Mission
The AUB Botanic Garden seeks to position AUB campus as a model of co-existence with nature. Through this mission, the Garden promotes appreciation of the campus as a sanctuary for living organisms and as a model for sustainable relationships between people and nature. We are committed to conserving the living environment of the University, advancing understanding of human–nature relationships through purposeful and engaged learning, and fostering a campus where nature enriches academic excellence, wellbeing, and everyday life.
Vision
AUBotanic is guided by AUB’s VITAL 2030 vision to ensure AUB’s future success, relevance, and sustainability over the next decade and beyond. We aim to position the AUB campus as a model of co-existence with nature, support its transformation into a biophilic and wellbeing-centered green space, and engage the community in educational opportunities that promote biodiversity.
AUB as a botanic garden
In 2016, on AUB's 150th anniversary, the university formally declared its entire campus an Ancillary Botanic Garden. In the same year, AUB became a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), joining a global network dedicated to plant conservation, education, and the stewardship of botanical diversity. As Lebanon’s first botanic garden, AUB reaffirmed its role as a custodian of its natural environment and its commitment to informal botanical education.
Declaring AUB campus as a botanic garden is the outcome of Prof. Talhouk's research whose objective was to promote informal botanical learning. Talhouk proposed with collaborators from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh the concept of “ancillary botanic gardens” (ABGs) as a solution for countries without formal botanic gardens. An ABG uses existing institutional green spaces to offer plant tours and nature activities, while remaining secondary to the institution’s main function—thus integrating botanical learning and formalizing what had long existed in practice.
For more information on ABG please check
Ancillary Botanic Gardens Partnership section
History of AUB Campus