• First National Conference on Botanic
  Gardens of India held at National Botanical
  Research Institute (NBRI) Lucknow..................1

• Investing in Nature India Programme
  Formally Launched .........................................6

• National seminar-cum-meeting on the
  finalization of India's strategy for formulation
  of a SACNET loop under the BioNET
  INTERNATIONAL programme..........................10

• Third Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF)- South Asia Regional meeting held at Dhaka 16- 18
  June 2003 .......................................................11

• Brief profile of the Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Palode .............................14

• BGCI Online linking the world's Botanic
  Gardens .........................................................17

• New publications from WWF India.................18

• 2nd World Botanic Gardens Congress............19

• Forthcoming.................................................. 20

First National Conference on Botanic Gardens of
India held at National Botanical Research Institute
(NBRI) Lucknow.

As a part of the Investing in Nature (IIN-India) Programme, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow India and Botanic Garden Conservation International, UK, have jointly organized the First National Conference at Lucknow from 2-5 June 2003. The Conference was attended by delegates from a range of botanic gardens around the country representing government, university and NGO gardens (Fig.1).

Aims:

The principle aims of the Conference were to:

• Discuss the status of botanic gardens in India.

• Finalize a framework for a network of botanical gardens of India.

• Discuss the need for and elements of a National Action Plan or the botanic gardens of India which would incorporate their contributions to the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens Conservation and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.

• Review the status in India of various botanic gardens programmes such as, biodiversity conservation, databasing, networking and websites, ecoeducation, empowering women in conservation and associated community activities.

Anticipated outcome:
The primary outcomes expected from the creation of the network would be:

• An increased awareness within the Indian botanic gardens community of their colleagues;