The Victorian glasshouse has stood at Kew since 1848 and is halfway through a £66 million renovation.
The work will include new glazing, renewable heating and rainwater harvesting, with Kew aiming for a carbon-neutral glasshouse.
Donations can be made to the appeal, with contributions of up to £300,000 set to be matched.
Richard Deverell, Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said: “For generations, the Palm House has been a place where people encounter the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth. It is a building that has inspired wonder for almost 180 years, but its future cannot be taken for granted. We have reached an important milestone, with half of the funding already secured thanks to generous philanthropists, grants and individuals. Now we are asking the public to help us raise the next £1 million. Every donation, however large or small, will help protect this extraordinary building and the collection within it for generations to come.”
There are many ways to support this vital renovation through the landmark appeal: by making a direct donation, sponsoring a pane of glass or sponsoring a tropical plant species, like Clay’s hibiscus (Hibiscus clayi) or the giant dioon (Dioon spinulosum). Donations up to £300,000 will be matched, and all funds raised will support the Palm House Renovation Project and help ensure future generations can continue to discover, study and be inspired by tropical plants. To provide insight on the Palm House and the importance on rainforest plants, a You Gov survey commissioned by RBG Kew has found that people recognise rainforests as vital ecosystems but overlook the plants that underpin them, with seven in ten Britons unaware of the role tropical rainforests play in providing medicines. The findings expose a stark gap between public concern for the world’s tropical rainforests and understanding of the plants these ecosystems are built on.
The research found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of Britons consider tropical rainforests among the most important habitats in the world to protect. Yet only 30% associate them with medicines despite the fact around a quarter of all modern medicines are derived from tropical rainforest plants. Furthermore, almost a quarter (22%) fail to associate rainforests with commodities such as coffee and chocolate, despite the vital role that rainforests play in the origin and the future resilience of these globally important crops.
Tom Pickering, Head of Glasshouses at RBG Kew, says, ‘Rainforests capture people’s imagination because of the remarkable diversity of life they support. However, this research suggests many people are less aware of the extraordinary plants these ecosystems rely on or their essential medicinal value.
‘At a time of accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss, understanding the far-reaching importance of rainforests has never been more critical. We depend on them for the regulation of our climate, their resources, medicines and as homes for millions of people.’
