Kew's work proves ever more vital
By: Christina Harrison - 07/10/2010
It was all over the news in the past week: one in five plant species is at risk of extinction, and the main cause is habitat loss caused by our activities.
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Initially this is very depressing news, but when you begin to investigate how much work Kew staff are doing to research and conserve these species with partners around the world, there is more than a glimmer of hope.
We'll be carrying more on this story in the next issue of Kew magazine but do read as much as you can about this news now and do get involved – Kew needs everyone's support if it is to halt this decline and the risk to plant species. You can even sign up with BGCI's Plants for the Planet campaign, which they'll be taking to Conference of Parties meeting in Nagoya later this month.
We've been investigating the work of Kew's Herbarium staff for the next issue to mark both this news and the opening of the new wing 
of the Herbarium. This represents an enormous milestone in its history and is also great news for the future of plant science here. It's amazing to think that as the new wing is about to open 20,000 boxes of specimens are being moved into the state-of-the-art, climate-controlled new rooms. They will take up 6km worth of shelving and represent around 45,000 different species of plants!
I've charged our writers and journalists to investigate just why this new wing was needed, what treasures it holds, what new species it will soon be home to; also where in the world Kew's botanists get to in their search for knowledge of plants, and how they share it with others. We'll be starting the issue with an interview with the Keeper of the Herbarium, Professor David Mabberley.
Getting the in-depth story
Trying to decide what goes into an issue four to five months ahead of its publication date and attempt to keep that information current sometimes seems an uphill struggle, especially when, in this media-soaked world of fast-paced technology, sources such as the web can publish stories within minutes of a press release! But there is plenty of scope for us to investigate stories in-depth and bring you some fabulous images that can be kept for a much longer period than a webpage: many of our readers tell us they keep every issue, which is such a wonderful thing to hear.
Although we have covered aspects of the work of Herbarium staff in previous issues we knew that this winter we had to bring some special articles about their work and the future of the Herbarium at Kew. It's when you put an issue like this together you realise just how wide-ranging their work is – and this is just one department of Kew! From restoring and surveying habitats in the UK Overseas Territories to a 61-year project mapping the flora of tropical East Africa, to caring for some of the most valuable books in the world, we have tried to put together a flavour of the expertise and work that goes on in this building.
- Christina-
The autumn issue of Kew magazine is out now, the winter issue will be out on 1 December – watch this space.
Subscribe to Kew magazine here - it's just £20 a year! You can even get a e-copy for your iPad!
Tags: at risk | endangered
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About Christina
Christina accepts a Kew Publishing award at the Garden Media Guild awards in 2012.
Christina joined Kew in 1999 after finishing a BSc. degree in Plant Ecology and an Advanced National Certificate in Horticulture. After initially working as a horticulturist in Kew’s Arboretum and the Hardy Display section (on the Grass Garden) she went on to become Festivals Interpretation Officer between 2002-2008, helping Kew’s onsite visitors understand what makes Kew tick. In the meantime she completed an MA in Garden History, a subject that continues to be one of her passions.
Christina was short-listed for a Garden Writers Guild award in 2007 for one of her articles in Kew magazine, and is the author of Kew’s Big Trees, published in 2008. She became editor of Kew magazine in September 2008. “I see Kew magazine as a window on the world of Kew,” she says. “I hope between its pages the many facets of Kew’s work and the people who make it happen are revealed for all to see and encourage readers to continue to support Kew.”
- If you would like to publish material from this blog in a separate publication, please get in touch with Kew’s Press Office at pr@kew.org. See our full Terms & Conditions here.
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