About

Plants are the basis of our past, present and future. Our relationship with plants represents the most important relationship we have after our relationships with each other and with the Divine.  Food, water and energy security are intimately linked to our relationship with plants and the ecosystem services they support.  In the face of climate change and poverty the effectiveness of our study of plants and our relationship with plants is more critical than at any time in our past.

Stephen Forbes has held executive roles in biodiversity conservation, botanic gardens and nursery management in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney & Adelaide, Australia.  He was Director of the Botanic Gardens of South Australia for 15 years to May 2016 and was Chair of the Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens and the inaugural chair of the Australian Seed Bank Partnership until October 2015.   The focus of his recent writing has been on the relationship between people and plants – refereed publications traverse plant taxonomy, ecology and conservation and the cultural history of plants.  Stephen is currently editing the Modern era volume for A Cultural History of Plants with Bloomsbury in London.