Atlanta Botanical Garden's Dr. Jennifer Cruse-Sanders Honored for Contributions to Plant Conservation

Dr. Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, Vice President for Science and Conservation at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, was honored Tuesday with an international award for her contributions to plant conservation.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the world's largest plant conservation network, presented Cruse-Sanders with its March Christian Award during ceremonies at the Linnean Society in London. The award honors individuals for plant conservation efforts involving botanic gardens.

"Dr. Jenny Cruse-Sanders is a commendable leader of plant conservation initiatives in the Southeast United States and is guiding the plant conservation field in significant directions at the national level," said Dr. Paul Smith, Secretary General forBotanic Gardens Conservation International. The letter of nomination cited her involvement and leadership in programs at the local, state and regional levels for numerous threatened species and habitats throughout the Southeast, including orchids, pitcher plants and the critically endangered Torrey pine.

Cruse-Sanders works diligently to bring together partners in network-based initiatives aimed at sharing information and collaborations with groups such as the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance and the North American Orchid Conservation Center. Most recently, under her leadership the Atlanta Botanical Garden established its Center for Southeastern Conservation, which last month hosted its inaugural Southeastern Partners in Plant Conservation, a conference that brought together government agencies, land managers, botanical gardens and university programs to form a cohesive network of resources.

"I am both honored and humbled by this award," Cruse-Sanders said. "The international network of botanic gardens impacted by BGCI speaks to the importance of this organization for plant conservation. I share this recognition for our plant conservation activities in the Southeastern U.S. with the network of botanic gardens, university scientists and students, and agency partners with whom I am lucky enough to work."

Cruse-Sanders, who joined the Garden in 2008 as Director of Research and Conservation, received her bachelor's degree in biology from Boston University and her master's degree and PhD in botany from the University of Georgia.