Ambassador from Sweden seeks history for celebration

Sweden's ambassador to New Zealand Par Ahlberger chats to Dunedin Botanic Garden information services officer Clare Fraser (centre) and native plant collection curator Kate Caldwell at the garden's Solander trail yesterday.

The trail is named for Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander who was employed by Joseph Banks during Captain James Cook's first voyage to New Zealand (1768 to 1771), and features 10 of the many native plants Solander described while in the country.

Mr Ahlberger, who is based in Canberra, said he was visiting to explore how Sweden could celebrate 250 years since Captain Cook first visited New Zealand in 1769.