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MEETINGS | NEWSLETTER | 2006-2010 STRATEGY PLAN |
| ABOUT US | DIRECTORY | DOWNLOADS |
Westonbirt, the National ArboretumLast updated: Jan 2005 |  | ||
| Address: | Forestry Commission, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS Tel: 01666 880220 Fax: 01666 880559 email: winkwortharboretum at nationaltrust.org.uk web address: forestry.gsi.gov.uk/westonbirt Latitude: 51° 36'25''N Longitude: 02° 13'12''W | ||
| BACKGROUND TO THE COLLECTION | |||
| Year Founded: | 1829 | ||
| Ownership: | Forestry Commission | ||
| Garden code: | WESB | ||
| Umbrella organisation: | PlantNetwork, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Forestry Commission, National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens | ||
| PERSONNEL | |||
| Director: | John Weir | ||
| Head of Collections: | Hugh Angus | ||
| Curator: | Simon Toomer | ||
| Contact person: | Hugh Angus | ||
| Total Staff: | 50 | ||
| Total Horticultural Staff: | 10 | ||
| POLICIES | |||
| Accessions | Yes | ||
| Collections | | ||
| PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT | |||
| Altitude: | 120 m | ||
| Soil type: | Loam, alkaline and acid | ||
| Aspect: | Mostly flat | ||
| Total area: | 240 ha | ||
| Area heated: | |||
| Other sites of collection: | Bedgebury Pinetum | ||
| WEATHER RECORDS | Records kept | ||
| Temperature: | |||
| Average daily: | 9.3 °C | ||
| Av. monthly max: | 21.7 °C | ||
| Av. monthly min: | 0.5 °C | ||
| Absolute maximum | 34.0 °C (1990) | ||
| Absolute minimum | -12.5 °C (1987) | ||
| Wind: | |||
| direction | South and west | ||
| strength: | Average | ||
| Rainfall | |||
| Average annual | 840 mm | ||
| Month of maximum | December | ||
| Month of minimum | April | ||
| PLANT COLLECTION | |||
| Families | 112 | ||
| Genera | 330 | ||
| Species | 1412 | ||
| Taxa | 3315 | ||
| Accessions | 3493 | ||
| Plants | 17 200 | ||
| Notable plants within the collection | |||
| 120 Champion trees in the British Isles, 105 plants classified as rare or endangered in the wild | |||
| Geographical area of specialisation | |||
| Special families within the collections | |||
| Pinaceae, Aceraceae, Betulaceae, Cornaceae, Fagaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Magnoliaceae, Tiliaceae | |||
| Special genera within the collections | |||
| Abies, Acer, Betula, Cornus, Fagus, Fraxinus, Ilex, Magnolia, Picea | |||
| Special collections | Acer palmatum cultivars NCCPG Lowland Salix, NCCPG, | ||
| Phenological Garden | |||
| Records of living collection | Kept since 1988 Computerised | ||
| Record System | Access Mapping: Arcview GIS | ||
| Plant-collecting trips | No | ||
| FACILITIES ON SITE | |||
| Herbarium | No | ||
| Library | Yes, but no public access | ||
| Research facilities | No | ||
| Publications | Garden guide, guide map, Access to plant list and map via website | ||
| Identifications: | |||
| Teaching and Education: | Primary, secondary, higher. | ||
| Interpretation of the material: | Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails | ||
| Friends Organisation: | Yes | ||
| Visitor facilities: | Café, plant shop, shop, restaurant, information point | ||
| ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS | |||
| Public access: | Admission charge | ||
| Visitors per year: | 350 000 | ||
| Public opening hours: | Mon-Sun: 10am-dusk | ||
| GUIDING PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE COLLECTION | |||
| Mission statement: 'To connect people with trees to improve the quality of life' | |||