Osnabrueck University Botanical Garden

Osnabrück, Germany, Germany

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The Botanical Garden of the University of Osnabrück is a university botanical garden located in the Westerberg district of Osnabrück, Germany, at Albrechtstraße 29, uniquely situated in two former Muschelkalk (shell-bearing limestone) quarries that create an extraordinary natural backdrop.

Established in 1984 and belonging to the University's Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, the garden consists of a core area of 5.6 hectares plus an additional 3.0-hectare external facility at the Biology building, totaling 8.6 hectares. The garden's primary mission is to research, preserve, and communicate the Earth's plant species diversity and biodiversity, with research focusing on genetics, evolution, and diversification of land plants.

The first stone quarry showcases the global diversity of plant communities and features the striking Amazon rainforest glasshouse that stands out from the quarry edge, while the second quarry, integrated in 2011, is dedicated to native plants reclaiming this suburban protected natural area. The garden serves essential functions in research and teaching for the university's botanically oriented departments, participates in national projects protecting endangered wild plants, maintains several gene banks to preserve native biodiversity, and provides environmental education through its Grüne Schule (Green School) offering tours and action programs.