After just 2 whirlwind months as Executive Director of the ANBG, Dr Judy West reflected on some of the projects she manages and some of the new opportunities ahead.

• The planning approval process is now being worked through with the ACT Government to allow water abstraction from the lake. All approvals are expected to be in place within a month.

• An environmental assessment of the old Nursery site is being undertaken to determine the state of the soil below the old concrete. Once the outcomes are known, plans for the future use of the site will be developed.

• The draft Management Plan is expected to be released for public comment by end February/ mid March. The challenge of bringing the agreed Plan to life can then begin.

• With the Gardens now on Twitter and Facebook and with the revamped website undergoing final link-testing, communication services are getting a facelift.

Judy spoke of the opportunities partnerships were already bringing to the Gardens and their scope for further development. The partnership with the Friends and the ANU for the Alpine Seed Ecology Project has leveraged substantial funding, already providing a new facility for the Gardens’ Seed Bank.

Other partnership projects, like the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority and the Australian Plant Name Index also demonstrated the funding leverage that can be achieved. Gardens’ expertise is also being recognized through a contract with the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to provide weed images and profiles for their database.

While very proud of its scientific focus, Judy is also keen to nurture arts and culture in the Gardens and would like to see the Friends contributing to this future development.

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