The Association Botanic Garden Islands of Brissago analyzes the current situation of the Botanic Garden and develops proposals for its relaunch. The main aim is to enhance the attractiveness of the Botanic Garden at all levels in order to provide – together with the public sector – a setup that is vital, durable and sustainable on the medium run.
To this purpose, the Association intends to provide a contribution through sensibilisation campaigns, fund raising – from individuals economic actors and other interested entities, also by way of crowd-funding, and any other suitable support.
All of this in the framework of a stable private/public partnership, which shall provide the Botanic Garden with the necessary autonomy in terms of financial resources and management.
In concreto the Association intends to provide its contribution by focusing on three main areas, which are complementary to each other:
- Scientific Botany
- Divulgation and training
-
Direct increase of the revenues
The proposed measures in the three areas are all aimed at enhancing the attractiveness, the number of the visitors and – ultimately – the level of self-financing of the Botanic Garden.
The specific projects that the Association intends to support will be defined together with the owners of the Islands and the management of the Botanic Garden, taking into account the guidelines proposed by the Association, which will be updated from time to time.
Paeonia cambessedesii
Executive Board of the Association
Cesare Jermini, President
Brack Hale, Secretary
Udo Schiller, Treasurer
Antonella Borsari, Board Member
Paolo Bürgi, Board Member
Founding Members
Luca Bacciarini
Antonella Borsari
Paolo Bürgi
Flavio Canonica
Agostino Clericetti
Elena Conti
Stefan Eggenberg
Peter Enz
Cesare Jermini
Pierre-André Loizeau
Brigitte Marazzi
Rachele Martini
Guido Maspoli
Sebastiano Paù-Lessi
Giò Rezzonico
Udo Schiller
Hansjörg Schläpfer
Rolf Stockmann
Joshka Tomini
Manuela Varini
Manfred Walder
Giovan Maria Zanini
The Association has been founded on 25.10.2017 in Locarno.
Introduction and historical background
The Botanic Garden and the Islands
The Garden originates from the passion for tropical plants of Baroness Antoinette de Saint Leger, who owned the Island from 1885 through 1927.
After two decades in the hands of the Emden family, the Islands were bought by the Canton Ticino – together with the Municipalities of Ascona, Brissago and Ronco sopra Ascona - in 1949, which established the Botanic Garden (Parco Botanico del Cantone Ticino).
Since 1950 the Garden is open to the public and structured according to the international standards for botanic gardens.
The Garden is located on the biggest of the Brissago Islands, on Lake Maggiore.
Thank to the Insubric climate of the region and to the thermo-regulating effect of the lake, the island enjoys an almost sub-tropical climate that allows for the cultivation of nearly 2000 species of plants on open grounds with a surface of 2,5 ha.
The collections consist mainly of species stemming from the five geographic areas with Mediterranean climate: the Mediterranean basin, the Cap region in South Africa, the Californian coast, the south eastern coast of Australia and the central area of Chile. Furthermore, various tropical areas, such as Central America and Asia, are represented.
