New Rainforest Biome Supervisor

The newly-appointed supervisor of the Eden Project’s tropical zone has revealed his plans to introduce the “giants of the rainforest”.

John Nichol, who now oversees the Rainforest Biome, the biggest greenhouse in the world, has worked at Eden as a skilled horticulturist in the project’s Amazon area since 2002 and has been acting supervisor since March this year.

John said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of supervising such a great team and looking after such a special environment. With Eden now more than seven years old, the Biome has reached semi-maturity and I’m excited about helping it grow further.

“My ambition is to introduce the ‘giants of the rainforest’ - trees like the Brazil nut and the dipterocarps from south-east Asia - and cultivate bromeliads and orchids that grow in the rainforest canopy. I’d like to continue the good work of my predecessors and make the Biome as authentic an experience as possible.”

John brings to the role his experience of the tropics. In 2002, he spent three months working in the Philippines on a rainforest and coral reef conservation programme. In 2005, he travelled to Sri Lanka and visited Rainforest Rescue International to see the post-tsunami relief effort first-hand. Later that year, John visited the Amazon with Eden’s Friends organisation. While working at Eden, John has become an IRATA 1 (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) qualified climber, a necessary skill for pruning trees that now reach the top of the Biome’s 50m canopy. The IRATA network includes 12,000 technicians and spans every continent in the world. Reporting to Eden’s Lead Curator and Chair of Horticulture Don Murray, John takes charge of a three-strong team with one of his first tasks as supervisor being to help recruit a further three horticulturists.

He succeeds previous supervisor Dina Gallick who left Eden for Singapore Botanic Gardens in November 2007 after five years at the project.

Originally from Northumberland, John has the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Diploma in Horticulture and the National Diploma and National Certificate in Horticulture from Kirkley Hall College in Northumberland. Before Eden he worked with Wansbeck District Council for a one year contract, followed by three years with AC Design and Landscape.