The Bermuda Botanical Society is expected to get a new lease of life under the leadership of Molly White.

Mrs White was appointed president on Sunday and the newly elected executive committee has been tasked with creating closer partnerships to help improve the Botanical Gardens.

It comes after past president Marijke Peterich warned that the society, which had seen a decline in interest, may have to fold unless members step forward to fill executive positions.

“It is expected that the under the leadership of Mrs Molly White, a former president of the Bermuda Garden Club, the Bermuda Botanical Society will be reinvigorated,” the society stated.

“The newly elected executive committee was given a mandate to do all in its power to identify ways in which it could work with other groups and directly with the Department of Parks to improve the Botanical Gardens.”

According to the society, more than 30 people attended the Annual General Meeting in the Horticultural Hall at the Botanical Gardens, “the largest attendance at an AGM in many years”.

“It was clear that many attendees came out because of the possibility of the society’s winding up for lack of interest as reported in The Royal Gazette on Saturday.”

Mrs White will be joined on the executive committee by Marijke Peterich, Nigel Chudleigh, Christine Watlington, Peter Lee, Lallitah Durgah and Nigel Turini.

During the discussion on the society’s future, members spoke about the history of the group, its relationship with the Department of Parks, and the “universal concern” about the decline in the role and appearance of the Botanical Gardens over the past decade.

It was also noted that the society had never achieved its goal of establishing a working relationship with the Department of Parks in a similar way that the Bermuda Zoological Society works with the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. The importance of the gardens to tourism in Bermuda especially during next year’s America’s Cup was also highlighted.

For more information, visit www.bermudabotanicalsociety.org