PUBLIC SERVICE AND NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

The key objectives of the AMU Botanical Garden in Poznań include disseminating knowledge of natural science. In line with the guidelines developed by the 4th World Congress of Botanical Gardens in Asherville, USA in 2000, plant collections are changing focus towards realising the broadly defined community needs in botanical education. The various educational programmes implemented here fit into larger projects coordinated by worldwide, regional and national organisations, such as the International Association of Botanic Gardens (IABG), Botanical Garden Council in Poland and Polish Association of Botanical Gardens. Comprehensive educational offer is being developed, the system of exploratory walks is being extended and the collection of comprehensive information boards is being enriched. Numerous popular science publications are published, including the first in Poland Multimedia guide to the AMU Botanical Garden. To top all these activities, the Natural Science Education Centre was built. The two-storey building comprises a spacious exhibition room, a bookshop with natural science publications, a lecture hall sitting about 90 people and a library. In the two years that the centre has been in operation, nearly 20 natural science education exhibitions have been held here, including "The Amazon - the dying heritage", "Useful plants from the tropics" and "Old trees of Europe". During the opening ceremonies, lectures devoted to the subject of the exhibition are held.

The Garden provides services for numerous university facilities. On 9th June 2003, under the ordinance of the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University the Landscape Maintenance Unit was brought into being. Its activities include developing and implementing landscape design projects for areas surrounding numerous university buildings, such as Collegium Biologicum, Geographicum and Geologicum in Morasko.

Since 2001, the Botanical Garden has been holding an annual charity event on 1st-3rd May, called May Weekend at the Botanical Garden. During the picnic, collections are made for the patients of Poznań's palliative care centres. Patronage of the event is taken by: His Majesty the Rector of AMU, the Mayor of Poznań and the Wielkopolska Voivode.

The Garden remains in close cooperation with the city authorities with regard to green areas, frequently developing expert reports and providing its opinions, as well as cooperating in numerous undertakings by providing plant material free of charge.