Chester Zoo becomes first UK zoo to gain international botanic garden status
We're only the second zoo in Europe to receive global recognition for our plant conservation work.
We're delighted to announce that we've become the first zoo in the UK to be officially recognised as an internationally important botanic garden.
This makes Chester Zoo only the second zoo in Europe to receive a prestigious accreditation from Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the global organisation dedicated to plant conservation.
“This recognition shows that our plant work has real conservation value. The accreditation will help us work more closely with other horticultural and conservation organisations and increase the amount of conservation work we can do, particularly to support native species.”
Philip Esseen, Head of Plants
Alongside the gardens and planted areas open to visitors, our team keep thousands of plants behind-the-scenes for conservation and research.
These include five National Plant Collections, part of a UK-wide scheme to ensure important cultivated plants are not lost altogether. The collections are carefully documented and maintained to safeguard multiple species for the future.
“In some cases, we are caring for plants that barely exist anywhere else. For example, there are three species from an island in the Madeiran archipelago which have almost disappeared from botanical gardens. We’ve been entrusted with seeds by the Madeiran government to help prevent their extinction.”
Richard Hewitt, Plant Nursery Team manager
Our plant team is also involved in the propagation and re-planting of threatened UK species, including black poplar, which has been described as the most endangered native timber tree in Britain.
While animals remain the main focus for many visitors, planting plays a crucial role in shaping the zoo experience and supporting visitor wellbeing.
As part of our wellbeing campaign, we've been encouraging people to spend more time exploring the zoo's gardens and green spaces. This includes an area known as the Plant Project, an indoor habitat featuring cacti, orchids and pitcher plants, many of which are highly endangered in the wild.
Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) recognises botanic gardens which conform to the highest international standards.
Patricia Malcolm, Head of Membership and Conservation Services at BGCI, said:
“Our accreditation scheme exists to motivate and empower gardens, large or small, to do more for plant conservation and increase their impact on visitors. It’s fantastic to see Chester Zoo leading by example and using the accreditation framework to elevate its plant conservation efforts within the zoo.”
