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New excitement is afoot amongst the Directors and Friends of Myall Park
Botanic Garden Ltd. This excitement is due to a new management structure that
will move our Garden into the next phase of future planning. After an assessment
of our current place in the national and international botanic worlds, we are
moving forward with increased attention to research, introducing more Australian
plants into the horticultural world and showcasing how an understanding of our
plants and animals leads to an understanding of our ecosystems and environments.
Realising that our planet is precious, we can move forward, protecting it for
generations to come.
The new structure of fewer
Directors and large fluid committees facilitates opportunities for in-depth
engagement for short periods of time. Additionally, it provides each Director
and Friend with the opportunity to choose their interests and share their
passion in that area, energising each other as they work and share together.
The committees currently include
members of the local council and of groups such as those specialising in birds,
insects, Australian native plants, tourism and the arts. Many of these members
live miles off-site. The Director numbers have decreased, thus providing these
wonderful persons the opportunity to engage in their areas of interest without
the distraction of policy making and procedure development. The new executive,
including Betty Salter, Trevor Bacon and Peter Reilly, will be a force that will
drive this new approach.
The staff members of our Garden
have willingly accepted new roles of involvement on committees thus empowering
them to be valued members of the discussion-making process at all levels. Being
on-site, Janine Pechey, Jeff annd Chris Guihot are placed to be the
eyes and ears for our management and are the face of the Garden.
As Chairman I have been given the
honour to lead this magnificent group of passionate, engaged and totally
committed Australians. We borrow from our children the land and all the plants
and animals, and with passion we plan to protect and study our unique
environment to increase our knowledge of it.
We have started with a vengeance
with new plans for accommodation extensions, a successful volunteer grant
application, botanic workshop to increase staff knowledge and possible increase
of on-site workers to assist with maintenance and repairs. And this is just a
beginning.
If you would like to be part of
this new beginning please contact any one of the honorary Directors or a staff
member, so you also can enjoy the rewards of working alongside intellectually
engaged and passionate Australians.
Nita C Lester
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