15 January 2010
United States Botanical Community Hosts Meeting with Russian Delegation
Russia delegation at the U.S. National Arboretum
Continuing the botanical collaboration between the United States and Russia, a delegation from the Russian Federation of Botanical Gardens (representing gardens from all geographical regions of Russia) met with their American counterparts at a December 3 - 4, 2009 meeting in Washington, D.C.. This meeting was hosted by the United States National Arboretum and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through this collaboration, which has lasted over 30 years, both countries have benefited from an exchange of ideas, technology, germplasm, literature, and cultural understanding.
The meeting included a discussion of the ongoing botanical exchange created by an historic agreement signed by President Richard Nixon and Soviet President Nikolai Podgorniy in 1972. The group identified several important areas requiring increased attention over the coming years, including: 1) better communication and information exchange regarding current and emerging threats, such as invasive species, loss of habitat due to global climate change, and the preservation of endangered species; and 2) continued collaboration on the U.S.-Russian Botanical Exchange Program (USRBEP) website, which was launched to assist in these bilateral efforts.
Although the meeting had been scheduled for months, the recent announcement of the retirement of Dr. Thomas Elias from federal service as Director of the National Arboretum, made the gathering particularly timely. Elias' retirement is significant to the USRBEP because he was influential in its coordination over the past 30 years. Members unanimously thanked Dr. Elias for his important work and expressed hope that he would continue his involvement in the program over the next 30 years. Dr. Elias will be returning to the private sector, as well as pursuing his personal botanical interests and endeavors.
Finally, all members acknowledged the need for increasing the number of participants involved in the exchange program understanding that, only through expanding the spread of information, can science truly be inclusive and productive. To find out more about the exchange efforts, or to see a complete list of meeting participants, please visit the U.S.-Russian Botanical Exchange Program website at www.usrubep.org.