Braunschweig Botanical Garden: A life for plant diversity!

Braunschweig Botanical Garden: A life for plant diversity!

Michael Kraft has shaped the Botanical Garden of the Technical University of Braunschweig for almost four decades. He had worked there since 1987 and took over management in 2001. Kraft has introduced numerous innovations to make the collection and garden more accessible to the public. He rebuilt greenhouses and saved land from loss, which helped establish the garden as a “green oasis.”

Kraft, who is a trained master gardener and florist, made the decision not to take over his parents' gardening business but to continue his career in the botanical garden. Significant projects were undertaken under his direction. These include the tropical house (2007), the insectivore house (2010) and the Victoria greenhouse (2018). These developments highlighted the garden's role as an important site for scientific infrastructure and as an outdoor laboratory for experimental plant research.

Research and education in the botanical garden

The Botanical Garden is not only a place for relaxation, but also plays a central role in research. As mentioned by TU Braunschweig, the garden carries out fundamental research in organismic plant sciences. It serves as an important outdoor laboratory that offers students the opportunity to learn about setting up and evaluating experiments with whole plants and vegetation.

The plant collection in the garden demonstrates the variety of forms and phytodiversity and offers practical material for lectures, courses and block internships. Braunschweig has developed into an important location for plant research, supported by the Institute of Plant Biology, which is closely linked to the Botanical Garden.

Kraft also emphasized the importance of the garden in teaching and research. He ensured that visitors can enjoy sensory experiences through various plants from distant lands. This diversity stimulates the senses - from the visual beauty to the scents to the different surfaces that can be experienced with the sense of touch.

Long-term perspectives and challenges

Despite his impending retirement, Kraft plans to remain active. He will be a member of the Botanical Garden's support association and will take part in events and excursions. This demonstrates his continued commitment to the interests of plant research and the promotion of botanical education.

Given the challenges posed by climate change, Kraft also expressed concerns about its impact on irrigation and insect diversity. For decades, the Botanical Garden has avoided using chemical pesticides and instead relies on beneficial insects, which not only benefits the environment but also the preservation of biological diversity.

The botanical garden and the associated research, as is also done at other institutes, for example at Berlin Botanical Garden, has earned an important place in the global network of plant research through morphological, anatomical and molecular biological analyses. Integrating cutting-edge technologies into research infrastructure is crucial to capture and provide biodiversity data.

By combining research, teaching and public interest, the work of Michael Kraft and the Botanical Garden in Braunschweig will continue to have an impact for a long time and will continue to inspire future generations.