Gardens, Gardening and a Celebration of Plant Conservation – The Max Walters Lecture
The Plant Heritage Cambridgeshire Group is delighted to announce that Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE will be giving a lecture on plant conservation, celebrating the life and works of international taxonomist, Dr Max Walters.
Dame Fiona, who recently retired as Director General of The National Trust, currently Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, is giving the lecture in recognition of the work Max Walters did for plant conservation, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Cambridge Plant Heritage Group.
Taxonomist Dr Max Walters was Curator of the Cambridge University Herbarium from 1947 to 1973, University Lecturer in Botany from 1962 and Director of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden from 1973 to 1983. Dr Walters was a founder member of the Cambridge and Isle of Ely Naturalist’s Trust and was a key figure in the reserve of Wicken Fen. He was one of the original founders of Plant Heritage in 1978 and helped establish the Plant Heritage Cambridge group in 1984, becoming its first president. Today, the Cambridge Botanic Garden holds the second largest number of National Plant Collections including Alchemilla, a plant Max devoted much time to study and research.
In 1984, Walters received the Victoria Medal from the RHS in recognition of his contributions to botany and botanic gardens, and eleven years later was awarded the Linnaean Medal for Botany for his work on British plants.
Plant Heritage Cambridgeshire member Richard Gant says that having Dame Fiona talk is a real treat for Cambridgeshire gardeners. “Her leadership of one of the largest and leading conservation organisations includes the curatorship of many National Plant Collections in National Trust Gardens, and the National Trust’s conserve of Wicken Fen has built on Max’s vision and foresight,” said Mr Gant.
Dame Fiona will be speaking at The Queen’s Building, Emmanuel College, Cambridge on Saturday 9th November, 2pm for 2.30pm start. Tickets are priced at £10 for Plant Heritage members and £15 for non members (includes tea and coffee). For more information please e-mail: Richard Gant: [email protected] or for tickets please send a SAE and payment to Plant Heritage c/o 6 The Maltings, Alconbury, PE28 4DZ.