People
Lonsdale, John
| Job Title | Head of Public Programmes and Curatorial Support |
|---|---|
| Department | Horticulture and Public Education |
| Section | Horticulture & Public Education |
| Science Teams |
United Kingdom |
| Joined Kew | |
| Foreign Language(s) |
Qualifications & Appointments
MHort (RHS), 1974
Dip. Horticulture, Kew, 1974.
Chair, Kew Wildlife Recording Group
Chair, Living Collections Database Group
Management Committee, Tregrehan Garden, Cornwall.
Role
Management of the Curatorial support functions within HPE and responsibility for interpretation of Kew’s work and collections to Gardens’ visitors.
Provision of departmental support to Gardens’ sections, Curator and RBG management. Instigate and develop technical advances in collections management. Plan, design and implement a programme of seasonal visitor attractions. Provide annual programme of exhibitions. Provide schools, adult education and volunteer guide programmes and develop interpretation provision within the gardens. Support collections and research programmes by the provision of an expert plant health, import/export service, ensuring full compliance with plant health legislation and international agreements relating to the acquisition or exchange of living plant material. Provide a specialist micropropagation facility, supporting collection and conservation aims. Provide a central point for gathering, processing and disseminating - collections, management, environmental and wildlife information. Contribute to heritage landscape management. Design and Project Development of Climbers+Creepers, a £1.6M Children’s attraction opened 2004. Coordination of the design and development of the web-based, Wildlife Observations, and Wildlife Recording Database. Implementation of Phenology recording system (Kew 100). Development of computerised plant labelling systems. Introduction of digital Garden Mapping (1998 onwards). Annual design of Kew Orchid Festival, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Christmas seasonal events.
Selected Publications pre-2001
Lonsdale, J. (1982). Wildlife at Wakehurst Place. In Hepper, F.N. (ed) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: gardens for science and pleasure. London: H.M.S.O.
Lonsdale, J. (1989). New Introductions. In Hepper, F.N. (ed) Plant hunting for Kew. London: H.M.S.O.
Lonsdale, J. & Evans, J.R. (1995). A New Display at the RBG Kew. Down to Earth 10.
Lonsdale, J. & Evans, J.R. (1995). Behind the Scenes. Kew Magazine13.
Lonsdale, J. & Evans, J.R. (1995). Evolution House Opens. Down to Earth 11.
Lonsdale, J. & Bell, S. (1999). A New Japanese Landscape at Kew. Kew Bulletin.