Introduction

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew dates back to 1759 as a scientific establishment and as a public attraction. It became an NDPB under the National Heritage Act (1983). The Act established a Board of twelve Trustees to manage the organisation. One trustee is appointed by the Queen, the others by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Kew's sponsoring ministry and provider of the majority of its funding by grant-in-aid. The Board members are usually leading figures drawn from the worlds of natural science, horticulture, commerce, and finance.

The resources of the organisation are held at two well known sites, Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place, and include:

• 540 people, including over 350 scientists and horticulturists

• the Herbarium, now housing 7million specimens
• the living collections at Kew and Wakehurst Place including about 35,000 'taxa' (distinct species/sub-species).

• the Library of 750,000 volumes and a series of significant databases
• the existing seed bank (1.5% of world flora), soon to be greatly augmented by the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place.

The organisation comprises ten departments of which the Herbarium, Jodrell Laboratory, and Living Collections are the largest. Purely commercial activities are managed by RBG Kew Enterprises which covenants its profits to RBG Kew. A separate body, RBG Kew Foundation and Friends, manages charitable fund-raising and membership.

Kew's mission is to enable better management of the earth's environment by increasing knowledge and understanding of the plant and fungal kingdoms the basis of life on earth.

The objectives and responsibilities for Kew are to carry out research into the science of plants and disseminate the results; provide advice, instruct and educate in relation to aspects of botany; provide other plant related services including quarantine; care for the collections; keep the collections as national reference collections, secure and available for study; provide an educational and enjoyable public amenity.

Achievements in 1996/97

Millennium Seed Bank project secured by signing the agreement for up to £29.7m of funding with the Millennium Commission, while the Foundation raised over £15m.

Agreement signed with the National Heritage Memorial Fund to help fund the restoration of Kew's Museum as a public exhibition and education facility.

The Reproductive Biology Conference in September was attended by 131 international participants. Kew received 5,000 scientific visitors in 1996.

1,200 taxa were added to the DNA bank and over 1,000 DNA sequences run.

29 substantial scientific publications totalling 6,700 pages were produced.

27 courses were run including 3 higher education courses held overseas. These were attended by 670 students, including 95 from abroad.

103,000 collection transactions: received 60,000 items ; despatched 43,000 to collaborators around the world

1.29m visitors received including 72,000 children in school groups, and gate revenue rose 14%. Membership sales of the Friends of Kew rose 17%.

A new Japanese landscape was created to complement the recently restored Japanese Gateway and opened by Japanese and British Royalty.

A new programme of staff development training was completed by 37 middle managers.

A fundamental review of expenditure led to adjustments of programme resources and, amongst other things, efficiency savings of over £190,000.

Plans for 1997/98

Some key items from the Corporate Plan are:

• Organise and staff collaborative field work in countries ranging from Brazil to Vietnam.

• Submit treatments for 8 orders and families, two world checklists and not less than 11 other major systematic treatments.

• Publish electronic taxonomic database information on the worldwide web.

• Submit at least 64 research papers for refereed journals including major contributions to the new angiosperm classification.

• Publish collaborative conservation Action Plan for Cacti & Succulents by IUCN-SSC.

• Incorporate 125 new seed collections from the drylands , and 275 U.K. native species, into the Seed Bank as part of the Millennium project.

• Produce the plan for the long term amenity development of the Kew site.

• Develop public exhibition for refurbished Museum No1.

• Implement new Dip. Hort. course structure for September 1997 student intake.

• Run two regional International Diploma courses (Kenya, Tasmania) and one workshop (Chile).

Key Performance Targets
			1996/97		1997/98
Key Measure			Set	Achieved	Set
Accessions to living collection			3,000	3,290	1,500*
Herbarium specimens received*			35,000	60,385	30,000
Taxa added to DNA bank			600	1,200	1,000
Research papers for refereed journals			40	55	60
Scientific enquiries handled			12,250	12,250	13,000
Seed collections from drylands			200	212	125
Total visitors to Kew and Wakehurst (000's)			1,270	1,292	1,320
% of visitors rating Kew as very enjoyable			78	87	85
Courses provided			28	27	31
Scientific volumes published			26	29	27
Friends memberships (000's)			19	19	22
DNA sequences run			500	1,000	1,200
* Reflects extensive building work planned for 1997/98.