Paul Nicholson is the Manager of Volunteer Programs at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.
He is responsible for the creation and management of volunteer programs and projects – including the recruitment, training, and professional development of volunteers – and is also in charge of leading bespoke tours for visitors and specialist groups.
Working at the Gardens since 1993, Paul started out as a horticultural apprentice and transitioned to volunteer program management in 2015, after working for 20 years as a horticulturist. Before beginning his career with us, he attained an Honours degree in History and maintains a keen interest in the history of our botanic gardens and other Australian gardens more broadly. Paul has also received two Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney scholarships: one to research Children’s Gardens in the USA, and one to work on the Palm collections at Fairchild Tropical Garden and the Montgomery Botanical Estate in Florida, USA.
He has curated diverse collections such as palms, camellias, begonias, succulents, and Australian rainforest plants, and was instrumental in the development of the Cadi Jam Ora: First Encounters Garden, as well as the Spring Walk and Palm Grove restoration programs, all at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Paul's favourite plant is the Idiospermum australiense, also known as the Ribbonwood or Idiot Fruit, found only in the Daintree Rainforest, is a modern representative of an ancient flowering plant lineage with a fantastic story to tell. He also recalls the first time he saw and smelt the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanium) flower at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, which is dubbed the 'corpse flower' because it stinks of rotting flesh when in bloom.
Paul feels honoured to work with our dedicated volunteers. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their devotion to lifelong learning is inspiring. They not only make valuable contributions to the experience of our visitors, our scientific and horticultural work but for more than forty years have created a supportive community united by a passion for plants.
Paul's vision for the future of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney is to expand its influence in inspiring people to conserve and appreciate plants and their importance in all our lives.
