NBI:This is the NBI

The National Botanical Institute (NBI) is an autonomous, statutory organisation formed by the amalgamation of the National Botanic Gardens and the Botanical Research Institute in 1989. Both these organisations were founded early in the twentieth century to conserve and study the exceptionally rich southern African flora and both were world-renowned for their endeavours in this field. This rich legacy has now passed to the NBI. With its head office at Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, the Institute has gardens and research centres throughout South Africa. It runs environmental education programmes and maintains databases and libraries specialising in information on the plant life of southern Africa. On the 1 Sep 2004 the NBI became the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in terms of Act 10 of 2004.

Mission

The mission of the NBI is to promote the sustainable use, conservation, appreciation and enjoyment of the exceptionally rich plant life of South Africa, for the benefit of all people.

Mandate

The objects of the Institute, as defined by the Forestry Act 122 of 1984 as amended, are to promote the utilization and conservation of, and knowledge and services in connection with, Southern African flora, and to that end the institute may-
(a) by itself or in co-operation with any person assess the botanical research and conservation needs of the Republic and develop programmes to meet these needs;
(b) establish, develop and maintain collections of plants in national botanic gardens and in herbaria;
(c) undertake and promote research in connection with indigenous plants and related matters;
(d) study and cultivate specimens of endangered plant species;
(e) investigate and utilize, and promote the utilization of, the economic potential of indigenous plants;
( f ) promote an understanding and appreciation of the role of plants among the public.

Annual Review 2003-2004
Annual Review 2002-2003
Annual Review 2001-2002
Annual Review 2000-2001

The current CSP (Corporate Strategic Plan ) for the NBI is available as a .pdf file
NBI CSP 2003-2006