Logan Botanic Garden curator Richard Baines dies after falling tree in Storm Boelo

Richard Baines, the curator of Logan Botanic Garden in south-west Scotland, has died after a tree fell on him during Storm Boelo. He was 60.

Police Scotland said a 60-year-old man was struck by a falling tree on a minor road at Mid Kelton, near Castle Douglas, at around 10.30am on Sunday 25 October 2026. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Hello! reported that Baines was walking near his home in Castle Douglas, in Dumfries and Galloway, when the tree came down. The storm had brought gusts of more than 80mph across Scotland. An amber warning, the weather service's alert for severe conditions that may cause disruption and danger, was in place on the Saturday night.

Logan Botanic Garden is run by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which is a public body. King Charles III is the institution's patron, a title that means he lends his name and support to it. Baines held the role of curator at Logan, the job of looking after the garden's plant collection and its day-to-day running. He also worked as an expedition leader, according to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's own stories website.

Tributes were paid to Baines after the news emerged, The Herald reported. Logan is a coastal garden in the south-west of Scotland, known for plants that grow there in milder conditions than much of the country.

Storm Boelo caused wind damage across Scotland over the weekend.