International collaboration among public gardens in the Russian Federation and the United States.

摘要

Exchange of materials, information, and personal talents at the international level is crucial to maintaining the relevance of public gardens to the broad field of horticulture and the plant sciences. Botanical collaboration between the Russian Federation (R.F.) and the United States (U.S.) has historically been one of the longest-standing and most successful international efforts among botanists. As we proceed into the 21st Century, the future directions of and approaches to international botanical collaboration between the R.F. and the U.S. can be enhanced by understanding the intricacies of the collaborative process.;A historical review of R.F.-U.S. botanical exchange and personal interviews with Russian and American botanical exchange participants served to identify and characterize major components, needs, and future directions of this international collaborative effort. These components were compared with a Collaboration Matrix and used to create a Modified Collaboration Matrix that can serve as a guideline for international botanical collaboration. The Relationship Hierarchy was also considered regarding the needs and future directions of R.F.-U.S. botanical collaborative relationships.;By utilizing the Collaboration Matrix and Relationship Hierarchy, public garden professionals and those in related institutions can effectively shape international efforts to serve their missions in a sustainable manner.