Knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2004 for his service to horticulture and conservation, Sir Peter Crane currently serves as president of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation. This operating foundation ensures Rachel “Bunny” Mellon’s Virginia estate is used for public programs related to plants, gardens, and landscapes, and leverages its extensive botanical library and its collections.

He and his team have worked hard to build goodwill through civic outreach, inclusive and compelling programming, and educational opportunities.

Previously, Peter served as dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, director, and chief executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, and had a 17-year tenure at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Peter has also authored hundreds of research papers and presentations, edited numerous volumes on plants and gardens, and written three influential books including Gingko: The Tree That Time Forgot. Japan’s Emperor Akihito led the ceremony where Peter was awarded the International Prize for Biology in 2014.

Whether in the garden, the classroom, or on the page, Peter’s distinguished work has made a lasting impact in all facets of horticulture, botany, and biology.