Kew Now 3rd Garden in UK to get Plant Healthy Certification

Kew Gardens, in South West London, has been recognised for the quality of its plant health and biosecurity measures, becoming the third public garden in the UK to receive Plant Healthy certification.

The scheme, which is backed by Defra and aims to improve biosecurity in the UK horticultural sector, focuses on UK ornamental and horticultural businesses and organisations, from nurseries and retail outlets to public gardens. This follows Defra’s 2014 Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain which proposed the development of certification schemes to improve biosecurity in the UK horticultural sector. Plant Healthy Certification relies on thorough examination of records, processes and infrastructure, and Kew Gardens was complimented for the efforts staff have taken to manage the biosecurity of its internationally-important living collection.

RHS Harlow Carr was announced as the first public garden to be ‘Plant Healthy’ in January 2023, and Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh has since received Plant Healthy certification.

Simon Toomer, Curator of Living Collections at RBG Kew, says: ‘We’re delighted to have been awarded Plant Healthy Certification, demonstrating the efforts our horticulturists and wider staff take to protect one of the most diverse and valuable collections of living plants in the world - 5% of which are categorised as threatened by extinction on the IUCN Red List. Everybody can play a part in protecting our plants and trees from the threat of pests and diseases, and a collaborative effort is more important than ever before as we face unprecedented challenges in the context of a changing climate’.

As global trade in plants has grown, so has the threat from new pests hitching a ride on their hosts, and climate change is exacerbating this threat as the viable range of novel pest species has increased.