The Missouri Botanical Garden announced Wednesday that Peter Wyse Jackson, director of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland in Dublin, would succeed Peter H. Raven as head of the garden.

During his tenure as director of the garden in Ireland since 2005, Wyse Jackson has emphasized organic horticulture and home gardening as well as making environmental sustainability a priority. He secured for Ireland the fourth Global Botanic Gardens Congress, which will be hosted in Dublin in June of this year.

peter Wyse Jackson

"The Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the top botanical institutions in the world," Wyse Jackson said in a statement, "internationally known for its global scientific endeavors and as a cultural institution. It is an honor to have been selected for the presidency at this prestigious institution.

"The great challenges that we face worldwide in securing a sustainable environment for the future place great responsibilities to provide continued leadership through such great institutions as the Missouri Botanical Garden. I look forward to working with the wonderful staff and leading this already superb center of science and horticultural display to even greater heights."

The garden said Raven played a key role in the selection of Wyse Jackson and will be active during the 2010-2011 transition period. He said his successor "brings not only a wealth of horticulture and botanical experience, but also a deep understanding of the importance of sustainability and conservation."

peter raven

Photos provided by the Missouri Botanical Garden

In an interview, Raven said he has worked with Wyse Jackson for 25 years, and he has "shown a great ability to organize and get the best out of people. He took the National Botanic Gardens out of the doldrums, even in difficult financial times in Ireland."

He said Wyse Jackson has visited the Missouri Botanical Garden several times over the years.

What will be his biggest challenge?

"For anybody coming from out of town, it starts with the challenge of getting to know the community and the people in the community," Raven said. "The bigget challenge in the garden is the biggest challenge for any cultural institution these days - how to achieve normal growth in the budget and get sufficient financial support for your objectives and live up to your vision."

Helping to achieve stability in funding with establishment of the Zoo-Museum District is one the biggest accomplishments Raven sees in his own tenure.

"That has been a steady funding source for a good part of our budget," he said.

He also mentioned the additions to the garden that he has spearheaded, including the Japanese and Chinese gardens, the Ridgway Center and the Kemper center for home gardening. "We have generally made it come alive in the community," Raven said.

He said he would be working full time until the middle of next year, then part time for several years as part of the transition, taking special assignments. "I'll help him settle in here in any way I can," Raven said.

Nothing that his family has a home in Wildwood with "a beautiful sunset view," Raven said he definitely plans to remain in the St. Louis area. "Why would you move?"

During his 40-year tenure, Raven helped transform the Missouri Botanical Garden into a respected center for botanical research, education and horticultural display. Arnold Donald, chair of the garden's board of trustees, said:

"The garden has been fortunate to benefit from the long and rich tenure of Peter Raven. He has put Missouri on the global map. Going forward, we are in excellent hands with Peter Wyse Jackson, who will continue Peter Raven's outstanding legacy in both horticultural displays and science and conservation."

Wyse Jackson was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He has worked with botanic gardens in more than 50 countries and served as chair of the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation, helping implement United Nations plans for conservation. He and his wife, Diane, have three children.