Peter Symes

Peter has over 30 years’ experience in technical support and management of large botanical
landscapes including analysis and design of plant environments, climate change adaptation,
integrated water management, living collection management, plant biosecurity, plant selection and
soil health. Lead author (and primary researcher) of the pioneering Landscape Succession Strategy
of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria to maintain plant diversity and guide the future transition of the
historic landscape through climate change. The development of this Strategy lead to the formation
of the Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens for which Peter played a key role in establishing
and recruiting membership (c. 500 members across 96 countries). He was project manager for the
development of the world first Climate Assessment Tool that enables a risk ranking against climate
scenarios for most of the world’s known trees. Peter has presented widely and published peer
reviewed papers on climate change adaptation, landscape management, irrigation and water
management, and plant biosecurity. He has also co-supervised undergraduate and postgraduate
students with The University of Melbourne (plant selection, microclimate monitoring) and Monash
University (water quality improvements). From 2013-2020, Peter was a director of the NGO Global
Gardens of Peace (still life member) and with the aim of building a living landscape to support the
wellbeing of vulnerable people in the Gaza Strip, he visited Israel, Gaza and the West Bank on a few
occasions to provide technical expertise, develop interdisciplinary collaboration and undertake
multilateral negotiations. Over the last two years, Peter has been in the role of Curator at the
Cooktown Botanic Gardens in the dry tropics of far North Queensland, Australia. This position has
developed further expertise in climate change, landscape and natural resource management,
botanical collections, plant conservation and partnerships with NGO’s and traditional owners.