Kew Gardens: The Lungs of the UK with Roots in a Complicated Past

Tucked along the Thames in southwest London, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew—more commonly known as Kew Gardens—is a global icon of plant science, conservation, and beauty. With over 330 acres of meticulously curated landscapes, greenhouses, and woodlands, Kew Gardens has rightly earned the moniker “the lungs of the UK.” It is not just a sanctuary for rare flora; it’s also a crucial hub in the fight against climate change. But like many historic institutions, Kew's lush greenery grows from roots entangled in colonial exploitation, slavery, and unequal power structures. To fully appreciate what Kew represents today, we must grapple with both its legacy and its evolution.

A Living, Breathing Force for the Planet

At its core, Kew Gardens is a carbon sink: its trees, plants, and soil absorb and store CO₂ from the atmosphere, helping mitigate the effects of climate change. Mature trees across the grounds sequester tons of carbon annually, while the gardens’ role in botanical research and ecosystem restoration projects makes it a scientific powerhouse. Kew scientists study carbon-storing plants, develop conservation strategies for endangered ecosystems, and collaborate globally to protect biodiversity hotspots that are critical to planetary health.

Additionally, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, located at Wakehurst (Kew’s sister site in Sussex), is one of the largest plant conservation initiatives in the world. It stores seeds from threatened species, acting as a biodiversity vault for future reforestation and ecological restoration efforts, key components in the global carbon-reduction puzzle.

A Legacy Rooted in Empire

However, to understand the full picture, we must address Kew’s origins. Officially established in 1759, Kew Gardens blossomed during the height of the British Empire. The garden became a central node in the imperial botanical network, collecting plants and knowledge from colonies across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

Botanical specimens were often gathered through exploitative systems, with colonial officials, missionaries, and plantation owners extracting both plants and indigenous knowledge without consent or fair compensation. Kew played a role in the transfer of economically valuable plants, such as rubber, quinine, and tea between colonies, supporting the expansion of plantation economies that were frequently built on enslaved or indentured labor.

For instance, Kew was instrumental in smuggling rubber seeds out of Brazil to establish rubber plantations in British colonies like Malaysia—disrupting native ecosystems and livelihoods in the process. It was also a key player in the global spice and medicinal plant trades, which often mirrored the exploitative dynamics of colonial expansion.

While Kew itself did not directly enslave people, it undeniably benefited from and contributed to the colonial systems that did. Plant specimens and knowledge gathered through slavery and forced labor made their way into Kew’s collection. Its rise as a scientific institution is deeply entwined with these legacies.

Reconciling Past and Present

To its credit, Kew Gardens has begun acknowledging this legacy. In recent years, it has initiated research into the colonial roots of its collections and launched exhibitions that critically examine the garden’s imperial past. The 2021 report “Kew’s Colonial History” outlined steps for transparency and proposed actions to decolonize the institution such as revisiting the way plant stories are told, highlighting indigenous contributions, and creating space for more inclusive voices in botanical science.

More than just symbolic, these efforts are part of a wider reckoning in science and conservation: recognizing that knowledge and stewardship must be collaborative and just. Climate justice, after all, requires historical justice.

A Green Future Anchored in Truth

Today, Kew Gardens stands at the intersection of history, science, and hope. It is a world-leading conservation center, deeply engaged in combating biodiversity loss and climate change. Its scientists are developing new ways to restore degraded forests, improve agricultural resilience, and protect endangered species, all essential to reducing carbon and sustaining life on Earth.

Yet, to truly serve as the “lungs of the UK”; and by extension, the planet; Kew must continue to breathe in accountability and breathe out action. This means addressing historical harms while ensuring that future botanical and conservation work is equitable, respectful, and inclusive.

Kew Gardens is a national treasure, yes, but it is also a living institution with a responsibility to grow beyond its past. As we walk beneath its vast canopies and admire its rare orchids or ancient trees, we are reminded not only of nature’s wonder but also of the intertwined stories of power, resistance, and renewal.

Kew Gardens embodies both the potential and the paradox of modern conservation. It is a vital part of the UK's ecological infrastructure and a global leader in climate solutions. Yet its foundations are marked by uneven histories of extraction and empire. By holding space for both pride and critique, we can celebrate Kew not as a perfect place, but as a dynamic force, capable of healing not just the planet’s lungs, but also the wounds of its past.