{"id":442069,"date":"2025-09-22T00:25:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T00:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/442069\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T00:25:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T00:25:19","slug":"ex-diplomat-honoured-to-be-appointed-head-of-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/442069\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-diplomat \u2018honoured\u2019 to be appointed head of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

A scientist and former diplomat has said she is \u201chonoured\u201d to have been appointed as the new chief executive of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).<\/p>\n

Dr Julia Knights will become the 17th Regius Keeper of the centuries-old garden at the end of January 2026, when she will succeed Simon Milne, who is retiring.<\/p>\n

Her appointment follows a career spanning more than 20 years in which she has worked in a variety of senior science, policy and public engagement roles.<\/p>\n

Dr Knights spent 12 years as a British diplomat, leading science teams in some of the world\u2019s leading biodiversity hotspots \u2013 including heading a research programme to identify new plant species in the Amazon rainforest.<\/p>\n

\"Sinn<\/a><\/p>\n

She has worked in a number of senior roles in the UK Civil Service, where, among other things, she led the team responsible for providing the science underpinning the country\u2019s net zero legislation.<\/p>\n

The chartered horticulturist also has experience leading a major visitor attraction, having spent nearly six years as a deputy director at London\u2019s Science Museum, where she oversaw the teams behind a number of blockbuster exhibitions.<\/p>\n

Speaking following her appointment, Dr Knights said: \u201cWith the urgent crises of nature loss, climate change and social inequality, the RBGE\u2019s mission to explore, conserve, and explain the world of plants could not be more vital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am honoured to become the next Regius Keeper of the RBGE \u2013 which holds one of the richest botanical living collections on earth across four incredible gardens at Logan, Benmore, Dawyck, and Edinburgh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look forward to working with the chair, trustees and talented staff to build on Simon\u2019s legacy, and further RBGE\u2019s world-leading research and horticulture, continue the digitising of plants in its Herbarium, and welcome visitors back to the iconic Palm House next summer.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is home to more than 13,500 species of plant across its four sites (Jane Barlow\/PA) <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m also passionate about furthering work with local communities and partners in Scotland and training of the next generation of botanists and taxonomists to identify, protect and conserve plants and fungi, for people and the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

RBGE was founded in 1670 as a physic garden to train medical students, and today it combines research with public engagement, conservation action and a focus on lifelong learning.<\/p>\n

It is home to more than 13,500 species of plants across its four gardens, and welcomes more than a million visitors a year.<\/p>\n

Dominic Fry, chairman of the board of trustees, said Dr Knights will bring a \u201cwealth of experience and integrity\u201d to the role.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom her scientific and horticultural acumen to her experience as a diplomat overseas, Julia\u2019s track record demonstrates a close synergy with the work and ethos of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am confident Julia has the skills and energy to ensure this organisation continues to prosper at the fore of our sector and am very much looking forward to working alongside her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her appointment has also been welcomed by Scotland\u2019s Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, who said the work of botanic gardens has \u201cnever been more important\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"RoyalRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was founded in 1670 (Jane Barlow\/PA) <\/p>\n

\u201cJulia\u2019s wealth of experience in the climate and environmental sector as a scientist, a civil servant, and as a British diplomat will bring strong and inspirational leadership to this next exciting chapter,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Outgoing Regius Keeper Mr Milne said he was \u201cimmensely proud\u201d of all that had been achieved during his tenure.<\/p>\n

During more than a decade in the post, Mr Milne has overseen a range of research and conservation projects in Scotland and elsewhere \u2013 including the restoration of 10 Scottish native species.<\/p>\n

His tenure has also seen the commencement of the Edinburgh Biomes programme, which aims to fully refurbish the garden\u2019s public and research glasshouses.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we have advanced the understanding, conservation, and appreciation of the plants and fungi on which all known life depends,\u201d Mr Milne said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I prepare to step aside, I do so with complete confidence that my successor will lead the RBGE with vision and resolve towards its next exciting chapter, continuing to champion plant diversity and the very future of our planet.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A scientist and former diplomat has said she is \u201chonoured\u201d to have been appointed as the new chief…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":442070,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8816],"tags":[748,3928,1102,728,4884,66314,149433,18291,149434,98408,70,712,149435,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-442069","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-edinburgh","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-conservation","10":"tag-edinburgh","11":"tag-environment","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-horticulture","14":"tag-julia-knights","15":"tag-plants","16":"tag-regius-keeper","17":"tag-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh","18":"tag-science","19":"tag-scotland","20":"tag-simon-milne","21":"tag-uk","22":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115245110320416635","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=442069"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442069\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=442069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=442069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=442069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}