The Missouri Botanical Garden, along with the St. Louis Zoo, is one of University of Missouri-St. Louis’ partners in the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, an organization that provides support for graduate students in a world-class biological research program and offers an array of educational outreach programs here in town.
Peter Raven was the president of the Garden when the World Ecology Center was formed as the Tropical Ecology Center. After heading the Garden for some 40 years, Raven is retiring from that position.
Raven announced his plans to retire on February 10. On March 2, the new president of MOBOT, Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson visited the Garden.
Raven worked with the Garden’s Board of Trustees to select his replacement but there are bound to be changes for the Garden under new leadership. For this university, there may be changes as well.
Raven’s name is fairly well-known around town as the leader of the Missouri Botanical Garden, but few recognize what an international rock star he is in conservation and biology. Raven’s international stature has elevated the profile and reputation of MOBOT over his years as its head. Raven has been a scientific leader in conservation and plant science, and an advocate for maintaining plant biodiversity despite the challenges of deforestation, environmental degradation and climate change. Raven is a recipient of the U.S. Medal of Science, the nation’s higher award for scientific accomplishment. He has been the president of Sigma Xi and home secretary of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, is a member of the National Geographic Society board of trustees and has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. Raven has been a prominent member of the United Nation’s team on global climate change, the International Panel on Climate Change.
Last December, he spoke at the university’s course on Global Climate Change, held at the St. Louis Zoo, another partner in the university-based World Ecology Center.
Raven has made the Garden a leader in botanical research and education, and worked hard to encourage young people to become familiar with and develop a love for the natural world. Despite his international stature, he has always made time for this city and this university.
The new Garden president, Wyse Jackson, has a sterling reputation in the world of botanical gardens as well but a somewhat different focus in his career. The Irish-born Wyse Jackson’s work has focused more on gardening and horticulture, rather than conservation in the wild. He has been leader of director of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland in Dublin since 2005, where his emphasis was on horticulture, organic gardening, and sustainability.
Prior to that, he was chief executive of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International. He also has been a resource for the Irish government in environmental policy development, providing advice on biodiversity, conservation and climate change.
Raven will stay on during this year of transition, to help Wyse Jackson. Hopefully, he will help the Garden’s new head embrace the goals of the Harris World Ecology Center, to promote the new generation of researchers in ecology and conservation, and educating the local public on the importance of conservation, biodiversity and the complexity of the natural world.
Cate Marquis is the A&E editor and a columnist for The Current.
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