At the 3GBGC
The 3rd Global Botanic Gardens Congress is being held April 16-20 in Wuhan, China. The Congress is held every three years with previous locations in Asheville, North Carolina, and Barcelona, Spain. The Chinese Academy of Sciences, which includes Wuhan Botanical Garden, is our local host. This year included an event at the Wuhan Botanical Garden celebrating its 50th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). The theme of the Congress, “Building a sustainable future, the role of botanic gardens” is focusing discussions around the themes of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. The host city of Wuhan is the capitol of Hubei Province in central China, and is located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Hanshui Rivers in an area of more than 1000 lakes.
The Congress has attracted 954 participants from 67 countries. We’re meeting in the Science & Technology Conference & Exhibition Center within walking distance of two of the hotels. The organizing host committee has done a spectacular job coordinating such a complex event. They literally have rolled out the red carpet.
Our arrival was heralded in the local newspapers and large banners with attractive container plantings adorn the conference center. 
A fleet of enthusiastic students from the local universities serve as ambassadors, guides, room monitors, and interpreters.
The Congress is a massive undertaking, including 4 plenary sessions, 42 symposia, 7 workshops, and six network meetings. Over 200 oral presentations and 145 poster presentations are being given.
The media has been out in force covering the event. David Galbraith from RBG-Hamilton and I both appeared on Wuhan’s nightly news the first day and numerous others were interviewed to gauge our impressions of the city, the botanical garden, and even our views of China’s role in plant conservation.
