William “Wilf” Nicholls has been named director of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia effective Sept. 15. He serves as director of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden in St. John’s, Canada.

Prior to his role with the MUN Botanical Garden, Nicholls served as a research scientist at the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. During his career, he has published numerous articles in both the scientific and popular press. He has secured more than $2 million in major grants, partnerships and gifts in support of the MUN Botanical Garden and his research endeavors.

William Nichols

Among Nicholls’ many and varied experiences are the breeding and release to the public of the Mandarin honeysuckle and the Starbright mock orange shrub; service as the principal investigator of the Plant Atlantic program for ornamental plant research and development; work at two university botanical gardens; management of the commercialization of plants and maintenance of a royalty stream to the MUN Botanical Garden; and doubling of the MUN Botanical Garden’s budget through research funding and greater revenue generation, including a 60 percent increase in visitor numbers.

In addition to his service as director of the MUN Botanical Garden, Nicholls is jointly appointed to the MUN department of biology where he teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses.

“The Botanical Garden is one of the university’s greatest treasures. We believe that we have attracted a director who can take an already wonderful facility to the next level,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams of Nicholls’ credentials and appointment as director of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

Nicholls also has private sector business experience, having owned and operated Backyard Veggies, a specialty gardening and consulting company.

Nicholls earned his Ph.D. in botany from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He earned his bachelor of science degree in botany from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, specializing in ecology, taxonomy and soil science.

Nicholls says his interest in joining the University of Georgia as director of the Botanical Garden stems from a number of factors, especially from the garden’s emphasis on plant conservation and education. He believes the State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers a unique opportunity for him to foster education about plants while promoting conservation and the disciplines of taxonomy and identification.

“In a world where biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate … a knowledge gap is growing, and this represents a huge opportunity and responsibility for botanical gardens to engage current and future students in learning the importance of plants, their habitats, and their interactions. It is a challenge that I relish and one that will be an important aspect of everything that we do in education, display and research at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia,” Nicholls said.

Steve Wrigley, interim vice president for public service and outreach, whose office oversees operations of the garden, believes Nicholls is the right individual at the right time to lead the garden. “We are pleased to attract someone of the stature and experience of Dr. Nicholls. I believe he will build on the strong foundation at the Botanical Garden and will establish new directions in the garden’s service mission, as well as enhance its ties to the university’s academic departments and to communities across Georgia,” Wrigley said.

“I am delighted that Dr. Nicholls will enhance programming at the garden for the university’s students, faculty, and staff, while at the same time expanding outreach and engagement endeavors with our local community as well as around the state,” said Jere Morehead, UGA senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “His teaching, research and entrepreneurial experience will provide significant opportunities to strengthen the interconnectedness of UGA’s teaching, research and outreach mission related to plant and environmental conservation.”

Nicholls will fill the position formerly held by Jeff Lewis, who served as director from 1989-2009. Shirley Berry currently serves as interim director.