Peter Raven, one of the world's leading botanists and advocates of conservation and global biodiversity, will give a public lecture at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum on Tuesday, September 9, at 7 p.m.
Raven's presentation, "Saving Plants, Saving Ourselves," will take place in the Horticulture building at the Arboretum. Admission is free for UCSC students, $5 for Arboretum members, and $10 for non-members. Advance registration is recommended to reserve a seat.
Raven led the Missouri Botanical Garden for four decades and is now president emeritus. Described by Time magazine as a "Hero for the Planet," he champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment.
In recognition of his work in science and conservation, Raven is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the prestigious International Prize for Biology from the government of Japan and the U.S. National Medal of Science, the country's highest award for scientific accomplishment. He served for 12 years as home secretary of the National Academy of Sciences and is a member of the academies of science in Argentina, Brazil, China, Denmark, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, the U.K., and several other countries.
The author of numerous books and reports, both popular and scientific, Raven co-wrote Biology of Plants, an internationally best-selling textbook, now in its sixth edition. He also co-authored Environment, a leading textbook on the environment.
Raven's talk is part of the Ray Collett Rare & Extraordinary Plants Lecture Series at the UCSC Arboretum. The Arboretum is a research and teaching facility committed to plant conservation and serves both the campus and the public. Its rich and diverse collection contains representatives of more than 300 plant families. The Arboretum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Norrie's, a volunteer-run gift shop, supports the Arboretum and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit arboretum.ucsc.edu.
