The cultural heritage of Mediterranean botanic gardens

Abstract

online. Mediterranean botanic gardens represent a rich and diverse cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. They include spectacular landscapes and the plantings include many important introductions of both ornamental and economically important species. The gardens also contain many buildings of great architectural merit, some historic, some modern. Also important are the historic glasshouses and shade houses. Many of these gardens contain important herbarium collections that have served a key role in the preparation of Floras and major botanical libraries containing historical works of great value as well as works of art, sculptures paintings, drawings, and other illustrations and invaluable historic archives. The intangible cultural heritage of these gardens is represented by the impact that they have had the inhabitants of the cities and towns in which they are located and on generations of visitors-students, professionals and the public. With the decline of teaching and research in botany as a university discipline, some of these collections are at risk of dispersal or an even worse fate. In the face of these uncertainties a series of proposals to help safeguard this invaluable heritage is given, including the compilation of an inventory of these historically important buildings, libraries, works of art and archives and the use of the latest scanning and imaging techniques so that a visual record is prepared.