Pretoria National Botanical Garden Awarded Level 4 Accreditation by Arbnet Accreditation Program

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is pleased to announce that the Pretoria National Botanical Garden has been awarded a Level 4 Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. This is the highest level in the grading criteria, Pretoria National Botanical Garden is now one of the only 46 botanical garden in the world with a professionally curated arboretum (trees collection). This award underscores SANBI’s commitment to providing world-class services to those visiting its gardens across the country. The Pretoria National Botanical Garden is a testament to achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. It is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

The Pretoria National Botanical Garden (PNBG) is a conservation and research space established in 1946 and opened to the public in 1958. This 76-ha urban oasis is a pristine getaway located in the eastern suburbs of South Africa's administrative capital, Pretoria. It serves as the headquarters of SANBI and the National Herbarium, overseeing South Africa’s National Botanical and Zoological Gardens. The garden focuses on the conservation, display, and research of indigenous plants, especially trees from northern and eastern South Africa, South African cycads and succulent species. The Garden features both landscaped and natural areas, extending into the Magaliesberg mountain range. Some of its unique features include an avenue of Bolusanthus speciosus (Tree Wisterias), and naturally occurring Ochna pulchra and Ochna pretoriensis. The Pretoria National Botanical Garden has also been awarded Best Place to Get Back to Nature for 10 years in a row by the Best of Pretoria Rekord Readers' Choice Awards. PNBG continues to play a key role in tree conservation, education, and scientific research to protect South Africa’s plant biodiversity.

Reflecting on this achievement, Mpho Mathalauga, Senior Horticulturist of Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, shared, “Being part of ArbNet connects us to a global network of arboreta and strengthens our ability to protect and celebrate South Africa’s incredible tree heritage. This accreditation is an important step in the right direction for the Pretoria National Botanical Garden (PNBG), reinforcing our commitment to the conservation and sustainable management of indigenous trees. Our long-term vision is to establish PNBG as a gene bank for most of South Africa’s tree species, ensuring the preservation of genetic diversity for future generations.” 

About SANBI

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is responsible for the conservation, research, and management of South Africa’s biodiversity. SANBI’s mandate includes managing South Africa’s National Botanical and Zoological Gardens, which serve as centres for conservation, research, recreation, education, and public awareness. These gardens play a crucial role in promoting the conservation and appreciation of South Africa’s natural heritage while providing valuable nature-based recreational spaces that foster social cohesion.

The National Botanical Gardens Division oversees a network of 11 National Botanical Gardens, including the Pretoria National Botanical Garden (PNBG). These gardens integrate both landscaped and natural areas, aligning with the international concept of ‘Conservation Gardens’. They serve as living museums of South Africa’s diverse flora, supporting scientific research and conservation initiatives while offering educational and recreational experiences for visitors.

About ArbNet 

ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The accreditation program, sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. The program offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming and tree science, planting and conservation. More information is available at www.arbnet.org.