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The Nature Preservation Foundation
Guardians of 200 acres in the middle of Kingston
Hope Royal Botanic Gardens is cared for by the Nature Preservation Foundation — a not-for-profit steward responsible for the gardens, the woodland, the nursery and everyone who walks through the gates.
Our mission
Keep the canopy, keep the water, keep it open
Hope Gardens is the largest public green space in the English-speaking Caribbean, and the only place many Kingston families can walk under mature trees for free. Protecting that is the whole job.
The Foundation runs the estate as a working conservation site rather than a park: a nursery that raises native trees from seed, water systems that keep the gardens alive through dry season, and an education programme that brings thousands of students in every year.
Public funding covers only part of this. Venue hire, plant sales, donations and corporate partnerships pay for the rest — which is why the invitation to invest here is a real one.
CertifiedGreen Globe CertifiedSustainable tourism & land stewardship
History
A garden with a long memory
- 1873
The gardens begin
Land from the old Hope Estate is set aside as a botanical garden for Jamaica.
- 1953
A royal name
The gardens receive the 'Royal' designation following a royal visit.
- 1990s
The Foundation steps in
The Nature Preservation Foundation takes on stewardship of the estate.
- 2000s
Gardens restored
The Chinese Garden, Sunken Garden and Peace Garden are rebuilt and replanted.
- Today
Canopy at scale
Reforestation, water restoration and education run side by side across 200 acres.
Dates are indicative; the Foundation's archival record takes precedence.
What guides us
Four things we do not compromise on
Stewardship
We look after something older than us and hand it on in better condition.
Openness
The gardens are open every day, to everyone, from dawn to dusk.
Evidence
We plant, then measure. Survival matters more than volume.
Community
Schools, volunteers and neighbours are part of the work, not an audience for it.
Grow with us
Help us hand this on in better shape
Support the Foundation with a donation, a partnership or a morning of your time.