Dr. Peter Raven has been named the keynote speaker at the 2020 PHS Gardening for Biodiversity Symposium sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation – USA, to be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, from 8:30 am to 5 pm at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show.
Dr. Raven will kick off the Biodiversity Symposium with a talk entitled “Biodiversity and Our Common Future,” addressing the issue of extinction and the role of diverse species in our ecosystems and lives. He will discuss the opportunity our species has to preserve biodiversity and the degree to which existing efforts have been successful.
PHS and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation are partnering on the symposium during the 191st Flower Show as part of their continued efforts to address environmental issues both globally and throughout the mid-Atlantic region. PHS’s vision to use horticulture to improve the health and well-being of the Greater Philadelphia region is in keeping with the Foundation’s dedication to protect the environment and promote sustainable development on a global scale.
Dr. Raven has been a lifelong advocate for global biodiversity and has led environmental research around the world to preserve endangered plants. He has authored over 700 publications, including books, articles, and monographs on environmental topics. Dr. Raven retired in 2010 as President of the Missouri Botanical Garden that, under his 40 years of leadership, became a world-class center for botanical research, conservation, education, and horticulture display. He now has the role of President Emeritus.
“As the leading advocate for biodiversity, Dr. Raven has dedicated his life and career to addressing the difficult environmental challenges that the world faces today,” said Andrew Bunting, PHS Vice President of Public Horticulture. “He is an international leader in plant biodiversity, and we are honored to have him as the keynote speaker at the PHS Gardening for Biodiversity Symposium.”
Other notable symposium speakers include Abby Meyer, Executive Director of Botanic Gardens Conservation International US; Dr. Dennis Whigham, Senior Scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; and Nico Wissing and Lodewijk Hoekstra, co-owners of NL Greenlabel, based in the Netherlands. PHS’s Bunting will moderate roundtable discussions at the symposium, and speakers from PHS will also present during the day. Jeannette Reyes of 6ABC Philadelphia will emcee and facilitate discussion in between sessions.
Symposium tickets are available at theflowershow.com/biodiversity for $85 per person. Tickets for the symposium and reception are $115 per person. Symposium registration includes same-day access to the Philadelphia Flower Show.