About Royal

Peace, blessings and mercy of God be upon you all,

With all the determination rooted in love for our homeland and the preservation of its precious resources and rich natural heritage bestowed upon us by God, the beloved Jordan, and with a drive fueled by my deep passion for nature and plants, the idea of establishing the Royal Botanic Garden emerged to be the main reference for plants in Jordan and to ensure their sustainability for future generations, with God's will.

The support and encouragement of His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal—God rest his soul—in establishing a framework concerned with plants and protecting biodiversity served as the driving force to move forward in translating this idea into action on the ground.

The arduous and enjoyable founding journey began through communication with the relevant parties locally and internationally. Accordingly, we initiated the creation of an action plan and established a database to document the reality of plant diversity while moving ahead with selecting the permanent site for the garden in the Tel al-Rumman area, north of the capital Amman, to be the incubator of this beautiful mosaic of Jordan's plants and a scientific and research reference for experts and enthusiasts, with the generous assistance of prominent figures and botanists at both the national and international levels.

Indeed, the prepared action plan has been implemented by establishing the main nurseries and a seed bank to conserve the genetic diversity of plants, in addition to creating a herbarium of plant species. Work is ongoing to create twenty supplementary gardens for plants and a refuge for ancient trees and cultivated aromatic plants. Moreover, 2,531 plant species have been documented, specifically those that are endangered. Additionally, a complete visitor center is being established to welcome visitors and interested individuals, and preparations are underway to create a center for training and scientific research.

We look forward to opening the garden soon to visitors, students, and researchers to explore this national achievement, learn about plant species, and enjoy the essence of Jordanian nature.

This remarkable achievement would not have come to be without the support of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein—God protect him—and the successive governments represented by the ministries of agriculture, environment, and planning, as well as Jordanian universities and a host of scholars and experts. Through this, we have been able to position Jordan on the map of the world's natural botanical landscape and rise to the ranks of advanced countries in this field.

Princess Basma Bint Ali

Dear visitors of the site... Welcome to the Royal Botanic Garden.

The Royal Botanic Garden represents a complete success story in the field of preserving national plants, positioning Jordan on the global botanical map and making it a significant player in the equation of plant conservation and sustainability at both regional and international levels.

This prestigious status that Jordan has achieved, thanks to the generosity of its people, led by Princess Basma Bint Ali, the initiator of establishing the botanic garden, is rooted in the rich natural demographic heritage of the Eastern Mediterranean region, which God has blessed with a balanced climate, making it a "cradle" for the wild ancestors of plants, particularly the fertile cereals that provide food security for the world's inhabitants, such as wheat, barley, lentils, and the olive tree.

Given the magnitude of the achievements reached, since its establishment, the garden has taken on the responsibility of documenting local plants and their habitats, currently accounting for 2,531 plant species. A classification has also been developed for rare, threatened, and common plants, which have been recognized by international references.

In addition, a seed bank has been established to utilize and propagate these plants, particularly those threatened with extinction, and efforts are underway to restore and rehabilitate habitats that have been destroyed due to various conditions. Currently, work is in progress to prepare the infrastructure for creating 20 model gardens for cultivating various types of plants, in anticipation of investment in this promising sector, particularly economically viable aromatic and medicinal plants such as thyme, wormwood, and Achillea.

In the field of investment in people, the botanic garden has implemented projects and programs to train individuals to handle plants with professionalism and expertise. In parallel, and as part of engaging with all segments of society, the garden has developed a comprehensive plan to establish the best partnerships with institutions, organizations, and individuals to explore and benefit from plant habitats throughout the country and to collaborate in their preservation.

To ensure the success of this endeavor, the garden has initiated a communication and media plan to highlight the extent of the achievements made and to share the initiatives and projects implemented by the garden, ensuring positive interaction and widespread benefit. Here, it's essential to mention the constructive cooperation and joint work with the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment to serve national plant conservation and sustainability.

On the international level, the garden's management has been keen on opening up to institutions, bodies, and international organizations concerned with natural plants and the environment, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).

The Royal Botanic Garden has earned a prestigious place on the international stage and has become a primary reference and expert house for international bodies, providing expertise and consultation to regional countries in the field of natural plants.

We welcome you and invite you to visit the Royal Botanic Garden in Tel al-Rumman... You are most welcome.

Mohammad Shahbaz

The Royal Botanic Garden was established in 2005 through an initiative by Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Ali, with generous support from His Majesty King Abdullah II, may God protect him. The garden aims to play a pioneering role in protecting biodiversity and caring for native Jordanian plants, with a focus on integrating and involving the local community in management and sustainable development.

The Royal Botanic Garden is considered one of the most important nonprofit environmental institutions in Jordan and a leading institution in the field of botanic gardens, not only at the level of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan but also on a regional scale. Its significance lies in being the only place in the kingdom where wild species and plants are protected outside natural reserves. Experts at the garden continuously work to document the Red List of endangered plants in Jordan to study the most effective ways to conserve and protect them from extinction.

The Royal Botanic Garden project serves as a model for the importance of the garden's role in scientific research, environmental preservation, and raising awareness about sustainable living. It also holds a significant place among environmental tourism sites. Given the environmental importance of the location, the Ministry of Environment declared the site of the Royal Botanic Garden as an Area of Special Protection on June 19, 2014.

The Royal Botanic Garden envisions a community that no longer needs to focus on environmental preservation, as it fully understands the interconnections between humans, plants, and ecosystems, ensuring individuals a dignified and sustainable life.

Preserving local plant life in Jordan by restoring the degraded ecosystems and providing institutional support to conduct research and display these practices to meet the environmental challenges of our time and restore hope in future.

• Preserving the Jordanian local plants and their genetic origins.
• Rehabilitation and representation of a range of local environmental habitats.
•  Conducting scientific research related to local plants and their environment.
• Education and promoting environmental awareness.
• Adaptive development for local communities.
• Learn to infer sustainable living methods.
•  Rangeland Rehabilitation in cooperation with the local community.

• The Chairman: Her Highness Princess Basma Bint Ali serves as the "Founding President" of the Royal Botanic Garden, acting as the direct reference for the General Director. Activities and tasks at the Royal Botanic Garden are carried out through a group of directorates that coordinate their work through various departments according to the organizational structure.
• The Director General: Responsible for the dedicated oversight of managing the Royal Botanic Garden and all its directorates and programs through planning, organizing, coordinating, monitoring, and establishing appropriate policies and strategies for implementation.
• Monitoring and Inspection: This Body is tasked with verifying compliance with institutional discipline and ensuring that individuals carry out their responsibilities faithfully and accurately, using neutral and equitable systematic methods.
• Executive Committee: A group of directors appointed by the General Director and approved by the President. The role of the Executive Committee is to reinforce the values of transparency, implement institutional procedures, and make decisions systematically and participatory methods to ensure the assumption of leadership responsibilities, with the aim of building the institution and achieving its goals.
• Assistant General Manager: Responsible for performing tasks assigned by the General Director, overseeing and/or following up on the activities of the various directorates of the Royal Botanic Garden, while ensuring the implementation of the garden's approved internal policies and procedures in any task assigned.