall. 

As part of the co-operation project with Katse 

Botanical Garden, two field trips to collect seed 

and herbarium specimens have been undertaken 

in the Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains with 

a third trip planned for January 2010.

Notes on cultivation 

Propagation for the Schachen is carried out in 

the Munich Botanic Garden. Seed is sown at the 

beginning of February in a heated glasshouse 

with a minimum temperature of 18°C. Under 

these conditions the majority of seeds germinate 

within three weeks and can be pricked out 

within the next couple of weeks. The faster 

growing young plants, such as Athrixia, Helichrysum, 

Dianthus or Felicia, are planted in the 

Alpine Garden in June/July of the same year 

while plants such as Kniphofia which need a year 

to bulk up nicely are planted out the following 

year. 

A basic soil mix with a neutral pH is used for 

sowing the seed. For pricking out and for potting 

up young plants a neutral to slightly acidic 

soil mix, rich in nutrients, is used. Peat is avoided 

where possible and a soil mix with a ratio of 1:1 

of fertile soil to fine weathered granite grit works 

well. 

Preparing the new southern hemisphere beds 

On account of the Alpine Gardens position, in 

the middle of a nature protection area, and the 

small size, approximately ½ hectare, only the 

locally occurring limestone rocks are used for 

landscaping within the garden. The base of the 

plant bed consists of a layer of broken rocks to 

assist drainage. 

The prepared area was filled with a mix of freedraining 

soil with fine weathered granite, pumice 

chips and a small amount of well-rotted manure. 

The soil of the high mountains of Lesotho is not 

very deep, on average only 40 cm, but it is very 

fertile. 

Some crevices were incorporated in the rock 

work but due to the limestones ‘break pattern’ it 

is difficult to obtain enough suitable rocks for a 

continuous design of crevices. 

The length of the bed lies roughly along an east 

west axis and is open to the predominating west 

winds which keep the snow level low in this area 

of the garden. The soil is not as wet for as long 

a period during snow melt, although the plants 

are exposed to frost burn if the snow cover thaws 

early in the spring. A second bed for southern 

hemisphere plants lies on the north side of the 

first bed and is mainly for the taller forbs. 

The Lesotho plants flower very late in the season 

due to the long snow cover and cool early summer 

months. This has the benefit of an extended 

flowering season into October with the disadvantage 

that seed seldom ripens before winter. 

Fig. 1. Fetching rocks 

Fig. 2. Foundations 

Fig. 3. Ready for planting 

Diversification of Collections 7

Successes and failures 

Plants which have done well: Alepidea natalensis, 

Athrixia fontana, Cotula socialis, Dianthus 

basuticus, Dierama pauciflorum, Felicia rosulata, 

Helichrysum albobrunneum, Helichrysum witbergense, 

Hirpicium armerioides, Kniphofia caulescens, 

Kniphofia hirsuta, Kniphofia triangularis, 

Osteospermum barbarea Senecio macrocephalus, 

Senecio macrospermus 

Planted this summer (2009) and still being trialed: 

Agapanthus campanulatus, Berkheya purpurea, 

Cyrtanthus breviflorus, Eumorphia sericea, 

Euryops acreus, Euryops decumbens, Gazania 

krebsiana, Geranium multisectum, Helichrysum 

praecurrens, Hesperantha coccinea 

It was too wet for Dierama robustum but there are 

other Dieramas from the moister slopes which 

should be easy to establish. Only two geophytes 

have been tried on the Schachen, Galtonia viridiflora 

and Cyrtanthus breviflorus, neither have 

flowered, perhaps because of the short mainly 

cool summers. Surprisingly, it has been difficult 

to establish Rhodohypoxis on the Schachen but 

with some plants one has to persevere and try 

different angles of slope or perhaps crevices. 

8 

Fig. 4. Athrixia fontana 


Fig. 5. Helichrysum albobrunneum 

Fig. 6. Kniphofia caulescens

The Andes have a rich and colourful 

flora which is very different from the northern 

hemisphere flora. However, the absence of botanical 

gardens at high altitude in South America 

limits the possibilities of exchanges and culture 

of theses plants in Europe. In this context the 

number of Andean species presented in alpine 

botanical gardens is very limited. Since 2003, 

botanical expeditions are organised in order to 

collect non-protected species and display a collection 

of Andean plants at the Jardin botanique 

alpin du Lautaret. Since the previous AABG 

congress at Lautaret (Douzet & al. 2007), new 

techniques have been developed to cultivate the 

plants. 

Experiences in the cultivation of Southern Andean 

plants 

Plants grown from seeds are cultivated near 

Grenoble (at Saint-Marcelin, using the facilities 

Experiences in the introduction 

of southern hemisphere alpines: 

Southern Andes & Patagonia 

Richard HURSTEL, Pascal SALZE, Christophe PERRIER, Rolland DOUZET 

and Serge AUBERT 

Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret / Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France 

Since 2003, the Jardin botanique alpin du Lautaret has chosen to organise botanical expeditions in the Andes 

and Patagonia in order to collect seeds of this colourful flora rarely presented in botanical gardens. Specific 

techniques have been tested for growing the plants (type of soil, pots) and a rockery has been design in order 

to correspond ecologically and aesthetically to the volcanic Andes. 

of the horticulturist Joseph Sarreil-Baron). As 

for most of the other alpine plants, the culture 

at low elevation (500 m) permits a much faster 

growth. Among various combinations of soil, the 

following one gave the best results with plants 

grown from seeds: 60% brown peat; 20% black 

peat; 20 % perlite. 

The use of big pots for sowing seeds (fig. 1) permits 

to avoid a repotting step: young plants are 

transported to Lautaret during the first or second 

summer which follows sowing in spring. Plants 

are first kept in the nursery which is equipped 

with a net reducing the high light stress prior to 

installation in the rockeries (usually the year after). 

We use longer pots (fig. 2) for the plants grown 

from cuttings and for the plants with very long 

root systems (a frequent phenomenon for plants 

growing in Andean volcanic screes or in sandy 

soils of Patagonian steppes). 


Fig. 1. The use of new pots and the mixture of soil (60% brown peat; 20% black peat; 20 % perlite). 

Fig. 2. Long pots used for plants with long roots. On the left, at Saint Marcelin (Sarreil-Baron greenhouses), on the right, 

in the nursery at Lautaret (Bolax gummifera, Apiaceae). 

Extension of the rockery “Andes and Patagonia” 

This rockery has been initiated in 2004. Landscaping 

is designed to correspond ecologically and 

aesthetically to the volcanic Andes: red volcanic 

stones and sand have been installed with a depth 

of around 20 cm. Figs. 3 and 4 show the rockery 

when finished in 2008 (see Douzet & al. 2007 for 

the main steps of landscaping and the website 

http://sajf.ujf-grenoble.fr/). 

The following species have been successfully acclimated 

at Lautaret: Acaena magellanica, Acaena 

10 


sericea, Acaena sp., Azorella filamentosa, Azorella 

fuegiana, Berberis buxifolia, Berberis empetrifolia, 

Blechnum penna-marina, Bolax gummifera, 

Brachyclados caespitosus, Bromus setifolius, Calceolaria 

acutifolia, Calceolaria corymbosa ssp. corymbosa, 

Calceolaria darwinii, Caltha sagittata, 

Chiliotrichum diffusum, Colobanthus quitensis, 

Deschampsia antarctica, Ephedra chilensis, Erigeron 

sp., Festuca gracillima, Hordeum comosum, 

Hordeum sp., Hypochaeris incana, Hypochaeris 

tenuifolia, Laretia acaulis, Loasa nana, Maihuenia 

patagonica, Maihuenia poeppigii, Maihueniopsis 

darwinii, Mimulus cupreus, Mimulus

Fig. 3. The rockery “Andes and Patagonia” in 2008 (on the right) and the rockery “mountains of Northern America” (on the left, 

with grey granite and white limestone). They are separated by the “natural garden”, i. e. the natural subalpine meadow. In the 

distance, the chalet-laboratory and the Grand Galibier range (3200 m). 

Fig. 4. The rockery “Andes and Patagonia” in 2007 (upper part), with La Meije (3987 m) in the distance. 


depressus, Mulinum microphyllum, Mulinum 

spinosum, Nardophyllum bryoides, Nassauvia 

aculeate, Nassauvia glomerulosa, Nassauvia lagascae, 

Olsynium biflorum, Olsynium junceum, 

Oreopolus glacialis, Oxalis adenophylla, Oxalis 

enneaphylla, Oxalis laciniata, Perezia recurvata, 

Philippiella patagonica, Primula magellanica, 

Rubus geoides, Samolus spathulatus, Saxifraga 

magellanica, Senecio patagonicus, Senecio sp., Silene 

chubutensis, Stachys tridentata, Taraxacum 

gillliesi, Valeriana carnosa. 

References: 

• Douzet R, Hurstel R, Aubert S (2007) Towards a collection of 

plants from South America In “Proceedings of the International 

Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens - Which future 

for the Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens? Villar d’Arène-Col 

du Lautaret; 6-9 September 2006” Ed. Station alpine Joseph 

Fourier, pp 86-91 

12 

1 4 

Fig. 5. Some species recently acclimated at Lautaret: 1. Nassauvia aculeata (Asteraceae), 2. Valeriana carnosa (Valerianaceae), 

3. Mulinum microphyllum (Apiaceae), 4. Loasa nana (Loasaceae). 

3 

2 

Diversification of Collections

Anne HUMBURG 

Seligenstadt, Germany 

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens: the many faces of 

North America’s highest botanical garden 

As the highest public botanic garden of North America situated in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Betty 

Ford Alpine Gardens do not only provide the perfect location for growing alpine plants. They also pursue a 

mission in conservation, education and research. Being a non-profit organisation which relies predominantly 

on private donations these goals are not always easy to fulfil but the success of the garden in recent years 

proved that high standards can be reached with an appropriate management. 

The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is 

regarded as North America’s highest public 

garden. At an elevation of about 2500 m more 

than 2100 varieties of plants are shown in an area 

with a size of 0.8 ha. The alpine garden operates 

as a non-profit organisation. Funding is mainly 

based on private contributions, gifts, grants and 

special fundraising events, like the Betty Ford 

Spirit Gala. Smaller amounts are obtained by 

government contributions, annual memberships 

and programme services. 

Half of the expenses are utilised for the garden 

itself and its programmes. About 30 % of the 

budget is for administrative purposes. In total, the 

garden employs five full-time staff: an executive 

director, a director of horticulture and research, 

a garden supervisor, an office and event coordinator 

and a gift shop manager. Each activity and 

each resulting expense is evaluated by means 

of a management plan. This plan describes the 

general mission of the garden which wants to be 

achieved by every single garden operation. The 

mission can be divided in the following themes: 

beautification, education, conservation, research 

and growing green. 

Beautification comprehends the value and benefit 

of a public garden in the township of Vail, 

a popular tourist resort. New plantings, mainte- mainte- 

nance or designing and reconstructing of garden 

areas are implemented to fulfil the goal of beautification. 

Education plays an important role. Educating 

adults as well as young people is accomplished 

by docent-led tours, children’s programmes, 

horticultural therapy, internships, lectures to 


community groups and many other activities. 

Due to the extraordinary location of the alpine 

garden conservation aspects play another important 

role. Actions to sustain the environment, 

principally the surrounding alpine environment, 

are usually performed in cooperation with other 

local or national nature and conservation organisations. 

Sustainability in the gardens is applied 

by use of organic fertiliser, natural pest control, 

compost and river water. Ex-situ conservation 

of some rare North American alpine plants has 

been undertaken by the garden. To make these 

plants available for viewing by the general public, 

awareness should be increased. 

So far, there is only little focus on research by 

reason of the sparse capacities. Activities like an 

online database (BG Base is used) which lists, 

describes and records the progress and specific 

location of every single plant in the gardens, regional, 

national and international seed collecting 

expeditions, seed exchange and smaller research 

projects joined with other institutions are carried 

out. 

The subject “Growing Green” refers to the original 

idea of the gardens. In 1987 the gardens 

was built as a display garden for the residents to 

show them what can be grown in a high altitude 

environment. To this day, this objective is still 

present but others have been added. They pursue 

a more ecological and environment-friendly 

point of view. For example, the xeriscape garden 

demonstrates how to garden with limited water 

resources and thereby promotes ecological 

landscape standards. The target group also altered 

and encompasses not only the community 

but visitors from all over the world. 

Fig.1. View over the Vail Valley from the Upper Garden end 

of May 

14 


Right from the start, the gardens was always 

dependent on donations and volunteering workers. 

Especially, the generous donations of time 

by volunteers who support the garden staff with 

several jobs concerning running a public garden 

result in the success of the Betty Ford Alpine 

Gardens. The success is not only shown in a positive 

annual finance balance, the “growing green 

culture” continues to mature, the gardens’ value 

to the community continues to increase, its reputation 

as world-class, high-altitude botanical 

garden and research centre continues to evolve. 

Fig. 2. Aquilegia caerulea: Colorado’s State Flower 

To maintain and advance the standard achieved 

over many years, public relations are a key issue 

within the management plan. “Investing in our 

children, engaging our community, sustaining 

our environment” is the central idea through 

which the gardens tries to draw attention to its 

presence. 

Besides the mission and the outreach, another 

ambition is to offer most of the programmes free 

of charge and to rely on the donations as admission 

fee. 

Being a relatively young alpine garden, the 

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is looking back on a 

successful past but more important is looking 

optimistically on a promising future.

Fig. 3. “Journey around the World” - a children programme 

at the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens 

Fig. 5. The European Alps Garden is home of alpine plants from the western to the eastern Alps 

Fig. 4. Penstemon debilis at its natural site is one of the most 

rare North American plant species 


On a beautiful day the view of the 

mountains is absolutely overwhelming. It is not 

difficult to understand, that in 1925 the idea of 

an alpine garden on Schynige Platte came up. 

Foundation of the Alpine Garden 

1925 at a meeting of the Swiss Botanical Association 

in Interlaken the idea of an alpine botanical 

garden on Schynige Platte was brought up. 

1927 The founders of the “Association Alpengarten 

Schynige Platte” represented science, tourism 

and nature conservation. 

1930 The garden was opened to the public. 

Ecological concept of the Alpine Garden 

The goal of the garden is to show all plants existing 

in Switzerland above timberline. 

16 

Maintenance guidebook for the Alpine Botanical Garden on 

Schynige Platte above Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland 

Otto and Verena Hegg-Nebiker 

Alpengarten Schynige Platte / Universität Bern, Switzerland 

The alpine botanical garden Schynige Platte hopes to bring a contribution to the conservation of species, and 

when we will make here a progress, our collaborators must know, how their predecessors have worked and 

what the results of their efforts were. Of course, this knowledge is important for our visitors too, for the beauty 

of the whole garden. Therefore we wrote a ”maintenance guidebook” with description of every one of the 68 

parts of the garden and the works to do there. 


All plants are presented whenever possible in 

their natural plant-community or very close to 

these conditions, together with the same plants 

as in nature. When the natural community is lacking 

on Schynige Platte, artificial communities 

are constructed. Only the medical plants make 

an exception. 

The effect of cultivation is kept as low as possible, 

so that our plants could be used as a gene-reservoir 

if necessary. 

Experimental field of Dr. Werner Lüdi (1930) 

1930 W. Lüdi started his experimental field on 

Schynige Platte, 300 m SE of the garden and 

some experiments in the garden it self. This was 

the second fertilizing experiment of the world 

in natural vegetation, the oldest at timberline.

His intention was to make the Nardetum, a very 

poor pasture on acid soil, more productive and 

with better fodder. He treated 340 squares of 1m 2 

in many different ways, especially with different 

fertilizers. O. Hegg got the results and the data of 

this experiment in 1975. Later on, he changed the 

goals of the research. He laid the main interest in 

species diversity and long lasting influences of 

fertilization (Hegg 1984, 1992). There are various 

young scientists gathering new results from this 

experiment now. One important result for species 

conservation: Any fertilization is bad for 

species of nutrient-poor vegetation, and its effect 

lasts for a very long time. In 2006 we can still see 

differences in species composition and in ecological 

measurements for an impact made in 1936, 

after 70 years (Spiegelberger et al. 2006)! 

Both, the alpine garden and the experimental 

field, are of a very high ecological value today, 

even more in future. Both show the long-term effects 

of human influence on alpine vegetation. 

Short look at the garden (see www.alpengarten.ch)Today, 

visitors can enter the garden directly 

beside the railway station and walk on 420 

m of main paths and ca. 500 m of smaller ones. 

They do not have to climb on many peaks; they 

can walk on comfortable paths to find 600 species 

that means two thirds of Swiss alpine plants, 

Sum of Species-cover per Group 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

Seslerio- 

Caricetum 

Crepido- 

Festucetum 

most in their natural association or planted very 

close to these conditions. 

The Garden lies in an altitude of 1975 m and 

measures about 8500 m2. The whole garden was used as a pasture until 

1928. The greatest part shows natural vegetation 

in about 20 phytosociological associations. Four 

are very frequent and important: The blue grassmeadow, 

the meadow of rusty sedge, the alpine 

pasture and the mat-grass meadow (Seslerio-Caricetum 

sempervirentis, Caricetum ferrugineae, 

Crepido-Festucetum rubrae, Geo montani-Nardetum). 

The other associations are present in 

small parts in the garden, but most of them in 

quite typical examples. 

For species foreign to Schynige Platte, it was tried 

from the beginning to develop artificial associations 

(Lüdi 1957). Compared to the plant sociological 

garden of Tüxen in Hannover (Tüxen 

1940), it is much more difficult to establish artificial 

associations in an alpine environment, 

mainly because of the topography which changes 

much more on very short distances. 

Already in 1928 the construction of the “Urgesteinsfeld” 

(part with granitic soil) was started, for 

all plants from the central Alps with their soils 

poor in Calcium. 

All these artificial associations give the possibility 

to show many plants from other parts of the 

1928 1939 1997 2008 

Seslerion Caricetum 

ferrugineae 

Fig. 1. A slope with species belonging to 3 different phytosociologiocal units on limestone was inventoried by W. Lüdi in 1928 

and by O. & V. Hegg in 2008. We see for the sum of cover in % for these species groups a decline of the species from dryer 

vegetation types (Crepido-Festucetum, Seslerio-Caricetum sempervirentis ) and a progress of species of Caricetum ferrugineae, 

an association of more humid conditions. This is a tendency in the whole garden: to more humid relations, more humus 

production, more shadow on the soil. We called this the “ferruginization”, i. e. increase of species of the Caricetum ferrugineae. 

Horticultural Practices 17

Fig. 2. The Geo montani-Nardetum was used as a pasture 

before the garden was founded. From 1930 till 1976 there 

was no use except mowing every two or three years. The 

Nardetum has changed towards a Crepido-Festucetum 

rubrae. Nutrients have been kept in the soil. Since 1976 we 

try to replace the pasture with cattle by sheep. Regeneration 

towards the Nardetum has started. 

Swiss Alps. They must be carefully watched and 

maintained. 

How to keep the present species 

In our Garden with its phytosociological order, 

every species has its place in the suitable association. 

Those present in the garden before it was 

founded should be kept by continuing the maintenance 

as before. When this had been pasturing 

by cattle, we must slow down the succession leading 

towards more productive pastures and later 

on to dwarf shrub heaths etc. Grazing may partly 

be replaced by mowing. To find the correct simulation 

(mowing at the right time, taking away the 

hay with its mineral nutrients etc.) needs many 

years of experimenting that have not yet passed, 

especially for the traditionally pastured Caricetum 

ferrugineae, Crepido-Festucetum rubrae 

and Nardetum. 

The artificial associations give other problems. 

They need the right ecological conditions including 

the correct soil and a good care to protect 

them from the surrounding indigenous vegetation. 

Usually that means of course “weeding” all 

competitive species coming from the neighbourhood 

into the plantation, etc. 

How to get new species 

At the start of the garden, most lacking species 

came from the botanical garden in Bern, were 

bought from wild-flower nurseries or have been 

18 


dug out in nature. Today we usually collect seeds 

from wild populations, sow them in our nursery 

on Schynige Platte and bring them into 

the garden after two years or later. This cultivation 

at their future place prevents them from 

the shock following the jump from 600 m up 

to 2000 m a.s.l. In the garden they all get into 

plantings providing an ecological niche as close 

as possible to the one in nature and where they 

are protected from competition. It has been tried 

to bring them into the closed vegetation, but the 

result was normally that they disappeared soon. 

The root-competition is usually too strong (Lüdi 

1957). It was then decided to have a compromise, 

to plant the species in groups. The “natural” mixture 

can not be cared all right, and until it comes 

from itself, there may be necessary centuries 

(a tuft of Carex curvula increases its diameter 

about 1 mm per year). 

Only very few species have propagated themselves 

into closed vegetation, as Lüdi expected at 

the beginning. He cited Hugueninia tanacetifolia 

as the only one that had left its first place and was 

found on new places on open soil (Lüdi 1957). 

In 1985 we discovered Eryngium alpinum in a 

pasture related to Caricetum ferrugineae, and 

since then we know about half a dozen of species 

that had been brought into the garden and tend 

to get aggressive now. Achillea clavennae, Aposeris 

foetida, Horminum pyrenaicum, Rhodiola 

rosea, Linum alpinum, are such species foreign 

to Schynige Platte. Heracleum sphondylium, 

Crepis bocconi, C. conyzifolia, Laserpitium latifolium 

are some indigenous species that are quite 

aggressive. Cicerbita macrophylla was introduced 

Fig. 3. Till 1930 the whole garden was a pasture for cattle. 

Since then it is used to make hay for the Ibex-Park in 

Interlaken. Paul Brunner carries the hay to the station.

unintentional probably before 1950. As it is not a 

Swiss plant it makes some problems. 

Most of the introduced species we can still find 

only in the places where they have been planted 

many years ago. An example is Cortusa matthioli 

that has been planted in 1949 into an alder bush. 

It is still there, just the branches of alder must 

be cut off, so that it gets enough light, and the 

megaforbs must be shortened sometimes. Only 

once some young plants grown from their seeds 

have been planted to the old ones. 

What may happen without maintenance 

The mat-grass-pasture (Geo montani-Nardetum) 

may be discussed as a vegetation type that 

tends to change strongly in the garden. It was 

intensively grazed by cattle over the past centuries. 

– It began very soon to change towards 

a more productive vegetation-type close to 

Crepido-Festucetum rubrae, without all the typical 

species of poor and acid soils. When we will 

keep the typical species here it is necessary to 

maintain this pasture. We try it by pasturing with 

sheep instead of cows. We have the impression 

that the place looks better than in 1976 when we 

started this experiment. 

Maintenance guidebook 

The basis of our garden is the ingenious concept 

that Lüdi and the other founders gave it: All 

plants grow according to their ecological needs, 

in their phytosociological associations. The older 

the garden and the experimental field get, the 

more valuable and interesting will be the observations 

and experiences there. When we want to 

progress concerning the knowledge of the plants, 

we need as many observations as possible to be 

noted carefully, in the past as in the future. Only 

then we don’t repeat always the same mistakes. 

It was a great challenge for both of us to gather 

and to coordinate all the data concerning the 

plants in the alpine garden, to reflect them, 

including the discussion with our staff, with 

scientists, with gardening experts, to search in 

literature and periodicals, and in the notes 

concerning the developments in our archives. We 

completed one another in an almost unique way. 

Verena as former chief gardener in our Alpine 

Garden during 8 summers, later landscape gardener 

and almost constant partner on excursions 

brought the know-how and the knowledge from 

this side, Otto had the botanical background, especially 

in ecology and phytosociology. Together 

we combined science and practice. The result is 

an up-to-date determination of our momentary 

position to the problems in the garden, but we 

are aware; development goes on, and parts of this 

guidebook must be questioned again and again. 

The most important mistake of our guidebook: 

we wrote it only now and not much earlier. 

Fig. 4. Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, the beautiful mountains 

through a part of tall forbs in the garden. 

The maintenance guidebook (Hegg 2007) 

consists of two main parts. An introduction 

gives the concept and the history of the garden. 

Description of the Quarters. In the first part 

a characterization is given for every one of the 

68 quarters in the garden: development, important 

work that has been done, expected aspect, 

actually present vegetation, goal in this quarter, 

and care needed to reach this. 

Description of the Works. The second part 

shows, where and why the work in the alpine 

garden differs from normal gardening. 

To complete it, we produced several lists and reports: 

• Weekly report for the works done and for 

many observations. 

• Culture list, data of maintenance for a 

species from sowing till the establishment in 

the garden. 

• “Flowering calendar” with times of 

flowering and of ripe seeds. 


• List of species in the 68 quarters with 

desired, allowed and forbidden species 

according to the natural vegetation or the 

goals to reach. 

• List of all 600 species with phytosociological 

alliances in which they grow in nature 

(according to O. Hegg in Flora indicative 

2009, for the part of the Swiss alpines). 

• List of species being invasive in the garden. 

Seeds are collected before they are mature. 

• Data base with notes on origin, time of 

acquisition, place of cultivation, time of 

introduction to the quarter and other 

observations. It goes back to 1930 (Since 

2000 in an Access-Program). Thanks to 

this it is possible to make a yearly control 

of success of important species, too. We 

see here, which maintenance is good for 

this plant. We see unfortunately many lost 

species too. Like this we learn much about 

the needs of the species we cultivate in the 

garden, and this will certainly be important 

when such species should be cultivated for 

nature conservation or when they should be 

brought back into nature sometimes. 

The guidebook is the basis to keep the garden 

according to its concept by a controlled maintenance. 

Team 

Our staff consists of 3 gardeners, 1 farmer and 

all-rounder and his wife, who works in part time 

job at the entrance. Because of the very short 

summer season (only 4 ½ months), our gardeners 

work for us only for 3 years on average. For 

the frequently repeating training of new people 

we need a good documentation. 

Thanks 

We have to thank our gardeners for their good 

work in gardening and with com puters, and the 

committee of the association for support. The 

association of the Alpine Botanical Garden hopes 

that this garden can bring pleasure to the 30.000 

to 40.000 visitors, contribute to the preservation 

of biodiversity and to scientific progress. 

20 


Fig. 5. Survey of the Alpengarten Schynige Platte: the 

path beginning behind the houses of the station and the 

Alpengartenhaus. 

References 

• Dähler, W. 1993: Langfristige Auswirkungen menschlicher 

Eingriffe in alpine Vegetation. Geobotanica Helvetica 1995, Heft 

71, 143 S. 

• Gigon, W.O., 1984: Die Schynige Platte. Geologie und 

Alpengarten. Jahrbuch des Uferschutzverbandes Thuner- und 

Brienzersee. 

• Hegg, O. 1984 a: Langfristige Auswirkungen von Düngung 

auf einige Arten des Nardetums auf der Schynigen Platte ob 

Interlaken. Angw. Botanik 58/1984, S. 141-246 

• Hegg, O.1984 b: 50 jährige Dauerflächenbeobachtungen im 

Nardetum auf der Schynigen Platte ob Interlaken. Verh. Ges. f. 

Ökologie 1984, S 159-166. 

• Hegg, O. 1984 c: 50 jähriger Wiederansiedlungsversuch in 

gestörten Nardetum-Flächen auf der Schynigen Platte ob 

Interlaken. Festschrift Max Welten, Diss. Bot. 72/1984, S. 459- 

479. 

• Hegg, O. U. Feller, W. Dähler, C. Scherrer 1992: Long term 

influence of fertilization in a Nardetum. Vegetatio 103(2) p.. 

133 – 158. 

• Hegg, O. 2005: Das Langzeitgedächtnis der Vegetation. Neue 

Resultate aus der Versuchsweide von 1930 bis 2004 auf der 

Schynigen Platte 2000 m. ü. M. Berichte der Reinhold-Tüxen- 

Gesellschaft 17, S. 41 – 54. 

• Hegg, O. u. V. 2007: Alpengartenpflegewerk. Manuskript, 77 S. 

• Hegg, O. 2008: Schynige Platte, Alpine Garden Guide. 42 p. 

• Hegg, O. 2009: Pflanzensoziologische Vorkommen, in: Landolt, 

E. Ökologische Zeigerwerte und biologische Kennzeichen zur 

Flora der Schweiz und der Alpen. Haupt, 2009. 

• Lüdi, W. 1957: Erfahrungen mit künstlichen 

Pflanzengesellschaften im Alpengarten Schynige Platte. Bulletin 

du Jardin Botanique de l’état, Bruxelles. Vol. XXVII/4, p605-621 

• Lüdi, W. 1959: Versuche zur Alpweideverbesserung auf der 

Schynigen Platte bei Interlaken. Beilage zum Jahresbericht 1958 

des Vereins Alpengarten Schynige Platte, 8 p. 

• Spiegelberger, T., O. Hegg, D. Matthies, K. Hedlund, U. 

Schaffner, 2006. Long-term Effects of Short-term Perturbation 

in a Subalpine Grassland. Ecology, 87(8), 2006, pp. 1939–1944 

• Tidow, S. 2002: Auswirkungen menschlicher Einflüsse auf 

die Stabilität eines subalpinen Borstgrasrasens. Geobotanica 

Helvetica 75, 230 S. 2002

Rock garden landscapes in 

Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden 

Arve ELVEBAKK 

Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden / University of Tromsø, Norway 

Rock garden landscapes have been constructed during three phases at Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic garden. 

The first phase started as a controversial experiment in 1990 mostly with granitic boulders, but became a success 

and defined our later landscape profile. The second phase occurred during a period when previous rock 

sources were closed, and involved more flat landscapes and mostly rocks with no lichen cover. The last phase 

involved construction of dramatic rock landscapes by large quartzitic boulders with nice lichen cover originating 

from a new site. It also included crevice garden areas with vertically oriented rocks in a traditional 

Czech style. The most important results of the emphasis on rocks are esthetical improvement and increased 

habitat diversity. Many exclusive plants, such as succulents from Lesotho and South Africa, several species of 

cacti, and numerous other xerophytic and/or thermophilous plants manage outside in well-drained southern 

slopes. High arctic and high-alpine species, on the other hand, have a much better chance to survive in the 

long term on north-facing slopes which are large and cool enough to prevent excessive respiration losses. To 

us, rocks have simply been the key to success, and we will continue to bring in as much as possible. 

There is no long tradition in Norway 

with alpine rock gardens, except a less intensive 

landscape in Oslo and smaller, private versions. 

When we had Bjørn Thon constructing our 

first rock garden in 1990, it was considered a 

rather controversial experiment. He arranged our 

Himalaya dominated by large granitic boulders, 

and continued with our Primulaceae collection, 

including an artificial water fall above an artificial 

pond. Our experiences were very positive, 

and this initial construction determined our 

later garden profile with a strong focus on rock 

landscapes. This was much in contrast with initial 

plans made by landscape architects. 

A few years later we obtained some iron-rich, 

hard, schistose boulders for our Arctic Valley. 

Then this source of rocks was closed, and we had 

a period with less dramatic landscapes with lower 

quality rocks available, mostly without lichen cover. 

Now our third phase has started, with very 

large, quartzitic rocks with beautiful lichen vegetation 

originating from a very impressive boulder 

slope, a 45 min. drive east of Tromsø. Such 

rocks, several in the range 7-10 tons, a single 

one weighing 12 tons, are now creating a dramatic 

new Arctic Hill together with our Caucasus, 

bordering the improved New Zealand, Africa 

and Gentianaceae collections in the same style. 


Fig. 1, 2. The northern (left) and southern slope (reight) of the new Arctic Hill under construction during September 2009 

A cuesta-style rock outcrop has been established 

in our Saxifragaceae hill by David Holubec, who 

together with Petr Hanzelka, also from Praha, 

constructed a quite large crevice garden landscape 

in our Primulaceae collection. This is in the 

traditional Czech crevice garden style, with flattened 

rocks arranged vertically. 

Our rock garden landscapes have made the area 

much more aesthetically attractive. Rather small 

arctic and alpine plants are much better shown 

against a simulated alpine rock landscape than 

in traditional beds. It also reduces the weed 

problem, although we must admit that even the 

Tromsø area has a poor availability of gravel, 

with colours which can make surfaces match 

their background of boulders. 

Most important, our new landscapes have widened 

very much our range of garden habitats. In 

the south-facing rock fissures we have now established 

three species of succulents (Delosperma 

alpinum, basuticum and nubigenum) from South 

Africa/Lesotho. Also other species from this 

area, such as Athrixia fontana, Berkheya purpurea, 

Cotula socialis, Eucomis bicolor, Glumicalyx 

flanaganii, Hirpicium armerioides, and Phygelius 

capensis and aequalis have survived at least 

one winter. A few of these originate from seed 

exchange with Katse Botanic garden in Lesotho, 

through their cooperation with Munich Botanical 

Garden. 

As much as six species of cacti survived their first 

winter outside, with only a winter roof and 1-1.5 

m open spaces around instead of walls. Several 

Ephedra species and species such as Calceolaria 

22 


arachnoidea, Araucaria araucana, and Perezia 

lanigera have managed out-doors in Tromsø in 

south-facing, gravelly slopes, although an improvement 

of the South American collection with 

more dramatic rock landscapes is on top of our 

priority list. The Australian shrub Prosthanthera 

cuneata has survived three winters, and many 

other xerophytes and/or thermophilous species 

are now being tried. Strongly sloping and welldrained 

landscapes are the best way to avoid the 

ice-sheets which are a threat in our long, snowy 

winter, which regularly also includes periods of 

heavy rainfall due to our coastal climate. To us 

it is a great fun to be able to cultivate such exotic 

plants, and the new rock landscapes increase our 

range of plant habitats significantly. 

Conversely, sufficiently large and cool northfacing 

slopes probably also represent our only 

chances to maintain over time high-alpine 

species such as Ranunculus glacialis and High 

Arctic specialists such as Saxifraga platysepala, 

Ranunculus sulphureus and several Draba 

species. This sheltered area at the base of a steep 

north-facing slope will be a key area in future 

presentations in our garden, dealing with high 

alpine and High Arctic plants threatened by 

global warming. 

We should admit that our different rock garden 

areas have been constructed with a surprisingly 

low degree of premade plans agreed on by 

‘everybody’. Initiatives have been much left to the 

persons in charge of the projects, knowing that 

the rock material at hand is a most decisive factor 

in the construction process. When we now

try to evaluate our own landscapes we see that 

two major concerns have evidently been adapted: 

constructions of suitable plant habitats and 

imitation of real geological features. Most often 

these two intentions overlap, in some cases we 

can see a conflict between them. 

Our decision now is to define imitation of true 

geological feature as an overall guideline for our 

rock garden construction projects. This helps us 

to decide if features are successful or not and if 

they need adjustments. Alternatively, there may 

be numerous opinions on what is aesthetically 

successful and what is not. With this new focus, 

we can see that our oldest landscapes, Himalaya 

and most of Primulaceae, really mimic granitic 

outcrops, as quite large boulders are set closely 

to each other. This is enhanced by the waterfall 

passing through the latter. 

The Czech style Androsace Hill strongly 

contrasts the surrounding rock landscapes. It 

certainly mimics an outcrop of laminated bedrocks, 

arranged vertically. We are very content 

with this structure, but it needs to be supported 

by smaller hills continuing above and below, making 

it look like a natural geological structure 

passing through the Garden. 

The new Gentiana Hill is also very nice, but 

some of the smaller rocks should be rearranged 

to make it look more like a high alpine rock outcrop, 

where rocks are moved by the frost actions. 

The most recent addition to our Saxifraga collection 

mimics a cuesta. This is a geological feature 

of laminated rock outcrops situated in maybe a 

45 degree angle, on a ridge and eroded to one 

Fig. 3. The Androsace Hill during May with Primula 

orbicularis, calderiana and strumosa at its lower slope. 

side. In our hill we need to harmonize some of 

the rock orientations, but we believe that this 

type of geological landscape is among the best 

models as habitats for cushion plants. 

Our large new construction involving the Arctic, 

Caucasus, and Southern Hemisphere collections 

resemble a terminal moraine with large boulders 

arranged with orientations simulating casual 

depositioning as opposed to a wall-like construction. 

This works well, but puts limits to our mesoscale 

constructions, as there are no true crevices 

in a hill of loose boulders, which do not originate 

from a protruding bedrock outcrop. We are now 

trying to solve this by simulating a few laminated 

boulders that have fallen apart, creating a 

‘window’ of crevices in a morainic landscape. 

Fig. 4. The new Saxifraga Hill photographed during October 

2008. 

Our conclusion is that this concept provides a 

variety of artificial garden landscapes. Visitors 

also feel them looking natural, although they 

often do not know what features we have tried to 

mimic. Paths will always be a challenge in such 

landscapes, but we only use natural rocks and try 

to make smooth curves following the landscape 

features. 

We also allow for artificial rock landscapes 

which do not simulate real features, such as an 

amphitheatre near the pond, walls near the old 

houses and a larger planned wall which will 

hide our future plant nursery. However, these 

should be distinct, and we should avoid ‘hybrids’ 

between architectonic and nature-style landscapes. 

There will be still more rock landscapes 

during the years to come, and our overall conclusion 

is simple: we can never get enough of rocks! 


Kongsvoll Alpine Garden is located 

in the central part of South Norway. Kongsvoll 

Biological Station and the hotel Kongsvold 

Fjeldstue are next to the garden. The garden is 

open at least between 15 of June and 15 of August, 

depending on weather conditions. The 

garden can be reached by car, bus and train. The 

main road between Oslo and Trondheim is next 

to the garden, along with hiking and pilgrim 

routes. 

Kongsvoll Alpine Garden is situated at ca. 900 m 

asl in an old farming landscape surrounded by 

birch forests and mountains. It is a semi-natural 

garden of about one hectare presenting local 

flora and nature types. The main purpose of the 

24 

Management of a semi-natural alpine garden facing changes 

in climate and grazing regimes 

Tommy PRESTØ 

Kongsvoll Alpine Garden / Museum of Natural History and Archaeology / 

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway 

At Kongsvoll centuries of farming and grazing has resulted in subalpine areas without forest, but well suited 

for alpine plants. The alpine garden has until now been a self-supporting system of species and plant communities. 

The main input has been nearby grasslands, brooks and hiking paths, and possibly directly from 

surrounding mountains. Open grasslands, grazing fields and rocky outcrops surrounding the garden are 

now being replaced by trees and shrubs. Fewer domestic animals and warmer and wetter climate are main 

reasons for this. Local sources for alpine plants are being reduced, and the garden needs alternative sources 

for seeds and propagules. Planting specimens and seeding of alpine plants may be important to maintain 

species richness in the garden. 


garden is to present botanical diversity of Dovre 

Mountains (Botanical Gardens of Museum of 

Natural History and Archaeology 2009). 

The flora of Dovre Mountains 

The Dovre flora was discovered by Professor 

Georg Oeder (Copenhagen) 1755-60 when 

working on Flora Danica for the Kingdom of 

Denmark - Norway. The first thorough investigation 

was made by Professor Mathias N. Blytt 

(Oslo), starting in the 1830s. Kongsvoll with the 

mountains Knutshøene are among the botanically 

most interesting mountain areas of Norway, 

including many red listed species (Elven et al. 

1996). Many European botanists visited Dovre

Fig. 1. Many trees and scrubs are removed from the alpine 

garden (left of the electric fence). Management of the cultural 

landscape surrounding the garden must be more intense to 

maintain populations of alpine species. 

Mountains after Blytt period and they collected 

vast numbers of specimens. In 1911 collection of 

some rare plants was prohibited by law; the first 

legal plant protection in norwegian history. The 

starting point of an alpine garden at Kongsvoll 

was a presentation of rare vascular plants next 

to the railway station in 1924 – established by 

Thekla Resvoll (Oslo). Since 1966 the university 

in Trondheim is responsible for the garden and 

in 1992 manager Simen Bretten developed the 

original garden and concept for the present location 

and purpose. Kongsvoll Alpine Garden is 

located in a landscape protection area surrounded 

by a National Park (Brox 2008). 

Diversity and local climate conditions 

In Kongsvoll Alpine Garden habitats of cliffs, 

willow scrubs, tall-herb and other meadows, 

small rich fens, snow patch vegetation, alpine 

rigdes, a scree and a brook are present (Kongsvoll 

Alpine Garden 2009). Due to this ecological 

variation most of the common vascular 

plants of the alpine flora can be seen, along with 

species characterizing the Dovre flora. Forest 

species and species of the cultural landscape can 

also be seen. At present more than 200 species 

of vascular plants and more than 50 species of 

lichens and bryophytes are present. Presentation 

of bryophytes, lichens and fungi is a new feature 

which will be focused more in the years to come. 

The precipitation at Kongsvoll is about 475 mm 

per year, but has increased by ca. 20% over the 

last 20 years (Hofgaard 2006, Meteorological 

Institute 2009). Mean July temperature is ca. 

10 ºC and January –10 ºC. Annual amplitude 

is ca. -30 to +28 ºC. Climate scenarios for 2050 

indicate an increase in temperature of 2.5-4 ºC 

and prolongation of the growing season with 3-6 

weeks. The bedrock is calcareous mica schist, 

greenstone and phyllite. The forest limit in the 

area varies between 1060-1100 m asl but is rising. 

Management challenges 

Centuries of farming, including grazing, hay 

making and logging for firewood has resulted in 

an open boreal landscape resembling the alpine 

zone with many alpine species, but with additional 

features as well. 

Most vascular plant species are self-established 

in the garden, reproducing and replacing themselves. 

The garden changes all time: New species 

establish, some disappear after a dry summer or 

severe frost and some species are supplied from 

nearby populations. Recently established species 

are boreal species like Equisetum pratense, Ribes 

spicatum, Sorbus aucuparia. 

The garden is termed semi-natural because 

management efforts are needed to maintain the 

flora and vegetation of the alpine zone and the 

cultural landscape. This is done by removing 

trees and bushes, mainly Betula pubescens, Salix 

spp. and Juniperus communis. Reducing the 

populations of Achillea millefolium, Campanula 

rotundifolia, Deschampsia cespitosa, Galium boreale, 

Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Silene 

vulgaris, Taraxacum spp., Trifolium repens and 

others are important to keep the alpine species. 

Fig. 2. Kongsvoll Alpine Garden located next to the main 

road, hotel and railway. The garden and the old farming 

landscape in surrounded by Betula pubescens forest and 

distance to mountains increases. 


No alien invasive species occur in the garden. 

The summer farming landscape surrounding 

the alpine garden is important for threatened 

species and nature types. A management plan of 

the area has been worked out (Fremstad 2000) 

but the follow-up is not satisfactory. Management 

of the cultural landscape involves grazing, hay 

making, burning and logging of trees and bushes. 

Some of this is performed regularly, other 

tasks are missing. At present the meadows are 

grazed by horses, some sheep and introduced, 

wild musk oxen. Management has to be more 

intense to prevent forest and scrub establishment. 

Previously, grazing by goats and cattle was 

also important and the total number of grazing 

animals was much higher than today. 

Managing the alpine garden does not involve 

grazing at present. Grazing mammals are kept 

outside by an electric fence as they will eat plants 

we like to present to the visitors. 

We now see the results of reduced grazing and 

changes in grazing regimes during the last decades, 

and perhaps climatic changes. The alpine 

garden and the farming landscape at Kongsvoll 

have become isolated “tree-less islands” in a 

forested landscape. Still the “islands” contain 

many alpine species, but distance to natural 

alpine populations is increasing. Self-establishment 

in the garden may be more difficult as 

surrounding vegetation changes. Seed rain may 

be less efficient and recruitment from alpine 

populations may be more occasional when 

specimens in the garden die. This favours selfestablishment 

of boreal species whereas alpine 

Fig. 3. Vascular plants are presented by multilingual 

labels containing line drawings and distribution maps of 

Scandinavia. Self-established Minuartia rubella on a cliff 

wall. 

26 


Fig. 4. Presenting lichens and bryophytes is a new feature of 

Kongsvoll Alpine Garden. 

species must be replanted to keep viable individuals 

or populations. 

Conclusion 

Maintenance of the present concept of Kongsvoll 

Alpine Garden is highly dependent on rather 

intensive and correct management of both the 

alpine garden and the surrounding vegetation. 

The follow up of the management plan of the 

cultural landscape at Kongsvoll must be more 

intensive. Still, the only way to maintain some of 

the species in the alpine garden may be planting 

of specimens. Kongsvoll Alpine Garden will 

then change from a semi-natural garden based 

on self-establishing specimens to become more 

dependent on planting of specimens. Alpine 

species may be replaced by boreal species. 

References 

• Botanical Gardens of Museum of Natural History and 

Archaeology, Trondheim 2009: www.ntnu.no/bot_gardens or 

http://www.vitenskapsmuseet.no/node/23 

• Brox, K.H. 2008. Norges nasjonalparker. Dovrefjell – 

Sunndalsfjella. Gyldendal, Oslo. 

• Elven, R., Fremstad, E., Hegre, H., Nilsen, L. & Solstad, 

H. 1996. Botanical values in the Dovrefjell area. – NTNU, 

Vitenskapsmuseet Rapp. Bot. Ser. 1996-3: 1-151. [in Norwegian 

with English summary] 

• Fremstad, E. 2000. Management plan for the infields at 

Kongsvold Fjeldstue. – NTNU, Vitenskapsmuseet Rapp. Bot. Ser. 

2000-6: 1-34. [in Norwegian with English summary] 

• Hofgaard, A. 2006. Monitoring of palsa peatlands. Initial 

investigation in Dovre 2005: Haukskardmyrin and Haugtjørnin. 

– NINA rapport 154: 1-35. [in Norwegian with English 

summary] 

• Kongsvoll Alpine Garden 2009: www.ntnu.no/kongsvoll_garden 

• Meterological Institute 2009: www.met.no

Education through the new website of the 

Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret 

Serge AUBERT 

Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret / Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France 

Tim CATINAT & Elodie TERRET 

Direction des Systèmes d’Information / Université de Grenoble, France 

Internet has become a powerful tool for education. The Jardin botanique alpin du Lautaret has developed a 

new website in 2007-2008, «sajf-grenoble.fr», proposing information on the different activities of the garden. 

Concerning education the available information deals with classic botany and alpine plants and environment. 

An image bank has also been developed (/Flickr/) and linked to the website. It proposes more than 

10.000 pictures, all with tags permitting an optimal referencing. The major themes are: the plants of the 

garden, the native plants and vegetation of the Lautaret area, the plants of various mountains of the world 

including Andes and Patagonia, New-Zealand, Australia. 

The Jardin botanique alpin du Lautaret 

has started to have a static website since 1999 

with the objectives to communicate the activities 

of the garden and to participate in public and 

student education. In collaboration with the department 

of information systems (Elodie Terret 

and Tim Catinat) we have developed a new website 

in 2007-08, using new facilities: a dynamic 

content management system (CMS open source 

SPIP) connected to the online photo management 

and sharing application Flickr ®. After one 

year of use, the efficiency of the strategy is clearly 

demonstrated both for the public (easy access, 

ergonomic navigation) and for the staff of the 

Garden which develops the website (easy uploading 

and updating, web promotion). 

Education through the website 

http://sajf.ujf-grenoble.fr/ 

This website is divided into 4 sections: Garden, 

Arboretum1 , Research, Botany. 

The section “Garden” provides much information 

on the garden: location, opening dates, activities, 

virtual visit, job offers, index seminum, 

ongoing projects, etc. Concerning education, the 

following items are developed: 

• The history of the garden since 1899 

• The natural environment: geology, climate, 

vegetation, etc. 

1 The arboretum is located in Grenoble. It was created by Robert 

Ruffier-Lanche, the gardener and botanist of the Jardin alpin du 

Lautaret in the sixties. It is managed by the same staff as the garden. 

Education Concepts 27

• The pdf file of the guidebook sold at the 

garden (100 pages) in French, English and 

Italian (fig. 1) 

• The pdf files of the brochures presenting 

the garden (8 pages) in various languages: 

French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, 

Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Romanian, 

Norwegian, Slovak, and Turkish 

• Plants of the garden (link to Flickr ®, see 

below). 

Fig. 1. The guidebook of the garden 

28 

Fig. 2. Elements of botany 


The section “Research” permits to communicate 

on the research activities and facilities at the 

Lautaret pass. All the ongoing projects are 

displayed, as well as the list of publications (in 

English) and a yearly activity report in French. 

Part of the research activities are directly associated 

with the Garden since they use its botanical 

expertise. 

The section “Botany” is mainly focused on education 

of the public and students of botany : 

• Information on the flora of the region of 

Lautaret pass: bibliography (all the old and 

recent publications available as pdf files) 

and images (link to Flickr ®, see below) 

• Basic botany education resources (fig. 2): 

description of a plant with all the vocabulary 

explained (glossary) and illustrated, 

• 

presentation of the main plant families 

(organisation of the flowers, diagrams, 

pictures) 

Education resources: support of conferences 

(sub-antarctic flora, flora of the Andes, etc.) 

and papers (reproduction of alpine plants, 

adaptation of alpine plants to extreme 

environments, etc.) 

• Bibliography of the botanists of Grenoble 

university 

• Information on all alpine and arctic botanic 

gardens

Education through the image database on 

Flickr ® 

Flickr ® is one of the biggest and most efficient 

photo management and sharing applications on 

the web. Our database (http://www.flickr.com/ 

photos/stationalpinejosephfourier/) comprises 

more than 10.000 images, all of them referenced 

with tags and organised in folders. The following 

themes are illustrated: 

• Flora and vegetation of the Lautaret region: 

plants are displayed by habitats, vegetation 

belts (fig. 3) and colours of the flowers 

• Flora and vegetation of Patagonia and 

Tierra del Fuego. Various expeditions have 

been organised by the garden to Chile 

and Argentina since 2005. Around 2.500 

images illustrate ca 900 species, displayed 

by locations (national parks), by major 

vegetation types (fig. 4) and by plant types 

Fig. 3. Flora and vegetation of the alpine belt around Lautaret 

(trees, shrubs, colours of the flowers) 

• Flora and vegetation of the Andes (Patagonia 

excluded): expedition of the garden to Chile 

in 2003, private expeditions to Ecuador, 

expeditions of colleagues (e.g. A. Gröger in 

Venezuela) 

• Flora and vegetation of the mountains of 

Australia and New-Zealand (expeditions of 

the garden in 2004 and 2006), of East Africa 

(private expeditions) 

• Insects of the Lautaret region 

• Plants cultivated in the garden displayed 

by rockeries: pictures of ca 80% of the 2300 

species cultivated 

• Landscaping in the Jardin alpin du Lautaret 

since 2003: images and comments by 

Richard Hurstel, head gardener (fig. 5). 


30 

Fig. 4. Flora of the mixed forests in Northern Patagonia 

Fig. 5. Landscaping course by R. Hurstel 

Education Concepts

Enquiry centred education for alpine botanic gardens. 

Case studies from the EU project 

«Plants scientists investigate» 

Costantino BONOMI 

Giardino Botanico Alpino Viotte / Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Trento, Italy 

In the context of an EU funded FP6 project, specific teaching activities, aimed at children aged 8-10, have 

been developed jointly across Botanic Gardens in Austria, Italy, the UK and Bulgaria. The programme 

focused on plants and sustainability, investigating the concepts of plant ecology, extinction and conservation, 

plants as food and plants in art. Enquiry centered and active learning techniques were employed to stimulate 

scientific thinking at an early stage (e.g. concept cartoons, role plays, play-decide games, predict-observe- 

explain sessions, designing experiments). Viotte Alpine Botanic Garden developed the extinction and conservation 

theme with many modules uniquely adapted for alpine gardens and their education activities. 

Plascigardens (Plant Science Education 

for Primary Schools in European Botanic 

Gardens) is an EU project funded under FP6 

in Science-and-Society as a specific support action 

that runs from October 2005 to December 

2007. This project had been jointly developed 

by four European botanic gardens: the University 

Botanic Garden in Innsbruck, Austria; the 

Viotte Alpine Botanic Garden in Trento, Italy; 

the University Botanic Garden in Sofia, Bulgaria; 

the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK along with 

the Institute of Education in London, UK. 

The project aimed at developing a number of 

resources to deliver better plant science at the 

primary level (target age group 8-10), promoting 

young people’s interest in plant science and conservation 

(Johnson, 2004). The project had been 

structured in 4 stages: a preliminary analysis of 

the status of plant science education in primary 

schools, a creative stage in which an education 

tool was devised and structured, an active trial 

phase in which the materials were tested with 

selected schools over an 8 month period along 

with an evaluation stage from both teachers and 

children and a final part producing and disseminating 

the teaching resources and the training 

materials to schools and botanic garden educators. 


Education for sustainability using enquiry 

centered learing 

The whole programme focused on plants and 

sustainability, aiming at showcasing that all 

life depends on plants (Tilbury, 2004), investigating 

four key concepts: plant ecology, extinction 

and conservation, plants as food and plants 

in art (Summers et al., 2003; Sanders, 2005). 

Each country specifically developed one key 

concept and all four of them were later circulated 

for feedback from all partners (Tizzard and 

Hughes, 1984;Sandoval, 2003: Driver et al., 1994, 

1996; Wandersee, 1983; Wood-Robinson, 1991). 

The final product is an enquiry centered, multilingual, 

multicultural plant science education 

tool focusing on plant diversity and employing 

enquiry centred and active learning techniques 

to stimulate scientific thinking at an early stage, 

such as concept cartoons, role plays, play-decide 

games, predict-observe-explain sessions, designing 

experiments (Harlen, 1999; Price and Hein, 

1991; Wolins et al., 1992; Cox-Petersen et al., 

2003). 

The extinction and conservation module was 

designed and developed by the Viotte team and 

is ideally suited to be used in alpine gardens, specifically 

addressing the conservation theme in an 

alpine context, introducing specific threats to 

plant diversity that might have potentially dramatic 

effects in the Alps such as global warming 

and presenting hotly debated issues such as 

ski slope development and its consequences on 

the environment, stimulating kids to understand 

the benefits and to practice sustainable development. 

The theme includes 10 modules with a series of 

interactive steps that lead the pupils to appreciate 

the problem of plant extinction (fig. 1) and 

its global consequences. They can then consider 

how they might contribute to plant conservation 

and how mankind can attain sustainable development 

locally and globally. Step one introduces 

children to the plant kingdom and encourages 

them to find ways to describe and illustrate different 

plant samples. Step two stimulates them 

to become aware of the problem of plant extinction. 

A specific role play game has been designed 

to showcase this concept. In it the children play 

the part of plants receiving the nutrients, light 

and water they need (specific cards) in order to 

32 


Fig. 1. Children surveying an endangered plant (Myricaria 

germanica) along riverbanks in the Italian Alps as part of the 

extinction and conservation module. 

survive in a given number of sites (fig. 2 and 3). 

The storyboard then introduces a series of events 

(e.g. draught, new roads, changes in land use, 

new protected areas) that initiate variation in 

the number of resources and sites (fig. 4). Eventually 

some plants will go extinct and some 

others will increase their presence. The third 

step is a discussion of the games’ outcome to 

encourage children to appreciate the percentage 

of extinct species, the causes of extinction and 

the different significance of partial versus global 

extinction. The final step makes them think of 

what mankind can do to prevent extinction, with 

special reference to the role that botanic gardens 

can play. 

The attention naturally focuses on seed collection, 

safe storage, germination and cultivation. 

A simplified play-decide game is used to make 

the kids aware of the special germination requirements 

of the different species and poses

the question on how they can make the seed 

germinate (story cards introduce different germination 

behaviours). In particular the concept 

of seed dormancy is presented and a final challenge 

card requires a decision on the more likely 

way to overcome it (e.g. a cold period mimicking 

winter, a hot period mimicking summer, etc., 

fig. 5). An additional interactive step presents 

seed structure and seed dispersal mechanisms. 

A concluding role play introduces the concept of 

sustainable development. Here the children play 

citizens of an alpine valley where a major skiing 

area is about to be developed heavily impacting 

on the environment and plant survival. Different 

options are introduced and alternative scenarios 

for future developments are presented with their 

short and long term effects. A final decision 

needs to be taken and groups of citizens must 

argue and vote for the preferred option taking 

into account the long term results of their choice 

(Malone and Tranter, 2003). 

Fig. 2. One of the character cards in the extinction role play 

game introducing a plant its distribution and its needs for 

survival as part of the extinction and conservation module. 

Fig. 3. Children get ready to play the extinction role game 

looking for the resource cards they need for survival as part 

of the extinction and conservation module. 

Evaluation, Applicability and transfer 

The effectiveness of the cooperative learning approach 

employed and its impact on the children’s 

self esteem and motivation have been constantly 

evaluated during the course of the project (Hein, 

1995; Naylor et al., 2004; Brady, 2003). The final 

cross tested products, evaluated and nationally 

adapted, are available on-line (www.plantscafe. 

net) and also in form of a printed book and CD 

available on request from the project partners. 

Training materials are available for teachers and 

botanic garden educators for Continuing Professional 

Development. 

Conclusions 

All of those involved in this project hope that 

these activities will contribute to making future 

generations aware of the importance of plant 

conservation for the sustainable development of 

human society. Sowing in children the seeds of a 

sense of stewardship and the values that encourage 

them to care for our natural resources and 

plants in particular. 


Fig. 4. Part of the master story in the extinction role game 

where the different event are introduced as part of the 

extinction and conservation module. 

Acknowledgements 

The author wishes to thank the EU 6th Framework 

Programme for Research in the European Union 

for the financial support to this project under the 

Science and Society scheme and the very motivated 

project core team including 12 scientists 

and educators from 4 countries and more than 

80 teachers and classes taking part in the project. 

References 

• Brady, L (2003). Curriculum Construction, 2nd ed. Sydney, 

Pearson. 

• Cox-Petersen, A, Marsh, DD, Kisiel, J, Melber, LM (2003). 

An investigation of guided school tours, student learning, and 

science reform: Recommendations at a museum of natural 

history. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 40: 200–218 

• Driver, R., Asoko, H., Leach, J., Mortimer, E., Scott, P. 

(1994). Constructing Scientific Knowledge in the Classroom. 

Educational Researcher, 23(7), 21-23. 

• Driver, R., Leach, J., Millar, R. Scott, P. (1996). Young people’s 

images of science. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. 

• Harlen, W (1999). Effective Teaching of Science. The Scottish 

Council for Research in Education, Edinburgh. 

• Hein, GE (1995). Evaluating teaching and learning in museums. 

In E. Hooper-Greennill (Eds.), Museum. Media. Message 

(pp.189-203). London: Routledge. 

• Johnson, S (2004) Learning science in a botanic garden. 

In Braund, M and Reiss, M. Learning Science outside the 

Classroom. (75-93) London: RoutledgeFalmer. 

• Kolb, D (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as a Source of 

Learning and Development, (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass) 

34 


Fig. 5. Children discussing the best conditions to make seeds 

germinate stimulated by a simplified play decide game as part 

of the extinction and conservation module. 

• Malone K, Tranter, PJ (2003). School Grounds as Sites for 

Learning: making the most of environmental opportunities. 

Environmental Education Research, Vol. 9, No. 3 

• Naylor S, Keogh B, Goldsworthy A (2004). Active Assessment, 

Thinking learning and assessment in science. Millgate House 

Publishers 

• Price, S, Hein, GE (1991) More than a field trip: Science 

programmes for elementary school groups at museums. 

International Journal of Education 13, 505–519. 

• Sanders, D (2005) Boring botany? Rethinking teaching about 

plants in schools, NfER Topic 33 April 2005 pp. 4–8 

• Sandoval, WA (2003).The inquiry paradox: why doing science 

doesn‘t necessarily change ideas about science. Proceedings of 

the Sixth Intl. Computer-Based Learning in Science Conference. 

Nicosia, Cyprus. pp. 825-834 

• Summers M, Corney G & Childs A (2003). Teaching Sustainable 

Development in Primary Schools: an empirical study of issues 

for teachers. Environmental Education Research, Vol. 9, No. 3 

• Tilbury, D (2004). Rising to the challenge: Education for 

sustainability in Australia, Australian Journal for Environmental 

Education, 20(2), 103-114. 

• Tizzard, B & Hughes, M (1984). Young Children Learning. 

London: Fontana Paperbacks 

• Wandersee, J. (1983). Student’s misconceptions about 

photosynthesis: A cross-age study. In: H.Helm & J. Novak (Eds.), 

Proceedings of the International Seminar: Misconceptions in 

Science and Mathematics. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University. 

• Wolins, IS, Jensen, N, & Ulzheimer, R (1992). Children‘s 

Memories of Museum Field Trips: A Qualitative Study. Journal 

of Museum Education, 17(2), 17-27. 

• Wood-Robinson, C. (1991). Young people’s ideas about plants. 

Studies in Science Education, 19, 119–135.

Educative tools to connect an alpine garden to the 

surrounding vegetation 

Christine FREITAG 

Fachhochschule Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany 

The Schachen Alpine Garden is a centre of knowledge about alpine plants, situated in the nature reserve 

‘Schachen und Reintal’. Since 2007 the garden and its surrounding environment are connected closer by an 

educative concept. On the basis of relevées and soil profiles in the surroundings of the garden as well as literature 

research, plant species, soils and vegetation types were recorded and ecological and historical data about 

the region were gathered. Facts worth knowing to the visitor about the area were sorted by topics, which are 

presented to the public on five permanent panels (survey map, geology, elevation belts, succession, history) in 

the garden. Completing this basic information, flyers are available as hand-outs, guiding the visitor on the 

two most frequented foot-paths leading to the garden. These flyers introduce to the different types of vegetation 

next to the paths together with typical plant species. 

Since 2007 the Schachen Alpine Garden, 

satellite garden of the Botanical Garden 

München-Nymphenburg in the Wetterstein 

Mountains (Bavaria), and its surroundings are 

connected closer by an educative concept developed 

by the Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg 

in cooperation with the FH Weihenstephan, 

University of applied science. 

The purpose of the project is to give the visitors 

the opportunity first to see alpine plants from 

the most diverse mountain regions of the world 

inside the garden, and then to get a closer look 

at the native vegetation and ecological relations 

outside in the Schachen area. 

The surroundings 

The garden is a centre of knowledge about alpine 

plants from all over the world. It is situated in 

the nature reserve Schachen und Reintal (the 

red line in fig. 1 is marking the boarder), where 

a fascinating variety of alpine vegetation can be 

found. 

Also important for walkers and tourists are huts 

like the “Wettersteinalm”, “Schachenhaus” and 

“Meilerhütte”, where board and/or lodging are 

offered. 

All these locations are connected by highly 

frequented footpaths within the nature reserve. 


Fig. 1. Presentation board, fixed near the entrance, explaining the concept’s tools to the visitors. 

The garden 

From its surroundings the garden is separated 

by a huge fence to prevent chamoises and other 

animals from getting into the garden during 

wintertime. 

Inside the garden you can find plant species from 

mountainous regions from all over the world. 

Near the entrance the beds with native flora are 

located. Though it’s a big part of the garden, not 

every flowering plant of the surrounding vegetation 

can be cultivated there and of course there’s 

a difference between seeing a plant in the garden 

or in its natural habitat. 

The intentions of the concept 

• to somehow get over the fence and connect 

the garden closer to the surrounding 

vegetation. 

• to give the visitors information about 

ecological relations and the native vegetation 

without placing anything like a sign or a 

36 


presentation board outside garden (not 

allowed in the nature reserve). 

• to strengthen the gardens function as a 

natural-science-information-centre. 

• to realize the whole project with a low 

financial budget. 

The target group 

To develop a successful concept it’s important to 

get to know the target group: in this case the garden’s 

visitors and the walkers outside. By interviewing 

them, we got the following information: 

Who they are: 

• nature enthusiasts 

• people with basic knowledge in botany 

• tourists 

• families 

• of all ages

Fig. 2. Covers of the two flyers for the most frequented hiking routes 

What are they interested in: 

• plants and vegetation outside the garden 

• geology 

• climate 

• soils 

• types of vegetation 

• history of land use 

• animals 

How would they like to get the information? 

• pictures and colour photos 

• something to take on the walk 

Collecting information 

After evaluating the interviews, the facts worth 

knowing to the visitors were sorted by topics and 

research could be started. 

On the basis of relevées and soil profiles in the 

surrounding of the garden, as well as literature 

research, plant species, soils and vegetation types 

were recorded and ecological data of the region 

were gathered. 

The concept 

Under the already described preconditions and 

with the previously named intentions in mind 

the following concept was developed: 

Facts worth knowing to the visitor about the area 

(geology, elevation belts, succession, history of 

landuse) were extracted from the collected information. 

They are now presented to the public on 

four presentation boards in the part of the garden 

dedicated to native vegetation. (fig. 4) 

In addition to this basic information, flyers for 

the two most frequented foot-paths, leading to 

and from the garden, were developed, introducing 

the different types of vegetation next to the 

paths together with typical plant species (fig.2). 

Every flyer introduces five vegetation types in 

the same order as you can find them next to 

the two selected trails (I: from “Alpengarten” to 

“Meilerhütte”, II: from “Alpengarten” to “Wettersteinalm”). 

An example for one vegetation type is shown 

in fig. 3. First, one photo gives an impression of 

the vegetation type which is described shortly 

in an accompanying text. Beneath this text 

follows a series of pictures of typical plants, easy 

to find and to recognize. Another criterion for 

the choice of species was a different point of 

flowering, so that the flyers can be used during 

the whole summer. In addition to that, below the 

picture series, there is a listing of further plants 

which can be found in that habitat. 

Both flyers are available in the garden as well 

as download from the webpage of the botanical 

garden. It was decided to go for coloured flyers 

in high quality and to sell them for a nominal 

charge. On the one hand to prevent the visitors 


Fig. 3 One vegetation type (Carex firma association) described in the flyers 

from leaving the flyers somewhere in the nature 

reserve and on the other hand because colourpictures 

make it easier to recognize the plants 

outside. 

Since the boards are fixed in the garden, each 

year a lot of flyers have been sold and visitors take 

the opportunity to learn more about the area and 

its ecological relations. Of special interest is the 

presentation board with the aerial view, which is 

a less abstract copy of the landscape than a map 

of trails. 

38 


Fig. 4. One of four information boards in the Schachen 

Alpine Garden (size 85 x 60 cm)

Kew’s Alpine House – what’s the point? 

Katie PRICE 

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, United Kingdom 

A general question is why we should use our limited resources to grow and display alpine plants in a lowland 

botanic garden. The talk explores the work of the Alpine and Rock Garden units at the Royal Botanic 

Gardens, Kew, explains the technology behind the new Davies Alpine House and shows some of the landscaping 

and cultivation techniques both in the nursery and the display house. 

At a congress for gardens situated at 

high altitudes, which offer optimum conditions 

for the cultivation of a huge range of plants, the 

obvious question is, what is the point of trying to 

grow alpines in a lowland garden such as Kew? 

There are many obstacles to successful cultivation 

at Kew: the increasingly warm, dry summers 

of south-east England mean that many 

of the plants have to survive temperatures far 

beyond their natural limits; the mild, wet winters 

threaten those which, in their native habitats, 

spend up to nine months in cool, dry dormancy, 

wrapped in a protective blanket of snow. 

But there are five compelling reasons to maintain 

an alpine collection at Kew: duty, beauty, science, 

education and horticulture. 

First, duty: as the national botanic garden for 

England, Kew is obliged to maintain a national 

botanical reference collection, representing as 

many plant families as possible from as many 

parts of the globe as possible. Mountains cover 

25% of the world’s landmass, so the mountain 

flora is a critical part of that reference collection. 

Even if it were the only justification, then surely 

beauty would be reason enough. The diverse 

beauty of the mountain flora is explored through 

four distinct areas in the north-eastern zone of 

the Gardens: the Woodland Garden, which concentrates 

on herbaceous woodland plants; the 

Rock Garden; the Alpine House and the Alpine 

Nursery. The alpine collections contain dramatic 

species from six continents. South American 

flora includes plants from the barren, windswept 

uplands of Patagonia – Petunia patagonica and 

Calceolaria uniflora, the extraordinary Leontochir 

ovallei from the coastal mountains of Chile’s 

Atacama Desert; from New Zealand comes 


Raoulia albo-sericea, Leucogenes grandiceps; 

Craspedia uniflora; North Africa yields the lovely 

Syrian Pelargonium endlicherianum, the Yemeni 

Helichrysum arwae and Primula verticillata; 

North America offers us Lewisia rediviva, Monardella 

macrantha and the lovely Mariposa lilies, 

such as Calochortus tolmiei; Western Asia offers 

jewels of the Primulaceae family, like Dionysia 

tapetodes, and exquisite monocots such as Tulipa 

montana and the juno Iris nicolai; further east 

we find Pakistan’s Arnebia benthamii and China’s 

Helleborus tibetanus, Japan’s Ranzania japonica 

and Epimedium sempervirens; in France’s maritime 

alps grow the Primula allionii and high 

in the Pyrenees, another Primulaceae, Androsace 

hirtella. And finally, in northerly coastal 

meadows, Primula scotica. 

Fig. 1. Calceolaria uniflora 

Now to science. Scientists from Kew and from 

other organisations around the world consider 

Kew’s alpine collections to be a valuable resource. 

Living material is collected for inclusion 

in Kew’s growing DNA bank; monographs have 

been completed on the genera Crocus, Cyclamen, 

Lewisia, Arum, Galanthus, Epimedium, 

Allium section Allium and Roscoea. Kew’s Head of 

Genetics, Dr Mike Fay, studied collections of 

Gilliesia, an insect mimic, for Alliaceae systematics 

and led the Liliales project, investigating the 

evolutionary history of the genera Fritillaria, 

Gagea and Tulipa. 

40 


Conservation has to be a key rationale for Kew’s 

collections. The quarter of the world’s landmass 

occupied by mountains also provides home for 

at least 12% of the global population, with another 

14% living in close proximity. A further 

24% depend on stable mountain ecosystems for 

water, food, hydroelectricity, timber and mineral 

resources. Research suggests that this stability 

is threatened by climate change: in 2007, Italian 

scientists repeated a 50-year-old plant survey, 

and found that, in response to a 1.5°C rise in 

temperature, many plants have retreated to higher, 

cooler altitudes, and now occur 430m higher 

than 50 years ago. There is a limit, of course, to 

how much higher they can go. Th There ere is an equal- equal- 

ly grave threat from human activity – tourism, 

forestry and dam building for example. 

The cultivation of alpine plants ex-situ feeds back 

into conservation efforts by governments and 

communities around the world. Our knowledge 

could help in future habitat restoration. Our collection 

could provide living material to support 

such work. In the Alpine House we grow Centaurea 

akamantis, one of IUCN’s top 50 most 

endangered Mediterranean plants. It occurs only 

on the shady cliffs of one gorge in Cyprus. This 

endemism – a frequent characteristic of alpine 

species - confers vulnerability. 

The staff of the Alpine and Rock Garden units 

travel widely, to observe alpines growing 

naturally and to source new material for the 

living collections. Collections Manager Richard 

Wilford traveled to Chile to work with government 

agencies, training staff to carry out ex-situ 

conservation of their flora. Joanne Everson, 

Rock Garden manager, mounted a significant 

collecting trip to New Zealand in 2006, working 

with government partners and botanic gardens 

to ensure full compliance with the Convention 

on Biodiversity. Kit Strange collected material in 

Canada; Stewart Henchie and Charles Shine in 

Chile; Graham Walters in Morocco. Other recent 

study tour destinations include Georgia, Italian 

alps, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, USA, Kyrgystan, the 

Maritime Alps, Schynige Platte and the famous 

Schachengarten in Bavaria. 

Kew’s Living Collections database is a powerful 

tool for conservation. Each collection of plant 

material held by Kew has assigned to it a unique 

‘accession number’, linked to a record of its

provenance, its curation and cultivation details. 

This resource holds the collection details and 

field notes of its natural sourced (wild-collected) 

material, including information about exact 

geographical position, altitude, geology, habitat, 

associated flora. 

A key mission for Kew is education. The Gardens 

welcome over 1.3 million visitors per annum and 

we give tailored tours of the alpine collections to 

the general public, school and college groups, 

horticultural societies, other botanic gardens, 

Kew students and trainees. The alpine collections 

allow us to graphically explain physiological 

adaptation to extreme habitats, endemism, diverse 

pollination mechanisms, plant communities, 

climate change and sustainability. We value 

our close links with the Alpine Garden Society: 

an organization with 9,000 members meeting 

in over 50 local groups in England, Wales and 

Ireland. I and my colleagues, Kit Strange and 

Joanne Everson, have given over 35 lectures in 

the last 2 years, chiefly to AGS members but 

also to horticultural societies, NCCPG groups, 

Women’s Institutes and natural history organisations. 

I have been privileged to work on two 

award-winning AGS exhibits at the Chelsea 

Flower Show. We also extend our education work 

through collaboration on books, such as Richard 

Wilford’s Tulips, reports, websites and magazines 

such as Curtis’ Botanical Magazine. 

Underpinning our scientific, conservation and 

education work is horticulture. Kew horticulturists 

maintain strong connections with horticulturists 

and gardeners in the UK and beyond, 

Fig. 2. Androsace hirtella 

Fig. 3. Crocus autumn flowering 

exchanging knowledge and experience. When 

alpine material is acquired by the gardens, there 

are four separate areas in which it can be cultivated: 

the Rock Garden, with approximately 

2,600 accessions of which 1,250 are natural 

sourced; the Woodland Garden, with around 

1,700 accessions, 960 of which are natural 

sourced; the Alpine House with 400 accessions, 

of which over half are natural sourced; and the 

Alpine Nursery with over 4,650 accessions, an 

astonishing 3,120 of which are natural sourced. 

The successful cultivation of this amazing collection 

of living material requires the highest 

possible standards of observation, propagation, 

experimentation and communication. Newly 

acquired material, such as that brought back by 

Joanne Everson from New Zealand in 2006, is 

propagated to provide enough material to try in 

several different locations. Calceolaria uniflora 

and Draba bryoides have survived the last winter 

to thrive this year on the Rock Garden, having 

previously been confined to the Alpine House. 

Several Dionysia species, including D. mozzafarrianii, 

until recently destined exclusively for 

pot culture in the Alpine Nursery, are growing 

extremely well in the Davies Alpine House. 

The Davies Alpine House is Kew’s third 

alpine house. It is named after businessman and 

philanthropist Edwin Davies OBE, whose generous 

donation funded the project. It replaces the 

second alpine house, which was built in the late 

1970s and which had consolidated the reputation 

of Kew’s alpine collections. However, in the 

soaring summer temperatures of recent years, 


the second house struggled to maintain the cool 

conditions, high light levels and low humidity 

required by the more demanding alpines. So 

Kew had a great opportunity to capitalise on new 

technology and advances in architecture in the 

creation of a bespoke new glasshouse for alpine 

plants. 

Architects Wilkinson Eyre were given a demanding 

brief. The new alpine house was to provide: 

protection from winter wet; high light intensity; 

cooling mechanisms; good air movement 

and various habitats. In addition, it needed to 

be environmentally sustainable. Lastly, in line 

with Kew’s status as a World Heritage Site, the 

building had to complement the historic glasshouses 

such as the Palm House and the Temperate 

House. The new house was to be sited in a 

far more prominent position, as a gateway to the 

125-year old Rock Garden. 

In developing their ideas, the architects turned 

to natural forms. The Barossa termite of Africa 

builds nests up to 20 feet in height, with fully 

integrated passive temperature control. Air is 

drawn from the surroundings through tunnels 

into an underground chamber, which has a large 

contact surface area with the ground to help cool 

the space on hot days and warm the space on 

cold days. When the central core becomes too 

warm, the termites unblock openings to ventilation 

shafts to exhaust the air out of the top of 

the nest. As the air leaves at the top, fresh, cool 

air is drawn in through the lower tunnels. So the 

whole structure acts like a big air conditioning 

system. 

Fig. 4. April 

42 


Fig. 5. Primula scotica 

The Davies Alpine House reflects this model. Its 

shell of glass is supported by a curved steel spine, 

10m high at its apex, with glass vents that remain 

permanently open except in rain or high winds. 

The steeply sloping glass walls convey warm air 

up to escape through these vents, and fresh air is 

drawn in from below. The low iron content glass 

allows over 90 per cent of light to pass through 

it, with minimal hindrance from the slender, 

steel cable structure on which the panes are 

suspended. Beneath the landscape and floor, a 

concrete labyrinth acts as a heat sink. A small fan 

pushes air through a maze of concrete passages 

and a series of vents direct the cooled air up and 

across the plants above. The building presents its 

narrow face to the south to limit exposure to the 

sun at its zenith and beautiful fan-shaped sails 

are drawn up on the eastern and western sides to 

shade the plants from the sun at its most aggressive. 

The structure works well: the temperature 

inside the house does not exceed the exterior 

temperature and the environment is dry due to 

the constant movement of the air. 

The landscaping affords many opportunities 

to experiment with the cultivation of the more 

exacting alpines, particularly the cushion plants. 

The interior landscape is primarily made of 

sandstone rocks, recycled from the previous 

alpine house. This creates sun-baked terraces, 

north- and west- facing cliffs, horizontal and 

vertical crevices, shady gullies. There are two 

plunge beds and two steel benches, where plants 

cultivated in pots in the Nursery are displayed, 

ensuring that the Alpine House is ablaze with

colour, whatever the season. There is a tufa wall 

and two ‘drystone’ walls. The 400 accessions permanently 

planted in the Alpine House landscape 

are joined by up to 100 plants from Nursery at 

any one time. Not bad for a space of under 100 

square metres! The plants are irrigated individually 

using lances, and pests – such as vine 

weevil, aphid and carnation tortrix moth larvae - 

are managed using biological controls. 

So can the expense of a bespoke, cutting edge 

glass house be justified? The Davies Alpine 

House caused a great stir when it was first 

opened and continues to attract the attention of 

tens of thousands of Kew’s visitors. The structure 

and the plants prompt endless questions from 

curious adults and school children alike, raising 

awareness of the beauty and diversity of mountain 

flora and at the same time broadening the 

understanding of contemporary threats to these 

extraordinary environments. If an organization 

like Kew does not push the boundaries of technology 

and horticulture, who will? 

In the three and a half years since planting began, 

many changes have been made both to the 

landscape and the plantings, as we observe the 

way in which the structure performs and how 

the collections respond. The Davies Alpine 

House has a stream of regular ‘fans’ and is a key 

element of the daily guided tours of the Gardens. 

It has quickly established itself as one of the 

‘must-see’ features and delivers strong messages 

about Kew’s science and conservation work, as 

well as being a showcase for alpines and for their 

cultivation. 

Fig. 6. Leontochir ovallei 


Because Prof. Peter from the Georg 

August University in Göttingen knew that the 

ecological conditions on top of the Brocken were 

comparable with the ecological situation in the 

Alps at about 2.000 m, he founded the Brockengarden 

in1890. 

On the Brocken we have the timber-line at about 

1.100 m. In the German low mountain range 

only the Brocken has a natural timberline area. 

Th e climatic conditions on the Brocken are 

extreme. The mean annual precipitation is 2.000 

mm (rain and snow); the mean annual temperature 

is about + 3°C. Furthermore we have 306 

44 

Investigation on renaturation of the subalpine meadow 

vegetation on top of the Brocken mountain 

Gunter KARSTE 

Brockengarten / Nationalpark Harz, Wernigerode, Germany 

Since 1990 great efforts have been done to restore the former military area on top of the mountain Brocken 

into the Harz National Park. The restoration measures aimed to establish mosaics of the former natural 

vegetation with subalpine Calluna-heathland and meadow vegetation as well as to support endangered 

plant species like Pulsatilla alpina subsp. alba. Moreover, effective management to control the increasing 

dominance of grasses (e. g. Calamagrostis villosa) caused by a tremendous input of atmospheric nitrogen 

should be developed. Since 1991 small-scale heathland restoration experiments were performed using two 

different methods (sod cutting in different depths and mowing). Overall the sum of the restoration measures 

led to an increasing number of Pulsatilla alpina subsp. alba individuals on top of the Brocken. To stabilize 

that positive trend in population dynamics the management and restoration of the subalpine heathland 

communities on the Brocken must be continued. 


days of fog and so in winter very often hoarfrost 

on the trees. 

But among these climatic factors storms are the 

most limiting factor for the growth of the spruces. 

That’s why the trees are not able to grow tall. 

The spruces (fig. 3) are 150 to 200 years old and 

only about 5 m high. The Brocken is the most 

windy and stormy place in Germany. 

From 1961 to 1989 the Brocken area became a 

military zone, and was therefore closed to the 

public. In 1990 the Brocken looked like a big military 

camp (fig. 1).

Fig. 1. In 1990 the Brocken looked like a big military camp 

But just from the beginning the national park 

concept of Brocken development included the 

restoration and regeneration of nature and the 

scientific monitoring of succession processes. 

So the protection of nature, the scientific investigation 

and public relations are important tasks 

of the Brocken garden. 

Before it was possible to start the renaturation on 

top of the Brocken mountain, we had to establish 

permanent test areas. We did that in 1991, 

before the Russians left the Brocken in 1994, As 

we needed very good arguments for our renaturation 

programme it was very important to do 

that. Every year we have about 1,5 million visitors 

on the Brocken and the area of the militarycamp 

was very attractive to Mac Donalds. 

After the decontamination there weren´t any 

plants left in the area. 

Only three years later the test area was covered 

with vegetation up to 50%. Because Deschampsia 

Fig. 3. The timber line at about 1,100 m on top of the Brocken 

mountain 

Fig. 2. When the Russian Army left the Brocken the 

nationalpark renaturated the whole area 

cespitosa tolerates changing humidity it dominates 

in this test area. Now the area is covered 

with vegetation up to 80%. All in all we found 

about 25 different plant species. 

So we proofed that it is possible to renaturate the 

Russian camp under the extreme climatic conditions 

of the mountain Brocken. 

When the Russian army left the Brocken, we 

renaturated the whole area. First we eliminated 

the Brocken wall (fig. 2). After that we removed 

20.000 t of limestone. It was necessary to remove 

this basic material, because native animals and 

plants of the Brocken are adapted to acid granite. 

After we had removed the military camp we 

established 10 permanent test areas. In the 

beginning the area was without any vegetation, 

just like the first test areas in 1991. 

Ten years later the whole area was covered with 

vegetation: Deschampsia cespitosa covered the 

area to over 50% (fig. 4). At the same time we 

Fig. 4. Permanent plot (2006): bare of vegetation (white); 

other species (light blue) 

Research and Conservation Activities 45

investigated the permanent test fields, and we 

mapped the vegetation of the whole area by the 

method of Braun-Blanquet. After five years, this 

investigation will be repeated. 

But from the beginning we counted the 

individuals of the Pulsatilla alba population 

(fig. 5). Mostly we found this species together with 

Deschampsia flexuosa and Calluna vulgaris. 

But Deschampsia cespitosa and Calamagrostis 

villosa conquer the area, because we have an 

annual precipitation of 2.000 mm and that’s why 

the nitrogen input is very high. In such vigorous 

grass cover Pulsatilla alba isn´t able to exist. 

Therefore we investigated the conditions to 

promote the typical vegetation associations like 

the subalpine meadow vegetation 

Anemono-Callunetum. We tested the influence 

of mowing and we removed the grass and its 

roots together with the uppermost soil layer. 

46 

Fig. 5. Monitoring of Pulsatilla alpina ssp. alba on the Brocken (1990 - 2008) 


Deschampsia flexuosa dominates in the test area, 

if we cut and remove the grass every year. If we 

don´t do that, Calamagrostis villosa prevails. 

Furthermore we tested the influence on the 

meadow vegetation if we removed the grass with 

a thin or thicker soil layer. Taking a shallow soil 

layer, Calamagrostis villosa is the the dominant 

species, but if we were removing more Calluna 

vulgaris and Deschampsia fexuosa prevail. On 

weekends volunteers often help us to remove the 

grass and to plant heath. 

The trend is that the number of Pulsatilla alba 

individuals increases (fig. 5) So I think our 

Brocken garden fulfills a lot of different tasks: 

It is a place where unique nature is protected, 

and environmental education as well as research 

programs are conducted.

Detection of climate change impacts in alpine and 

arctic botanic gardens: a phenology program 

Andreas GRÖGER 

Alpengarten auf dem Schachen/ Botanischer Garten München, Germany 

Annette MENZEL 

Fachgebiet für Ökoklimatologie / Technische Universität München, Germany 

Since decades many Botanic Gardens in the lowlands are conducting standardized phenological observations 

of cloned plants, recording timing of leaf unfolding, flowering, fruit ripening, leaf coloring, and leaf 

fall (e. g. International Phenological Gardens project, since 1959). But long term observations from higher 

elevations, which are affected even more severely by climate change, are still very scarce. Alpine and Arctic 

Botanic Gardens (AABGs) offer a perfect field for these studies, allowing to compare the effect of climate 

change on genetically identical plants under alpine as well as arctic conditions. Following AABGs agreed to 

cooperate in a joint phenological program: Alpengarten auf dem Schachen (Germany), Giardino Botanico 

Alpino Viotte (Italy), Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret (France), Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden 

(Norway) and Reykjavik Botanic Garden (Iceland). 

Effects of climate change on plant life 

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change (IPCC) has drawn very different 

scenarios. Two years later, rising CO emissions 

2 

and further results in climate research proof, 

that the worst case scenario becomes more than 

probable, i.e. an average increase of atmosphere 

temperature of more than 4°C until 2100. The 

effects on biodiversity will be drastic (Rosenzweig 

et al. 2007). 

One of the hard hit environments will be subalpine 

and alpine biomes. But nevertheless, data 

on the effects of climate change to ecosystems 

in high altitudes are still quite scarce. In general, 

with each °C increase of temperature in the 

mountains, the duration of snow cover decreases 

by several weeks, the glacier line shifts upward 

by 60 to 140 m and the treeline shifts upward by 

several 100 m. 

The only options for plant species to respond 

to these changes are migration to higher altitudes 

or higher latitudes (Parmesan & Yohe, 

2003) or adaptation (ecological plasticity, microevolution). 

Especially temperature and drought 

sensitive species and species which are poor 

dispersers, will face the risk of extinction. For 

some mountain ranges the prognosis of loss 

of local plant species exceeds 60%, assuming a 

temperature increase of 4°C. 


Phenology 

Plant life rhythms, as bud-opening, flowering, 

leaf-out times, leaf fall, etc., can act as well 

tuned indicators for climate change (Inouye 2008, 

Parmesan 2007). Since 1959, the International 

Phenological Gardens (IPG) project, now based 

at the Institute of Crop Sciences at Humboldt 

University in Berlin, records standard phenological 

observations, using the clones of 23 different 

plant species. It is the longest running 

project of its type and meanwhile some 50 Botanical 

Gardens all over Europe participate (fig. 1). 

Observers record the timing of leaf unfolding, 

flowering, fruit ripening, leaf coloring, and leaf 

fall. 

The evaluation of the records taken between 1971 

and 2000, supplemented by additional observational 

series, revealed that in mid and higher latitudes 

of Europe there is a significant earlier onset 

of spring events and lengthening of the growing 

season (Menzel et al. 2006). The average advance 

of spring/summer was by 2.5 days/decade, the 

delay of leaf colouring and fall by 1.0 day/decade, 

what efficiently matches the measured national 

warming across 19 European countries. Refering 

to three decades the vegetation period extended 

11 days in average. The records for this analysis 

Fig 1. Distribution of International Phenological Gardens in 

Europe 

48 


were taken in 21 European countries, all in low 

elevations. Long term observations from higher 

altitudes, which are affected even more severely 

by climate change, are still very scarce. 

Why Alpine and Arctic Botanic Gardens 

(AABG)? 

Alpine Gardens in combination with the related 

Arctic Gardens provide a perfect field to study 

the impact of climate change on plant organisms. 

Compared to monitoring in the wild, these gardens 

offer following advantages: 

• individual plants are growing separated in 

sheltered conditions and can be monitored 

reliably (experimental situation) 

• competitive reactions with other plant 

species and other factors that might 

influence plant traits, can be controlled 

• monitoring by trained gardeners, who are 

present during the vegetation period and 

have a good knowledge of “plant behaviour” 

(reliable observations) 

• several gardens are already maintaining a 

climatological station 

• long term institutional backing (scientific 

know-how) 

• possibility of parallel and comparable 

studies within the network of Alpine and 

Arctic Botanic Gardens (exchange of clones) 

• the topic ‘climate change and its 

consequences’ can be transported easily 

to the public (supporting environmental 

policies) 

AABG Phenology Project: objective and implementation 

The objective is, to sharpen the scientific profile 

of AABGs by conducting a long-term phenological 

monitoring program, which is documenting 

the effects of climatic change on a set 

of genetically identical indicator species in 

European mountains and next to the Polar 

Circle. 

Following five AABGs already declared to join 

the project: Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret 

(France), Giardino Botanico Alpino Viotte (Italy), 

Alpine Garden on the Schachen (Germany), 

Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden (Norway) 

and Reykjavik Botanic Garden (Iceland) 1 . 

1 

Jardin d’Altitude du Haut Chitelet (France) asked to participate, right 

after the Conference

Fig 2. Arnica montana and Rhododendron ferrugineum, two of the projected indicator species for the phenology program 

The project requires following implementation 

steps 

• selection of a set of 10 indicator species 

• vegetative propagation of one clone for each 

indicative species; long term maintenance of 

the mother plant collection 

• preparation of a standardized protocol for 

the phenological observations 

• distribution of genetically identical plants 

together with the observation protocol to 

the participating gardens 

• public presention of the project 

• compilation of the collected data; 

comparison with climatological data; 

evaluation 

Selection of indicator species 

The first step is to select and propagate the indicator 

species. Suitable species have to comply 

with certain criteria: 

• native European species with a considerable 

ecological amplitude (to be cultivated in 

very different AABGs) 

• species that can be propagated vegetatively 

(to share the same genetic clone) 

• different life forms and different plant 

families 

• with phenological phenomena that can be 

monitored easily 

• with phenological phenomena that cover 

the whole vegetation period 

Following species will be part of the program 

and propagated from a mother stock on the 

Schachen and in Lautaret: Allium senescens, 

Arnica montana (fig. 2), Dryas octopetala, Geum 

reptans, Helianthemum oelandicum ssp. alpestre, 

Rhodiola rosea, Rhododendron ferrugineum 

(fig. 2), Ribes alpinum, Salix reticulata, and Saxifraga 

paniculata. 

All gardens participating in the phenology project 

will use the same clone of one species. Only 

then phenology reflects the influence of environmental 

factors rather than genetic differences. 

As phenological observations of Rhododendron 

ferrugineum in Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 

showed, the phenological behaviour of different 

clones of the same species can vary considerably, 

even when growing in the same bed (Thompson 

et al., pers. comm., fig. 3). 

Additionally, the participating gardens should 

start at the same time with the project, because 

flowering date can be plant size driven (Miller- 

Rushing et al. 2008). That means, the plants of an 

indicator species should be of same age. 


Outlook 

The projects schedule is to select and propagate 

the indicator species in 2009 and 2010. In the 

same time, the standardized protocol for the 

phenological observations should be prepared. 

In beginning of 2011 the first plants together 

with the protocoll will be distributed to the 

participating botanic gardens. 

The AABG Phenology Project could contribute 

to close the gap of knowledge concerning the 

effect of climate change on plant life rhythms in 

higher altitudes and latitudes. Especially in the 

climate change debate, sound scientific data are 

essential for any progress within the political 

debate. 

References 

• Inouye DW (2008) Effects of climate change on phenology, frost 

damage, and floral abundance of montane wildflowers. Ecology 

89 (2), 353-362. 

Fig 3. Rhododendron Phenology Project at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: three accessions of Rhododendron ferrugineum, 

monitored in 2007 and 2008, with contrasting flowering curves (Thompson, C. L. et al, pers. comm.) 

50 


• Menzel A, Sparks T, Estrella N, Koch E, Aasa A, Ahas R, Alm- 

Kübler K, Bissolli P, Braslavská O, Briede A, Chmielewski FM, 

Crepinsek Z, Curnel Y, Dahl Å, Defila C, Donnelly A, Filella Y, 

Jatczak K, Måge F, Mestre A, Nordli Ø, Peñuelas J, Pirinen P, 

Remišová V, Scheifinger H, Striz M, Susnik A, van Vliet AJH, 

Wielgolaski FE, Zach S, Zust A (2006) European phenological 

response to climate change matches the warming pattern. Global 

Change Biology 12, 1969-1976. 

• Miller-Rushing AJ, Inouye DW, Primack RB. 2008. How well do 

first flowering dates measure plant responses to climate change? 

The effects of population size and sampling frequency. Journal of 

Ecology 96: 1289–1296. 

• Parmesan C (2007). Influences of species, latitudes and 

methodologies on estimates of phenological response to global 

warming. Global Change Biology 13: 1860–1872. 

• Parmesan C, Yohe G (2003). A globally coherent fingerprint 

of climate change impacts across natural systems. Nature 421: 

37–42. 

• Rosenzweig C, G Casassa, DJ Karoly, A Imeson, C Liu, A 

Menzel, S Rawlins, TL Root, B Seguin, P Tryjanowski (2007) 

Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and 

managed systems. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation 

and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the 

Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. 

van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University 

Press, Cambridge, UK, 79-131.

Concerning two alpine botanical gardens 

of the Caucasus 

George NAKHUTSRISHVILI 1,2 , Sh. SIKHARULIDZE 1 , R. MURTAZALIEV 3 

1 Tbilisi Botanical Garden / Institute of Botany, Tbilisi, Georgia 

2 Ilia Chavchavadze State University, Tbilisi, Georgia 

3 Mountain Botanical Garden of the Dagestan Scientific Centre / Russian Academy of 

Sciences, Dagestan, Russian Federation 

There are two alpine botanical gardens in the Caucasus: Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden (founded in 

1912, Georgia) and Gunib Alpine Botanical Garden (Dagestan, Russian Federation) with rich plant living 

collections. Collections of alpine plants also exist in Tbilisi, Baku, Yerevan and other Botanical Gardens of 

the region. For a long time studies of bio-ecology and genetic selection (the latter mainly in Gunib Garden) 

of introduced high mountain plants have been carried out in the gardens. In the recent period the alpine 

gardens have undertaken additional function that is ex situ conservation of rare and threatened plants 

not protected in the wild (not occurring on protected areas or places inaccessible for people). The issue has 

become more relevant after starting the IUCN project: Coordination and Development of Plant Red List 

Assessments for the Caucasus (the Regional Center of the project is in Tbilisi) that revealed ca. 200 critically 

endangered endemic species of the Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot, which are in need of ex situ conservation 

measures. The species should be cultivated in the gardens according to their ecological requirements. Our aim 

is acquaintance with international methods and technologies of plant conservation and their application in 

the alpine botanical gardens of the Caucasus. 

Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden 

Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden (BABG) is 

located in the village Bakuriani (N 41°45,972 

E 43°31,226) – Georgia’s outstanding mountain 

resort and skiing center of international 

importance (1700m asl). It is situated in a broad 

depression surrounded by forested mountain 

slopes. Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden 

was established in 1912 and Engler, Radde and 

other famous European botanists attended the 

opening ceremony. 

Situated at 1650 m asl the Garden specializes in 

plants of the Caucasus Mountains and its collections 

include some 400 species collected in the 

Caucasus, an arboretum of about 125 species of 

trees and shrubs (including 75 from the Caucasus), 

and some 250 species of herbaceous plants 

from elsewhere in the world grown from seed. 


Among others, the following species are in the 

Garden collections: Allium globosum, Galanthus 

ssp., Angelica purpurascens, Astrantia maxima, 

Heracleum wilhelmsii, Asphodeline taurica, 

Primula pallasii, Aconitum orientale, Aquilegia 

caucasica, Delphinium ssp., Helleborus abchasicus, 

Ranunculus cappadocicus, Woronowia 

speciosa, Dictamnus caucasicus, Saxifraga cartilaginea, 

Digitalis ciliata, Valeriana colchica, Viola 

kupfferi, Viola pumila, etc. Because the Caucasus 

is a center of diversity for many temperate 

genera, these collections are extremely important 

for taxonomic research and for genetic 

conservation (Chelidze et al. 2009, Javakhishvili 

1970, Nakhutsrishvili et al., 2006). 

The goals of the Garden are: 

• Ex-situ conservation of rare and endangered, 

endemic, and Red Data Book species of 

Georgia’s flora 

• Seed exchange with other botanical 

institutions 

• Training courses for students 

• Environmental education 

The Garden area is about 30 hectares in total. A 

Centre for Environmental Education was built 

in 1997 with support from the WWF (World 

Wildlife Fund for Nature). This is used for 

education programs as well as for overnight 

accommodations for visiting scientists. Regular 

training courses for teachers, media representatives, 

and other professional groups are organized 

and held at the Centre for Environmental 

Education. 

The collections are planted in an area of about 2 

hectares, many in rock garden beds. Decorative, 

medicinal, endemic, and saxicolous plants are 

grouped together in specific areas. 

The Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden serves 

to protect valuable plant genetic diversity, to 

provide a base for research on the many different 

plant communities in the region, and to educate 

residents, tourists, and professionals in the 

nature and importance of the flora of the region. 

The Garden collections comprise a number 

of rare species collected in remote areas of the 

Caucasus that are currently inaccessible due to 

political tensions. The collections are unique – 

many plant species cannot be seen in any other 

botanical garden. 

52 


In addition to these permanent collections, the 

BABG serves as a repository for plants salvaged 

from development sites and as a nursery to grow 

plants for the restoration of areas disturbed by 

development. An example is the work for the BP 

pipeline, where plants salvaged from the path 

of the pipeline are being grown in the BABG 

nursery for restoration. 

The BABG in addition to its collections also 

includes natural areas. An important stand of 

forest, mostly oriental spruce, pine, and beech 

occupies about 10 hectare and is already used 

for educational programs. This forest is tremendously 

important because it is one of the last 

remnants of forest in the region. An important 

role that BABG plays, is to protect this area in 

order to make it available for future generations, 

using it for education and research. 

The Bakuriani volcanic plateau is surrounded 

by mountain ranges on three sides. The 

Trialeti range, the Lesser Caucasus, lying south 

of the Bakuriani plateau separates the latter from 

the Javakheti volcanic upland. Topography of 

the Borjomi-Bakuriani region is characterized 

mainly by Paleogenic folded structure with 

deposited volcanic covers, which have formed the 

plateau. Paleocenic and Eocenic volcanic layers 

have given rise to formation of the topography 

of the region. The andesite tuff breccias of the 

middle eocene prevail in the area. 

The Borjomi-Bakuriani region belongs to the 

climatic zone considered transitional between 

humid oceanic and humid continental types 

of the climate. Average monthly temperature is 

below 0°C during five months in the upper part. 

The minimum temperature is equal –26°C in 

Bakuriani. The summer period, with average 

daily temperatures above 15°C lasts from the 

second third of July until the second third of 

August. The average annual precipitation is 800 

mm. The main precipitation maximum is in July 

and the secondary maximum in November; the 

main minimum is in January and the secondary 

minimum in August/October. 

Soil cover is characterized by a rich variety. In 

the forest zone the mountain-forest brown soils 

predominate. The secondary meadows usually 

grow on the forest brown soils transformed 

into the meadow soils. The mountain meadow, 

mountain meadow peat, mountain meadow

1 2 

3 

Fig. 1. Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden: 1. Ecological Station, 2. Gadellia lactiflora in the rock garden, 3. Scorzonera ketzkhovelii, 

4. Paeonia lagodechiana 

soddy and mountain meadow soddy-peat soils 

prevail at the treeline and in the alpine belt. 

The region is mainly covered by forests. The 

western part of the Trialeti range, which is 

often called “Tskhratskaro”, being the most 

elevated area of the Borjomi district, creates a 

quite sharp climatic boundary. In general, forest 

is the prevailing vegetation type in the district; 

the forests of the Borjomi district particularly 

include: spruce forests made up of Picea orientalis, 

pine forests made up of Pinus kochiana, 

beech forests made up of Fagus orientalis and 

mixed spruce and beech, also abies (Abies nordmanniana) 

and beech forests. 

In the Borjomi-Bakuriani gorge the following 

vertical belts of vegetation can be distinguished: 

middle mountain forest (800-1500 m), 

upper mountain forest (1500-1800 m), subalpine 

(1800-2400 m) belts and an alpine belt forming a 

fringe (2400-2600 m) around the region. 

4 

Gunib Alpine Botanical Garden of the 

Dagestan Scientific Centre 

The main station of the Alpine Botanical Garden 

of the Dagestan Scientific Centre, Russian Academy 

of Sciences is located on the central part of 

the Gunib plateau, the eastern Greater Caucasus. 

The Garden was established in 1972 as an 

experimental station of the Laboratory of Plant 

Genetics under the Department of Biology of 

the Dagestan Branch of the USSR Academy of 

Sciences. In 1992 its status was changed and the 

Garden became an independent scientific institution. 

The mission of the Garden includes: 

1. Development of scientific principles 

and techniques for plant introduction in 

mountainous areas of the North Caucasus; 

2. Search for ways to reveal, protect and use 

genetic resources of wild and cultivated 

flora; 

3. Studies in the fields of population and 

evolutionary biology, ecophysiology and 

genetics of introduced plants. 


The Garden has collections of ornamental plants 

of the natural flora of the Caucasus (about 120 

species); rare, endemic and threatened species 

(more than 80); local varieties and forms of fruit 

crops (about 600 specimens); dendroflora of 

mountainous countries of the world, etc. Some 

of the species grown in the Garden collections 

are: Allium daghestanicum, Asphodeline taurica, 

Campanula andina, Delphinium puniceum, 

Eremurus spectabilis, Euonymus nana, Glaucium 

flavum, Leucojum aestivum, Nectaroscordum tripedale, 

Paeonia tenuifolia, Papaver bracteatum, 

Psephellus hymenolepis, Pterocarya pterocarpa, 

Salsola daghestanica, Salvia canescens, Sternbergia 

colchiciflora, etc. 

Gunub mountain is an isolated synclinal 

limestone plateau stretching from the East to 

the West, with well-pronounced edges. Its area 

is about 15 km2 , maximum altitude is 2351 m asl 

and minimum 1400 m asl. The plateau, which 

has the shape of a plateau-like range, is mainly 

constituted by Upper Jurassic, rarely Upper Cretaceous 

limestone with dolomites. 

Climatic indices at the level of the former location 

of the meteorological station (1583 m asl) 

characterize the climate as continental. Annual 

precipitation is 680 mm with its maximum in 

June-July; 80-90% of the annual amount falls during 

the summer months. Mean annual temperature 

is 6.7°C with its maximum in July-August, 

mean maximum is 12.3°C and mean minimum 

2.8°C. 

Soils on the plateau are brown forest and 

mountain meadow black soil-like stony and 

rubbly, weak. 

Significant areas of the northern and partly 

southern slope are occupied by fallow lands 

(since the 1860’s) now in part covered by 

forest communities. At present almost the whole 

terrace system is transformed into hay fields and 

pastures. Forests cover about 190 hectares of the 

northern slope between 140-2100 m asl and are 

mainly represented by birch forest. On the lower 

part of the plateau (1430-1500 m) hornbeam 

(Carpinus caucasica) forest, rarely poplar (Populus 

tremula) forest predominate with Pteridium 

aquilinum, Calamagrostis arundinacea, C. caucasica, 

Carex humilis in the herbaceous cover. 

Pine (Pinus kochiana) forest forms a pure stand 

in the upper part of the plateau (up to 2100 m), 

54 


but pine also makes up sporadic micro-communities 

in the birch forest. Birch forests located at 

middle altitudes (1500-2000 m) are dominated 

by three species (Betula pendula, B. litwinowii 

and B. raddeana), each of which forms both 

pure and mixed stands usually with Salix caprea. 

B. raddeana was first described in 1885 by 

G. Radde on Gunib plateau (locus classicus). The 

species forms many hybrids with the two other 

species. 

The shrub layer of the Gunib forests is rather 

homogenous, if present, and comprises Juniperus 

oblonga, Rosa oxyodon, R. pulverulenta, 

R. spinosissima, Cotoneaster racemiflorus, Euonymus 

verrucosa. 

Secondary and subalpine meadows (1700-2350 

m) used as pastures are represented by stepped 

meadows dominated by sod-forming grasses, 

mainly Festuca varia, Carex humilis, Alchemilla 

sericata, A. rigida, etc. Grasslands are totally 

degraded on account of overgrazing. 

Large areas on southern and eastern inner slopes 

of the plateau are occupied by petrophytes, and 

mountain steppe and rock xerophytic species 

communities grow on erosion cones. Salvia 

canescens C. A. Mey. (= S. daghestanica Sosn.) is 

a constant component of these communities. 

In the flora of the plateau there are a great number 

of species endemic to Dagestan and more 

widely distributed endemics of the Caucasus, 

many of which are first described from this 

plateau (Allium gunibicum, Medicago gunibica, 

Rhamnus awarica, Gentiana grossheimii) or from 

Limestone Dagestan. Among them are species 

from various families: Asteraceae (Artemisia 

daghestanica, Jurinea ruprechtii, Kemulariella 

rosea), Brassicaceae (Alyssum daghestanicum, 

Matthiola daghestanica), Campanulaceae (Campanula 

andina, C. daghestanica), Caryophyllaceae 

(Silene daghestanica, Gypsophila capitata, 

Dianthus awaricus), Cistaceae (Helianthemum 

daghestanicum), Convolvulaceae (Convolvulus 

ruprechtii), Dipsacaceae (Cephalaria daghestanica, 

Scabiosa gumbetica), Fabaceae (Astragalus 

alexandrii, Medicago daghestanica, Onobrychis 

bobrovii), Lamiaceae (Thymus daghestanicus), 

Iridaceae (Iris timopheevii), Poaceae (Stipa daghestanica, 

Psathyrostachys rupestris), etc.

1 2 

3 

Fig. 2. Gunib Alpine Botanical Garden: 1. Office Building, 2. Iris acutiloba, 3. Muehlenbergella oweriniana, 4. Primula juliae 

Threatened and rare ornamental plant species 

occur on the plateau and the most noteworthy 

are species of the families Liliaceae (Lilium 

monadelphum, Fritillaria lutea, Merendera 

trigyna, M. ghalghana, Puschkinia scilloides) and 

Orchidaceae (Orchis coriophora, O. militaris, 

O. ustulata, Dactylorhiza triphylla, Traunsteinera 

globosa, etc.). 

The minimum number of gymno- and angiosperms 

recorded on the plateau to date is 500. 

But if the species occurring on outer slopes 

between 900-1400 m asl and all vascular plants 

are included, the number reaches 800, i.e. about 

25% of the flora of Dagestan (about 3000 species). 

This makes Gunib plateau a good object 

for scientific-educational activities in the fields 

of floristics, plant resource study and nature 

conservation (Chilikina, 1962). 

4 

References 

• Chelidze D., Sikharulidze Sh., Kurdadze T. 2009. Bakuriani 

Alpine Botanical Garden. Tbilisi. 

• Chilikina, L. N., Shiffers, E. V. Vegetation map of Dagestan 

ASSR. Moscow-Leningrad, 1962, 96 p. (In Russian) 

• Javakhishvili, A. Bakuriani High Mountain Botanical Garden. 

1972. Tbilisi. (In Russian) 

• Nakhutsrishvili G., Sikharulidze Sh., Abdaladze O. 2006. 

Bakuriani, Natural and cultural resources of the Borjomi 

Region. Tbilisi. 


56 

International Plant Exchange Network (IPEN): a transparent 

documentation instrument in accordance with the 

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 



168 nations worldwide signed the Convention on Biological Diversity. The legal consequences of the CBD 

are hitting Botanic Gardens into their heart: the acquisition and international exchange of plant material is 

restricted severely. The main dilemma is that within CBD negotiations Botanic Gardens are not perceived 

adequately as non-commercial “users of plant genetic resources”. For this reason Botanic Gardens designed 

a voluntary certification and monitoring system to transfer plants in accordance with the CBD: the Inter- 

national Plant Exchange Network. 124 Botanic Gardens adopted this policy. But a significant increase of 

IPEN membership is necessary to influence politics and to prevent a very restrictive “International Regime 

on Access and Benefit Sharing”, on which the forthcoming Conference of Parties in Nagoya in 2010 will 

decide. 

CBD and the reaction of Botanic Gardens 

The Convention on Biological Diversity converts 

more and more into a mere conflict of commercial 

interests between the industrialized ‘North’ 

and the biodiversity rich ‘South’. And Botanic 

Gardens are right on the conflict line! Meanwhile 

168 nations worldwide signed the CBD. 

By implementing especially Article 15 (Access 

and Benefit Sharing, ABS) of the CBD in national 

legislation, countries rich in biodiversity try 

to restrict the access to their ‘genetic resources’. 

With these restrictions, Botanic Gardens are hit 

in their heart. The acquisition and international 

exchange of seeds and plants is affected seriously. 

Networking 

The main dilemma is, that in ABS negotiations 

commercial and non-commercial users of plant 

genetic resources are not differentiated adequately. 

A Botanic Garden is underlying the same 

restrictions as e. g. a pharmaceutical enterprise 

does. To alter this and to increase the confidence 

of countries of origin, the community of Botanic 

Gardens developed standardized voluntary ABS 

policies. Two initiatives are the most advanced: 

(a) the Kew Principles on ABS and (b) the International 

Plant Exchange Network (IPEN). 

IPEN is designed as a voluntary certification and 

monitoring system that facilitates the acquisiton 

and non-commercial exchange of plant material

etween Botanic Gardens, according the provisions 

of the CBD. In 2003 it was endorsed by the 

European Consortium of Botanic Gardens and 

now it counts 124 members in 16 countries. 

Fig 1. Plant material collected during expeditions to foreign 

countries (like here seed of Aloe polyphylla from Lesotho) 

can only circulate within Botanic Gardens, if it is guaranteed 

that CBD and other legal provisions are complied. 

Key elements of IPEN 

All IPEN tools are available as download at Botanic 

Gardens Conservation International (www. 

bgci.org/resources/ipen). The three key elements 

are: 

(a) Code of Conduct, which has to be signed to 

become a registered IPEN member. It sets out a 

common policy for the acquisiton, maintenance 

and transfer of plant material between member 

gardens, as well as non-members. Additionally 

it offers advice for sharing of non-monetary 

benefits. Once registered, BGCI provides each 

new member garden with an own acronym (Garden 

Acronym) 

(b) Each plant material that circulates within 

IPEN has to be tagged with an individual IPEN 

Number. The IPEN Number consists of four 

consecutive parts: 

• Country of origin (two-lettered ISO country 

code, “XX” for unknown origin). 

• Restrictions of transfer (“1” indicates an 

existing restriction; “0” if none). 

• Garden Acronym (of the Garden which 

entered the plant material into IPEN) 

• Accession number (of the Garden which 

entered the plant material into IPEN). 

(c) Material Transfer Agreement (MTA): Inbetween 

IPEN-members the circulation of plant 

material is unbureaucratic. No tranfer agreement 

has to be signed. Only the correspondent IPEN 

Number has to be transferred with the plant 

material, comprising all relevant information. 

But if plant material is going to leave the network, 

the recipient has to sign a standardized MTA in 

advance, guaranteeing that CBD provisions are 

fullfilled. Therefore this MTA is part of the Index 

Seminum of every IPEN member. 

IPEN Number as a unique identifier 

The IPEN Number is the essential element, 

guaranteeing that the origin of the plant 

genetic resource is traceable at any time of plant 

exchange. It acts as a unique identifier that with 

every transaction travels unmodified with the 

plant. All derivatives, like seeds, offshoots, DNA 

samples, etc., maintain that very same IPEN 

Number. 

The IPEN Number is assigned by the first 

garden, which enters a plant genetic resource 

into IPEN. This garden is the one, which has to 

store the full available documentation for the 

plant material (such as taxonomic data, type of 

material, source or collecting data, permits related 

to the acquisition and any condi tions or terms 

of the country of origin). The following gardens, 

which receive and pass on the plant material, 

only have to maintain the IPEN Number with 

the plant. Thereby, IPEN represents a feasible 

monitoring system according CBD provisions 

with a minimised bureaucracy. 

Networking 57

Some examples, how IPEN Numbers can look 

like: 

Example (1): A good deal of IPEN Numbers 

has to be assigned to plant material without any 

further information on its origin. For this 

plant material with unknown origin an IPEN 

Number would look like the following: 

XX-0-RAM-89.2769 

XX: country of origin is unknown 

0: no transfer restrictions 

RAM: Jardin Alpin La Rambertia entered the 

material into IPEN 

89.2769: accession number of La Rambertia 

Example (2): For plant material with documented 

origin an IPEN Number would be 

assembled like this: 

SI-0-TR-A673/3428 

SI: country of origin is Slovenia 

0: no transfer restrictions 

TR: Giardino Botanico Alpino Viotte 

entered the material into IPEN 

A673/3428: accession number of Viotte, under 

which detailed information is available 

The “country of origin” may not mistaken for 

information on the general distribution of the 

species. It is only used, if it is documented that 

the plant material was collected originally in this 

country. 

Example (3): Plant material with transfer 

restrictions usually is not suited for IPEN. Only 

in rare cases, an IPEN Number can look like the 

following: 

LS-1-M-2003/2855w 

LS: country of origin is Lesotho 

1: material with transfer restrictions, 

which have to be requested 

M: Munich BG entered the material into 

IPEN 

2003/2855w: accession number of Munich, 

under which detailed information is 

available 

58 

Networking 

Fig 2. Cover of seed catalogues of Munich Botanic Garden, 

from 1819 and 2008. The international seed exchange is an 

important source for plant material for Botanic Gardens. 

Future ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) regulations could 

have a major negative impact on this traditional instrument. 

Reasons to join IPEN now 

The major mission of IPEN is that Botanic 

Gardens demonstrate that they are complying 

with CBD provisions. IPEN aims towards an 

increasing transparency in the transfer of plant 

material, thereby creating a climate of confi- 

- 

dence between countries of origin and Botanic 

Gardens. 

In October 2010, the Conference of Parties to the 

CBD (COP 10) will meet in Nagoya (Japan). This 

meeting will be crucial, because after 16 years of 

negotiations a decision will be taken on the form 

of the “International Regime”, which should 

regulate the implementation of ABS aspects for 

all Parties. That means that after COP 10 there 

will be hardly any scope left to interpretate CBD 

provisions in an individual way. 

The “International Regime” could become a 

legally binding instrument, that every country 

has to implement. It could also result in an 

internationally recognised collection of already 

existing agreements, laws, and certificates. But

during COP-10 negotiations, voluntary ABS 

certification and monitoring systems, like IPEN, 

will only be considered if they are backed by a 

large (and/or influential) membership. Until 

now, 124 Botanic Gardens joined IPEN. Only by 

a significant increase of IPEN members there is 

a certain possibility to influence politics positively. 

Otherwise a last chance would have been 

missed, that the voice of Botanic Gardens would 

be heard within this political machinery. 

Most of the Alpine and Arctic Botanic Gardens 

participate in the international seed exchange, 

publish an own seed catalogue or their collections 

comprise more than only the native flora. 

To maintain an unproblematic access to plant 

resources and a free circulation of plant material 

inbetween the gardens, IPEN is an important 

instrument, designed as slim as possible, and 

should be adopted by much more botanic gardens. 

References 

For more information, see: 

• Feit, U., von den Driesch, M. & Lobin, W. (eds.) (2005). Access 

and Benefit-Sharing of Genetic Resources: Ways and means 

for facilitating biodiversity research and conservation while 

safeguarding ABS provisions. BfN Skripten 163. Bundesamt für 

Naturschutz, Bonn, Germany. www.bfn.de/fileadmin/MDB/ 

documents/service/skript163.pdf 

• UNEP (2008). Access and Benefit-Sharing. Decision IX/12, 

UNEP/CBD/COP/9/29. Montreal, Canada: CBD Secretariat. 

www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/COP-09-dec-en.doc 

Networking 59

60 

AIGBA, the association linking alpine gardens: 

The experience of Alpine Botanical Gardens 

in the Aosta Valley 

Isabella VANACORE FALCO 

Giardino Botanico Alpino Saussurea, Courmayeur, Italy 

In 1974, several representatives of Alpine Botanical Gardens, decided to create an association that united 

these institutions and approved the statute of AIGBA (International Association of Alpine Botanical Gardens), 

which aims to study, protect and preserve the alpine flora of every continent. AIGBA promotes scientific, 

cultural and research programs in collaboration with member Alpine Botanical Gardens, university 

institutes and public and private organisations. Currently it has about 30 associated gardens and more than 

100 private individual members. In Aosta Valley (North-West Italy) there are four wonderful member gardens 

amidst the highest mountains in Europe: Chanousia, Paradisia, Saussurea and Castel Savoia. 

In 1970, several representatives of 

Alpine Botanical Gardens decided to create 

an association that united these structures. At 

the Botanical Garden Rea of San Bernardino 

di Trana (Turin - Italy), thanks to the efforts of 

Giuseppe Giovanni Bellia, director at the time, 

the CIGAAO (International Confederation of 

Alpine Gardens of the Western Alps) was born. 

Many gardens in other regions became members, 

and following this success after four years, 

at the Garden of Pietra Corva, the confederation 

became the Association (1974) and approved the 

statute of AIGBA (International Association of 

Alpine Botanical Gardens), which aims to study, 

protect and preserve the alpine flora of every 

continent. 

Networking 

The Association promotes scientific, cultural and 

research programs in collaboration with: 

• member Alpine Botanical Gardens 

• University Institutes 

• Public and private organisations. 

It organizes at least once a year, an excursion of 

several days, which assumes the character of a 

Congress. 

Since 1974 - year of the first international conference 

- AIGBA has passed through more or 

less brilliant periods. Currently it has about 30 

associated gardens and more than 100 private 

individual members. 

During the nineties, there was a brief pause 

in the Association’s activities, but in 1999 the

publication of the newsletter of the Association: 

“AIGBA Notes” resumed, a tool for information 

and exchange for members. 

According to Pedrotti (1990) an Alpine Botanical 

Garden is a botanic garden established in a 

mountain area for the cultivation of species of 

alpine flora, meant both as a flora of the Alps, 

and that of the other mountain systems in 

Europe and outside Europe. 

Roles of alpine botanical gardens are multiple: 

• systematic demo (review of the various 

species present on the territory and not 

only) 

• Educational (perhaps the most important) 

• Conservation of rare species in an area 

• Research (both flora and vegetation) 

• Ornamental 

In Aosta Valley there are four wonderful gardens 

amidst the highest mountains in Europe. 

Fig. 1. Chanousia 

Chanousia was born in 1897 thanks to the 

Abbot Pierre Chanoux, rector of the hospice on 

the Little St. Bernard Pass. It reached its heyday 

in the 1920’s with as many as 4500 species from 

all over the world and with the construction of 

the building housing the offices, a laboratory, a 

small museum, a library and accommodation for 

alpine plant experts. The Second World War left 

the garden abandoned and it was only in 1978 

that restoration work began. Chanousia now 

holds 1600 species of alpine plants, together with 

a laboratory and small museum. 

Fig. 2. Paradisia 

Paradisia in Gran Paradiso National Park. The 

name of this garden comes from the delicate 

flower, the white mountain lily Paradisea liliastrum. 

Today the garden contains 1000 species 

from different geographical areas, mainly from 

the Alps and the Apennines as well as from 

other European, Asian and American mountain 

areas. The collection of lichens, which grow on 

12 rocky areas, is of particular beauty and rarity. 

Other mountain habitats have been reconstructed 

in the surrounding area, such as humid areas, 

moraines and areas of limestone deposits. 

Fig. 3. Saussurea 

Saussurea was created by Donzelli Gilberti and 

Ferretti Foundation and opened in 1987. It contains 

around 900 species of plants on moraine 

land which is partially covered by an ancient 

granite landslide deposit, giving the garden a 

fair diversity of landscape. In the first area, the 

Networking 61

ockeries are planted according to geographical 

origin – alpine flora from the Aosta Valley, 

from the western and eastern Alps and also rare 

species. Further on, we find various mountain 

environments, several of which have been entirely 

reconstructed, such us the alder plantation, 

the humid area, the shores of the stream and the 

area of limestone debris. 

Castel Savoia Garden is inside the Castel Savoia 

park, it was established by Queen Margaret of 

Savoy in 1898. The Castle is now owned by the 

Regional Government which has sought to make 

use of the park land by creating a rock garden, 

opened in 1990. It can be distinguished from 

other gardens in the Aosta Valley for the way 

in which the ornamental quality of the plants is 

highlighted. 

Returning to AIGBA, we’ve seen its history, now 

we have a new web-site, for the moment it is in 

Italian only, but we are preparing the English and 

French versions, and the future? 

We hope the Association will grow and have 

many new international members including all 

of you who are here today. 

62 

Networking 

Fig. 4. Castel Savoia Garden

Mutual publicity: a survey panel for 

European Arctic and Alpine Botanic Gardens 



With the help of a private donation, Munich Botanic Garden has prepared a map of Arctic and Alpine 

Botanic Gardens in Europe. 66 gardens met the criteria for inclusion: 44 gardens at high altitudes (>1200 m 

a.s.l.); 5 gardens near the Polar Circle (>64°N); 17 gardens neither in high altitudes nor near the Polar Circle, 

but dedicated exclusively to alpine and arctic plant species. With 25 alpine botanic gardens, Italy holds the 

greatest number, followed by Austria (12) and Switzerland (10). The panel will be available as pdf-download 

for the whole community of Arctic and Alpine Botanic Gardens. 

One of the conclusions of the previous 

conference in Lautaret in 2006 was that a hardware 

table, which gives a survey of all the Alpine 

and Arctic Botanic Gardens (AABG) in Europe, 

would be an attractive tool for every garden and 

would contribute to mutual publicity. Munich 

Botanic Garden prepared this panel, with the 

financial support of a private sponsor and the 

patience of Christine Freitag for the layout. 

It was distributed during the conference as a 

pdf-file, so that each garden can adjust the size 

of the panel to its conditions. For the whole 

AABG community the panel is now also available 

as a download from the Lautaret webpage 

(http://sajf.ujf-grenoble.fr/). 

Criteria for the selected gardens 

To compile the list of gardens to be displayed on 

the panel, selective criteria for an AABG had to 

be agreed. Of course an AABG has to fulfill the 

general definition of a Botanic Garden, given by 

by BGCI (Wyse-Jackson 1999): 

“A botanic garden is an institution holding documented 

collections of living plants for the purposes 

of scientific research, conservation, display and 

education.” 

But many Botanic Gardens hold alpine collections 

inter alia. Therefore the definition of an 

AABG was narrowed further to those gardens, 

which are 

• located in high altitudes; >1.200 m a.s.l., or 

• located near the polar circle; >64°N, or 

Networking 63

• dedicated exclusively to alpine and arctic 

plants 

Of an estimated total of 2.500 Botanic Gardens 

worldwide, probably far fewer than 100 meet 

these criteria. In the current survey for Europe 

a total of 67 AABGs were registered. 45 of them 

are in high altitudes, 5 near the polar circle, and 

17 are neither in high altitudes nor near the 

polar circle, but their collections are restricted to 

alpine and arctic plant species. 

Layout of the panel 

During the selection of the Botanic Gardens for 

the table, it soon became clear that there would 

be little space to list more than the mere names. 

So it was decided that the aim of the table should 

be to give an idea of the overall distribution of 

European AABG. For each garden only basic 

information should be given, such as name, 

country, elevation, and rough location. 

The panel’s size is 88 x 63 cm and displays 

the AABG distribution on a physical map of 

Europe, with a magnification of the Alps region. 

64 

Networking 

A short introduction in four languages (English, 

German, French, Italian) explains what kind of 

Botanic Gardens are included and where further 

information for the individual gardens can be 

found. 

Country by country Italy holds the greatest 

number of Alpine Botanic Gardens with 25. It 

is followed by Austria (12) and Switzerland (10). 

Italy 

Giardino Botanico Alpino ”Saussurea” 

Courmayeur (Val d’Aosta), 2.180 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino ”Paradisia” 

Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso (Val d’Aosta), 

1.700 m 

Giardino di Castel Savoia 

Gressoney Saint-Jean (Val d’Aosta), 1.350 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Fum Bitz” 

Parco Val Sesia (Piemonte), 1.608 m 

Giardino Botanico Montano “Nostra Signora 

di Oropa” 

Santuario di Oropa (Piemonte), 1.200 m 

Fig 1. The survey panel (original size 88 x 63 cm) displays the distribution of 67 Arctic and Alpine Botanic Gardens in Europe.

Giardino Botanico “Alpinia” 

Monte Mottarone (Piemonte), 800 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Bruno Peyronel” 

Colle Barant (Piemonte), 2.290 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Valderia” 

Terme di Valdieri (Piemonte), 1.370 m 

Giardino Botanico Prealpino “Ruggero Tomaselli” 

Cima Campo dei Fiori (Lombardia), 1.226 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Rezia” 

Bormio (Lombardia); 1.350 - 1.420 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino ”Viotte” 

Monte Bondone (Trentino), 1.540 m 

Orto Botanico del Monte Baldo 

Monte Baldo (Veneto), 1.230 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “San Marco” 

Monte Pasubio (Veneto), 1.040 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino Monte Corno 

Monte Corno (Veneto), 1.350 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Antonio Segni” 

Monte Civetta (Veneto), 1.714 m 

Giardino Botanico delle Alpi Orientali 

Monte Faverghera (Veneto), 1.500 -1.600 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Giangio Lorenzoni” 

Pian del Cansiglio (Veneto), 1.000 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino di Pietra Corva 

Monte Pietra di Corvo (Lombardia), 930 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino “Esperia” 

Monte Cimone (Emilia Romagna), 1.500 m 

Orto Botanico “Pania di Corfino“ 

Piè Magnano (Toscana), 1.370 m 

Orto Botanico delle Alpi Apuane “Pietro 

Pellegrini“ 

Pian della Fioba (Toscana), 900 m 

Giardino Botanico Appenninico Campo 

Felice 

Lucoli (Abruzzo); 1.550 m 

Giardino Botanico Alpino di Campo Imperatore 

Gran Sasso (Abruzzo); 2.110 m 

Giardino della Flora Appenninica di Capracotta 

Capracotta (Molise), 1.550 m 

Giardino Botanico “Nuova Gussonea“ 

Monte Etna (Sicilia), 1.700 - 1.750 m 

Austria 

Alpengarten auf dem Freschen 

bei Laterns (Vorarlberg), 1.850 m 

Alpengarten bei der Lindauer Hütte 

im Montafon (Vorarlberg), 1.740 m 

Alpenpflanzengarten im Oberen Raintal 

Tannheimer Berge (Tirol); 1500 m 

Alpenblumengarten am Hahnenkamm 

Höfen bei Reutte (Tirol); 1.700 - 1.800 m 

Alpengarten am Patscherkofel 

bei Innsbruck (Tirol); 2.000 m 

Alpenpflanzengarten Vorderkaiserfelden 

Zahmer Kaiser bei Kufstein (Tirol); 1.390 m 

Alpenblumengarten am Kitzbüheler Horn 

Kitzbühel (Tirol); 1.880 m 

Alpengarten unterhalb dem Ottohaus 

Rax (Niederösterreich); 1.600 m 

Alpengarten Villacher Alpe 

bei Villach (Kärnten); 1.500 m 

Alpengarten Bad Aussee 

Bad Aussee (Steiermark); 800 m 

Alpengarten Rannach 

bei Graz (Steiermark); 590 - 650 m 

Alpengarten im Oberen Belvedere, Wien 

Switzerland 

Juragarten Weissenstein 

Weissenstein (Solothurn); 1.280 m 

Alpengarten Hoher Kasten 

Brülisau (Appenzell); 1.790 m 

Botanischer Alpengarten Schynige Platte 

bei Interlaken (Bern); 1.950 - 2.000 m 

Alpengarten Höreli 

Adelboden (Bern); 1.500 m 

Jardin Alpin ”La Rambertia” 

Rochers de Naye (Vaud), 1.980 m 

Jardin Alpin ”La Thomasia” 

Pont de Nant (Vaud), 1.270 m 

Jardin Botanique Alpin ”Flore-Alpe” 

Champex (Wallis); 1.500 m 

Jardin Alpin ”La Linnaea” 

Bourg-Saint-Pierre (Wallis); 1.690 m 

Alpengarten Aletsch 

Riederfurka (Wallis); 2.080 m 

Alpinum “Schatzalp” 

bei Davos (Graubünden), 1.870 m 

Networking 65

France 

Jardin d’Altitude du Haut Chitelet 

Col de la Schlucht (Vosges); 1.210 - 1.230 m 

Jardin Botanique Alpin ”Chanousia” 

Colle Piccolo San Bernardo (Val d’Aosta); 

2.170 m 

Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret 

Col de Lautaret (Hautes Alpes); 2.100 m 

Jardin Botanique Alpin ”La Jaysinia” 

Samoëns (Haute Savoie); 700 - 780 m 

Jardin Botanique du Tourmalet 

Barèges (Midi-Pyrénées); 1.500 m 

Germany 

Alpengarten auf dem Schachen 

Wettersteingebirge (Bayern); 1.860 m 

Brockengarten 

Nationalpark Hochharz (Sachsen-Anhalt); 

1.140 m 

Rennsteiggarten - Botanischer Garten für 

Gebirgsflora 

Thüringer Wald (Thüringen); 870 m 

Botanischer Garten Adorf 

im Vogtland (Sachsen); 430 m 

Arktisch-Alpiner-Garten der Walter-Meusel- 

Stiftung 

bei Chemnitz (Sachsen); 350 m 

Norway 

Ljosland Alpine Garden 

Åseral (Vest-Agder); 700 - 750 m 

Arctic-Alpine Garden in Breivika 

Tromsø; 69°39’N 

Iceland 

Reykjavik Botanic Garden 

Reykjavik; 64°08’N 

Akureyri Botanic Garden 

Akureyri; 65°41’N 

Finland 

Oulu Botanic Gardens 

Oulu; 65°03’N 

Russia 

Arctic Alpine Garden Kirovsk 

Kirovsk (Murmanskaja Oblast), 67°37’ N 

66 

Networking 

Slovenia 

Alpine Botanic Garden ”Juliana” 

Triglav-Nationalpark (Julische Alpen), 800 m 

Spain 

Jardin Botanico „Cortijuela“ 

Cerro Trevenque (Sierra Nevada), 1.800 m 

More information on AABG website 

This survey is certainly not complete. Even during 

the preparation for the congress, some more 

appeared, e. g. the two Alpine Gardens in the 

Caucasus (see contribution of G. Nakhutsrishvili 

et al.). Therefore, the panel relates directly 

to an AABG website, hosted by Jardin Botanique 

Alpin du Lautaret (http://sajf.ujf-grenoble.fr/). 

There the complete list of AABG can be held upto-date. 

Furthermore, this list will be complemented 

by additional information for each individual 

garden. Munich Botanic Garden already prepared 

a compilation of following minimum set 

of data for each garden (only in English and 

German): 

• postal address 

• telephone, fax, mail 

• webpage 

• description of access 

As soon as this data is transferred to the 

Lautaret webpage, the AABG community will 

own an attractive tool for mutual publicity. 

Many garden visitors are unaware of the number 

of AABG in Europe. The panel offers an initial 

surprising survey and guides them to the website 

where they will receive further information. 

The next step should be to demonstrate the 

diversity of the collections held in AABG. Focus 

has to be set on the special collections of each 

garden (e. g. of a certain geographic area or a 

certain plant genus). In this way, the public 

would realize that the AABG are very different in 

character, which heightens their attractiveness. 

References 

Wyse-Jackson, P. (1999). Experimentation on a Large Scale - An 

Analysis of the Holdings and Resources of Botanic Gardens. 

BGCINews 3(3): 27-30.

Conclusions 

Serge AUBERT, Costantino BONOMI, Arve ELVEBAKK & Andreas GRÖGER 

During the previous conference, “AABG I” in Lautaret in 2006, the gardens represented 

decided not to establish a formal network in form of an association, because of restricted 

resources. An informal network was seen as adequate at the moment, providing following 

tools: a joint webpage, an intranet, survey panels and regular meetings. This decision was 

approved during “AABG II”. The objectives of AABG conferences that could be accomplished in an informal 

manner, are: 

• to improve communication 

• to have a platform to exchange horticultural as well as botanical expertise 

• to get inspirations for display and landscaping 

• to start joint research projects 

• to coordinate collection policies 

• to solve common problems 

• to strengthen the position of the gardens in the public 

The offer of Serge Aubert to maintain a common AABG platform on the Lautaret webpage, was appreciated 

by the participants. On this platform contact adresses and downloads of joint publications are available. The 

participants acknowledged the elaboration of a survey panel by Munich Botanic Garden, displaying the 

location of 67 AABG in Europe. The panel is available as download on the Lautaret webpage. 

The general structure of “AABG II” was similar to that of “AABG I”, held in Lautaret in 2006. Participants 

agreed that future meetings should continue, if possible, in a comparable structure and rhythm. From the 

five “AABG II” sessions, following needs were concluded: 

Session I (Diversification of collections): 

• Tool to easily source seeds and plants 

• Enhancement of focus collections in individual gardens 

Session II (Horticultural practices): 

• List of observations on invasive species 

• Survey on germination experience 

Conclusion 67

Session III (Education concepts): 

• Education tools / resources for young visitors 

• Strengthening AABG as centres of com-petence 

Session IV (Research and conservation 

activities): 

• Research on climate change 

• Exchange of mitigation and habitat restauration experience 

Session V (Networking): 

• Joint webpage 

• E-Forum / Intranet 

Historically there were several sporadic or mostly regional attempts towards an improved international 

communication of AABG: 

1904 1. Congress of Alpine Gardens, Rochers de Naye (Switzerland) 

1905 International Exhibition of Alpine Gardens, Bamberg (Germany) 

1906 2. Congress of Alpine Gardens, Pont de Nant (Switzerland) 

1974 Foundation of the Associazione Inter-nazionale Giardini Botanici Alpini (Italy) 

2001 Exhibition of European Alpine and Arctic Gardens, München (Germany) 

2006 1. International Congress of AABG, Lautaret (France) 

2009 2. International Congress of AABG,München (Germany) 

The forthcoming meeting will be significant, to proof continuity in networking in this framework. For 

“AABG III” Constatino Bonomi invited to Viotte in 2012. Important subjects to be discussed there, 

should be: 

• ex-situ collections 

• hybridization problems 

• mission statements 

68 

Conclusion

Clusius‘ gentian (Gentiana clusii) in the nature reserve „Garchinger Heide“ (20 km North of Munich), 

visited by the conference participants, 25 April 2010. 

Conclusion 69

Name Surname Garden Institution Address e-mail 

70 

serge.aubert@ 

ujf-grenoble.fr 

Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 UJF - Station Alpine Joseph Fourier; BP 53 

38041 Grenoble cedex 9 - France 

AUBERT Serge Jardin Botanique Alpin du 

Lautaret 

karim.benkhelifa@ 

wanadoo.fr 

bonomi@mtsn.tn.it 

100, rue du jardin botanique 

54600 Villers-les-Nancy - France 

Conservatoire et jardins botaniques de 

Nancy 

BENKHELIFA Karim Jardin d’Altitude du Haut 

Chitelet 

Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali Via Calepina 14 - 

38100 Trento - Italy 

BONOMI Costantino Giardino Botanico Alpino 

Viotte 

mteresa.dellabeffa@ 

unito.it 

Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Via Giolitti n° 36 

10123 Torino - Italy 

Associazione 

Internazionale Giardini 

Botanici Alpini 

DELLA BEFFA Maria 

Theresa 

rolland.douzet@ 




DOUZET Rolland Jardin Botanique Alpin du 

Lautaret 

arve.elvebakk@ 

tmu.uit.no 

University of Tromsø Tromsø Museum, University of Tromsø, 

9037 Tromsø - Norway 

ELVEBAKK Arve Tromsø Arctic-Alpine 

Botanic Garden 

Participant list 

christine.freitag@ 

web.de 

FREITAG Christine Fachhochschule Weihenstephan Demmel-Straße 5 

82110 Germering - Germany 

zazagamtsemlidze@ 

parliament.ge 

1, Kojori Road 

0105 Tbilisi - Georgia 

GAMTSEMLIDZE Zaal Committee on Environmental 

Protection and Natural Resources 

info@botmuc.de 

Praterinsel 5 

80538 München- Germany 

Verein zum Schutz der Bergwelt e.V. 

München 

Alpenpflanzengarten 

Vorderkaiserfelden 

GÖTZKE Hans- 

Jürgen 

Participant list 

a.groeger@ 

extern.lrz-muenchen.de 

Menzinger Str. 65 

80638 München - Germany 

Botanischer Garten München- 

Nymphenburg 

GRÖGER Andreas Alpengarten auf dem 

Schachen 

hegg@ips.unibe.ch 

Universität Bern Alpengarten Schynige Platte 

3812 Wilderswil - Switzerland 

Alpengarten Schynige 

Platte 

HEGG-NEBIKER Otto und 

Verena 

hofer.florian@gmx.at 

Römerweg 63 

9370 Kitzbühel - Austria 

HOFER Eva Alpengarten Kitzbüheler 

Horn 

anneperpace@email.de 

HUMBURG Anne Fontanestr. 12 

63500 Seligenstadt - Germany 

richard.hurstel@ 




HURSTEL Richard Jardin Botanique Alpin du 

Lautaret 

gunter.karste@npharz. 

sachsen-anhalt.de 

KARSTE Gunter Brockengarten Nationalpark Harz Lindenallee 35 

38855 Wernigerode - Germany 

benoitlagier@ 

gmail.com 

CP 45, 57 rue Cuvier 

875231 Paris cedex 05 - France 

LAGIER Benoit Jardin Botanique Paris Muséum National d‘Histoire Naturelle, 

Jardin alpin

menzel@ 

forst.tu-muenchen.de 

MENZEL Annette Technische Universität München TUM, Fachgebiet für Ökoklimatologie 

Am Hochanger 13 

85354 Freising - Germany 

bruny.m@omnibases.ch 

MONNEY Bruny La Rambertia Ch. de Bouricloz 7 

1807 Blonay - Switzerland 

botanins@yahoo.com 

botanins@gw.acnet.ge 

npraprotnik@pms-lj.si 

NAKHUTSRISHVILI George Tbilisi Botanical Garden Institute of Botany Kojori road 1 

0105 Tbilisi - Georgia 

Slovene Museum of Natural Hystory Prirodoslovni muzej Slovenije 

Presernova 20, 1000 Ljubljana - Slovenia 

tommy.presto@ 

vm.ntnu.no 

Norwegian University of Science and 

Technology, Museum of Natural History and 

Archaeology, 7491 Trondheim - Norway 

Museum of Natural History and 

Archaeology 

PRAPROTNIK Nada Juliana Alpine Botanical 

Garden 

PRESTO Tommy Kongsvoll Biological 

Station and Alpine Garden 

K.Price@kew.org 

Richmond 

Surrey TW9 3AB - United Kingdom 

PRICE Katie Royal Botanic Gardens 

Kew 

pascal.salze@ 


robertascala@libero.it 

Université Joseph Fourier- Grenoble 1 UJF - Station Joseph Fourier, BP 

53 - 38041 Grenoble cedex 9 - France 

SALZE Pascal Jardin Botanique Alpin du 

Lautaret 

Via General Graziani 10, Loc. Novezzina 

37020 Ferrara di Monte Baldo (Verona) - 

Italy 

SCALA Roberta Orto Botanico del Monte 

Baldo 

sturmschlegel@ 

t-online.de 




Nymphenburg 

SCHLEGEL Franz Alpengarten auf dem 

Schachen 

Peter.Schlorhaufer@ 

uibk.ac.at 

Sternwartestraße 15 

6020 Innsbruck - Austria 

SCHLORHAUFER Peter Alpengarten Patscherkofel Botanischer Garten der Universität 

Innsbruck 

schmidbauer@ 

extern.lrz-muenchen.de 




Nymphenburg 

SCHMIDBAUER Eva Alpengarten auf dem 

Schachen 

getaway.b@gmx.de 

Klausoetjen@gmail.com 

SCHULZ Birgit Alpinum Schatzalp Schatzalp 

7270 Davos-Platz - Switzerland 

STEINER Thomas Alpengarten Bad Aussee Ischelsergstr. 38 

8990 Bad Aussee - Austria 

Participant list 71 

annathom@gmx.at 

info@saussurea.net 

Loc. Pavillon du Mont Fréty 

11013 Courmayeur, Aosta - Italy 

VANACORE FALCO Isabella Giardino Botanico Alpino 

Saussurea 

jenny.wainwrightklein@t-online.de 




Nymphenburg 

Jenny Alpengarten auf dem 

Schachen 

WAINWRIGNT- 

KLEIN

72 

2 3 

1 

14 

12 

11 

19 

10 

18 

15 

13 

8 9 

7 

6 

17 

16 

5 

4 

25 

21 22 23 

20 

28 

27 

26 

24 

25. April – Botanical Garden Munich – photo: Franz Josef Höck 

Thomas Heller (1, intern), Jenny Wainwhright-Klein (2), Birgit Schulz (3), Antje Naujokat (4, intern), Eva Hofer (5), Bruny Monney (6), 

Isabella Vanacore Falco (7), Annette Menzel (8), Franz Schlegel (9), Andreas Gröger (10), Arve Elvebakk (11), Tommy Presto (12), Pascal 

Salze (13), Serge Aubert (14), Rolland Douzet (15), Richard Hurstel (16),Verena Hegg-Nebiker (17), Otto Hegg (18), Karim Benkhelifa 

(19), Carola Irlacher (20, intern), Roberta Scala (21), Maria Teresa Della Beffa (22), Katie Price (23), Costantino Bonomi (24), Gunter 

Karste (25), Nada Praprotnik (26), Benoit Lagier (27), George Nakhutsrishvili (28)

2nd International Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens

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