Summary of the lecture 'Past, present and future of the TU Delft Botanical Garden'

The TU Delft Botanical Garden was established in 1908, now 110 years ago. A venerable age, but the Garden is alive and kicking, as never before.
The establishment and layout of the garden has its roots in the year 1908, at the initiative of the renowned professor of microscopic anatomy Prof Gerrit van Iterson. He then started with a small garden on Oude Delft; which in 1917 merged into a large Botanical Garden at its current location on Julianalaan.

At the time, the Netherlands had overseas interests in areas where not only spices and herbs but also many raw materials of industrial importance became available. The study of those raw materials led to a multitude of innovations in the rubber, paint and timber industries, among others. The Botanical Garden played a central role in these.
After the loss of the colonies, the Botanical Garden's role diminished. Part of the garden had to be ceded. Scientific research declined, not in quality but in scope. In 1995, concrete plans even emerged to abolish the garden altogether and build a car park on the space freed up. In the following years, the Botanical Garden managed to make a new start, starting in 2001 with its own director. The Botanical Garden as an organisation began to flourish as never before. It collaborates with several faculties. Through versatile and relevant research, it managed to strengthen its international position as well as its position within the university.

The lecture will be given by Dr W.N.J. Ursem, scientific director of the TU Delft Botanical Garden since 2001 and lecturer at Trinity College Dublin.

You are kindly requested to register in advance, no later than 1 December.

Speaker

Dr W.N.J. Ursem studied biology, chemistry and physics, obtaining the degree of drs. at the University of Utrecht. He received his PhD from TU Delft on the subject of highly innovative reduction of airborne particulate matter - in the open air, in car tunnels, in animal enclosures, and in hospitals.
Bob Ursem is committed to restoring the historic position of TU Delft Botanical Garden as it was: a laboratory and garden for now, for bio-mimicry studies and natural phenomena. In particular, he wants to exploit plants for new technologies. He wants to revive the history of the Botanical Garden and get funding for this from the proceeds of patents. He is founder and president of the Dutch Association of Botanical Gardens (see www.botanischetuinen.nl). And he co-initiated the establishment of the Master programme "Bio-inspired innovation" at Utrecht University. He held various board positions in nature conservation associations in the Netherlands, and he was president of the Royal Dutch Alpine Society for eight years.