Journal of Botanic Gardens Conservation …...plants and fungi, how to implement the Global Strategy...

PlantNetwork response to

Target 8 of the GSPC

South Africa’s National

Botanical Gardens

The Global Trees Campaign

BGjournalJournal of Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Volume 2 • Number 2 • July 2005

ForthcomingMeetings

July 18 - 23, 2005VIENNA, AUSTRIA

XVII International Botanical Congress (IBC 2005)

The International Botanical Congress is held everysix years and provides a forum for the presentationand discussion of the latest advances in plantsciences worldwide. It follows the IBCXVI whichwas held in St Louis, Missouri, USA. in August,1999, which passed a resolution on the need forthe Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC).

For further information contact Prof. Dr MariannePopp, Institute of Botany, University of Vienna,Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +43-1-4277-54123, Fax: +43-1-4277-9541, E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected], Internet: http://www.ibc2005.ac.at/

August 12 – 14, 2005CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN)Conference 2005Restoring our threatened plant life – empoweringour community

The NZPCN Conference will include a series ofplant conservation workshops on subjects such as:threatened plant propagation, cultural use of nativeplants and fungi, how to implement the GlobalStrategy for Plant Conservation by 2010, enhancingplant diversity in the urban environment, developinga national ex situ strategy for threatened plants andintroduction to threatened and common fungi. For information visit the website at http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/news_events/conference.asp.

August 22 – 26, 2005PETROZAVODSK, RUSSIA

Botanic Gardens in Life of the people

This meeting is being organised by the KarelianGovernment in the the Petrozavodsk BotanicGarden in cooperation with BGCI and the Councilof Botanic Gardens of Russia. For furtherinformation contact Alexei Prokorov, Director,Botanic Garden of Petrozavodsk University, LeninaAv., 33 Petrozavodsk, 185910 Karelia, Russia. Tel: +7 8 142 784948, Fax: +7 8142 711000, E-mail: a;[email protected]. [email protected],Internet: http://hortus.karelia.ru/

September 26 - October 1, 2005ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

National Conference of the Australian Network forPlant Conservation (ANPC)Plant Conservation; the Challenges of Change

The ANPC and the South Australian Department ofEnvironment and Heritage are organising thisconference for discussions on the challenges thatcurrently face everyone in plant conservation, suchas the challenges of changing climates, changingenvironmental conditions, changes in governmentand policy focus, or confronting scientificinformation. The Conference will be held at theNational Wine Centre, in the environs of theAdelaide Botanic Gardens. For further informationvisit http://www.plevin.com.au/anpc2005/index.htm

November 12 - 14, 2005CIENFUEGOS, CUBA

The Botanical Gardens in the conservation of thevegetable biological diversity

This scientific event is being held at the CienfuegosBotanical Garden, Cuba. It will include sessions onplant conservation in botanical gardens, herbariadevelopment, floristic taxonomy, phytogeography,the history of botany in Cuba, ecosystem andprotected areas management, environmentaleducation and community work in botanicalgardens, the development of horticulture in botanicalgardens, sustainable forest management, publicornament and landscape and tourism and nature.

For further information contact Dr Lázaro J. OjedaQuintana or Lic. Félix Pazos Sánchez, Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos, Calle Central Nro.136, Pepito Tey, Cienfuegos, Cuba, CP: 59290. Tel: +53 (43) 45334, 45326,E-mail: [email protected],E-mail: [email protected].

November 28 – 2, December 2, 2005LIMBE, CAMEROON

Plants and People for Sustainable Development inAfrica

Following on from the successful 1st AfricanBotanic Gardens Congress in Durban 2002, whichsaw the launch of the African Botanic GardensNetwork, the 2nd African Botanic GardensCongress will be held in Limbe Botanic Garden,Cameroon. The Congress will look at the role ofbotanic gardens in linking people and plants withsustainable development in Africa. For furtherdetails of the Congress, please visitwww.bgci.org/africa or contact Limbe BotanicGarden, P.O. Box 437, Limbe, Cameroon. Tel: +237 333 2620, Fax: +237 333 2834, E-mail: [email protected].

June 19 - 25, 2006SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

IX Congress of the Latin American BotanicalSociety (IX Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica)Contribuyendo al conocimiento global de la floranativa latinoamericana (Contributing to the globalknowledge of the native flora of Latin America)

The objectives of this Congress are to spreadinformation about the flora of Latin America andbring together the botanical community to developplans for the conservation and sustainable use ofits flora.

For further information, please contact SoniaLagos-Witte, President Asociación Latinoamericanode Botánica - ALB and Coordinator, IX CongresoLatinoamericano de Botánica, Jardín BotánicoNacional, Apartado Postal 21-9, Santo Domingo,Dominican Republic. Tel: +1 809 385 2611/2612,Fax: +1 809 385 0446, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.botanica-alb.org

October 23 - 25, 2005GLASNEVIN, IRELAND

A Global Partnership for Plant Conservation –supporting national implementation of the GSPC

The Global Partnership for Plant Conservation isorganising an international conference to promoteand support national implementation of the CBDGlobal Strategy for Plant Conservation. Themeeting will be hosted by the National BotanicGardens of Ireland, Glasnevin, Dublin and furtherdetails can be found on www.plants2010.org

October 29 – November 1, 2005HOBART, AUSTRALIA

BGANZ Congress 2005

The 2005 BGANZ (Botanic Gardens of Australiaand New Zealand) Congress is being hosted by theRoyal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Hobart. TheCongress will explore the following theme: impactsand influence - the environmental potency ofbotanic gardens and will include four streams:environmental sustainability for botanic gardens,weeds and urban ecology, collections into thefuture and environmental education. Visithttp://www.anbg.gov.au/chabg/ to read the onlineNewsletter for the Botanic Gardens of Australia andNew Zealand prepared by the Council of Heads ofAustralian Botanic Gardens (CHABG).

To register online or for more information pleasevisit: Internet: www.cdesign.com.au/bganz2005, Tel: +61 (03) 6224 3773, Fax: +61 (03) 6224 3774,E-mail: [email protected].

October 30 - November, 5, 2005 SAN IGNACIO, BELIZE

2nd Conference of Caribbean Botanic Gardens forConservationCaribbean Botanic Gardens: serving a diversity ofglobal, national and local communities

This conference is being organised by theCaribbean Botanic Gardens for Conservation(CBGC) Network & Belize Botanic Gardens incollaboration with the Association of LatinAmerican and Caribbean Botanic Gardens (ALCJB)and Botanic Gardens Conservation International(BGCI). Further information can be obtained fromthe website: http://www.bgci.org/caribbean.

November 9 – 12, 2005OAXACA, MEXICO

First DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference (OSC)on BiodiversityIntegrating biodiversity science for human well-being

This conference, DIVERSITAS: OSC1 offers anopportunity to explore recent advances and probepressing issues across the breadth of biodiversityscience. For general enquiries about DIVERSITAS:OSC1, please contact the DIVERSITAS Secretariat,DIVERSITAS, 51, bd Montmorency, 75016 Paris,France. Tel: +33 1 45 25 95 25, Fax: +33 1 42 88 94 31, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.diversitas-osc1.org/

Contents

0203

08

09

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182124

26

283032

Editor: Etelka Leadlay

Co-editors: Suzanne Sharrock and Chris Hobson

Cover Photo: Flowering tree in Parque Internacional La Amistad, Costa Rica (Photo: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI) (see article on the Global Trees Campaign)

Design: John Morgan, SeascapeE-mail: [email protected]

Submissions for the next issue should reach the editorbefore 20th October, 2005. We would be very gratefulfor text on diskette or via e-mail, as well as a hard copy.Please send photographs as original slides or printsunless scanned to a very high resolution (300pixels/inch and 100mm in width); digital images need tobe of a high resolution for printing. If you would likefurther information, please request Notes for authors.

BGjournal is published by Botanic Gardens ConservationInternational (BGCI). It is published twice a year and issent to all BGCI members. Membership is open to allinterested individuals, institutions and organisations thatsupport the aims of BGCI (see page 32 for Membershipapplication form)

Further details available from:• Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Descanso

House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3BW UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953, Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5956 E-mail: [email protected], www.bgci.org

• BGCI-Russia, c/o Main Botanical Gardens, Botanicheskaya st., 4, Moscow 127276, Russia. Tel: +7 (095) 219 6160 / 5377, Fax: +7 (095) 218 0525, E-mail: [email protected], www.bgci.ru

• BGCI (U.S.) Inc., c/o Dan Shepherd, Director, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11225-1099, U.S.A. Tel: +1 718 623 7200, Fax: +1 718 857 2430, E-mail: [email protected] www.bgci.org/us

• BGCI-Netherlands, c/o Utrecht University Botanic Gardens, P.O. Box 80162, NL-3508 TD, Netherlands. Tel: +31 30 253 2876, Fax: +31 30 253 5177, E-mail: [email protected], www.bi.uu.nl/botgard

• BGCI-Canarias, c/o Jardín Botánico Canario Viera yClavijo, Apartado de Correos 14, Tafira Alta 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, Spain. Tel: +34 928 21 95 80/82/83, Fax: +34 928 21 95 81, E-mail: [email protected]

• BGCI – China and South East Asia, c/o Registry,Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore259569. E-mail: Bian.Tan @bgci.org,[email protected], www.bgci.org/china

• BGCI-Colombia , c/o Jardín Botánico de Bogotá, Jose Celestino Mutis, Av. No. 61-13 – A.A. 59887, Santa Fe de Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. Tel: +57 630 0949, Fax: +57 630 5075, E-mail: [email protected],www.humboldt.org.co/jardinesdecolombia/html/la_red.htm

• BGCI-Deutschland, c/o Botanischer Gärten der Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 171, 53115 Bonn, Germany. Tel: +49 2 2873 9055, Fax: +49 2 28731690, E-mail: [email protected]

BGCI is a worldwide membership organization establishedin 1987. Its mission is to build a global network for plantconservation. BGCI is an independent organizationregistered in the United Kingdom as a charity (Charity RegNo 1098834) and a company limited by guarantee, No4673175. BGCI is a tax-exempt (501(c)(3) non-profitorganization in the USA and in Russia.

Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarilyreflect the views of the Boards or staff of BGCI or of itsmembers

BGjournal replaces BGCNews and is published twice ayear. BGjournal has been given a new name as the newssection of BGCNews and Roots (Botanic GardensConservation International Education Review) is nowcontained in Cuttings which is published quarterly.There are 31 issues of BGCNews published twice yearlyfrom 1987-2003.

Editorial

The BGCI contribution to the implementation of the GlobalStrategy for Plant Conservation

Developing a PlantNetwork response to Target 8 of theGlobal Strategy for Plant Conservation

National Botanical Gardens: embassies of South Africa’sbiodiversity and culture

A global initiative to conserve crop wild relatives in situ

Conservation collections at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens,USA: supporting the International Agenda through educationand conservation

REDBAG: the Spanish Network of genebanks for wild plants

Saving trees around the world: the Global Trees Campaign

The ex situ conservation of Tsoongiodendron odorum Chunin Nanyue Arboretum, Hunan Province, China

The Arboretum at The Barnes Foundation USA: an exquisitepiece of nature and a professional training center forhorticulturists

Short Communications

Book Notices

How to join Botanic Gardens Conservation International

Publications List and Order Form

BGjournal • Vol 2 (2) 01

13 21

09

The CBD Global Strategy for PlantConservation (GSPC) provides aunique opportunity to address the hugeproblems of plant extinction around theworld. With its broad politicalacceptance, clear and ambitioustargets, strong support from keyorganisations and opportunities forinvolvement at all levels, the Strategy iswell-placed for success. BGCI and itsBotanic Garden members are playing acrucial role in promoting, supportingand implementing the Strategy and thisis one of the reasons I am delighted tojoin BGCI as Secretary General.

The GSPC complements andreinforces the International Agenda forBotanic Gardens in Conservation. Thisissue of BGjournal focuses on the ways that BGCI and its members aretaking action to implement theInternational Agenda and support thetargets of the GSPC. We can onlyhighlight a selection of the manyexamples of innovative and imaginativeconservation approaches currentlyunderway but hope that these willinterest and inspire you! I am deeplyimpressed by the level of commitmentto plant conservation shown by thebotanic gardens and arboreta that Ihave visited and worked with over theyears – as a network we will continueto share and expand our successfulconservation experiences.

In situ and ex situ plant conservation,promoting the cultural values of plants,networking, training, education andcapacity building are some of the

topics covered by the articles in thisissue. The major importance of botanicgardens in conserving plants in areasof high biodiversity and threat ishighlighted in the articles on SouthAfrica and Spain. The National BotanicGardens of South Africa, for example,already hold 17 per cent of thecountry’s threatened plant species.Their target, in line with Target 8 of theGSPC, is to ensure that 90 percent ofCritically Endangered species areincluded in collections within the nextfive years. The National BotanicGardens are working with theMillennium Seed Bank at the RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew, UK to reachthis target. The Gardens are alsodirectly contributing to in situ plantconservation within natural areas oftheir grounds and are working closelywith the Botanical Society of SouthAfrica to support plant conservation inthe wild.

Through networking and partnershipsat all levels, Botanic Gardens are in astrong position to ensure the long-termconservation of plant species and tocontribute to sustainable development.The article on the Global TreesCampaign highlights some of the waysthat Botanic Gardens and Arboreta areworking with Fauna & FloraInternational (FFI) to secure theconservation of trees around the world.When I joined FFI in 1998 one of mymain tasks was to develop and directthe Global Trees Campaign. This wasestablished in response to thepublication of the results of a three

year survey that I led at UNEP WorldConservation Monitoring Centre on theglobal conservation status of trees.Undertaken in partnership with theIUCN Species Survival Commissionand based on information from over300 botanists and foresters, for the firsttime the survey revealed that at least10 percent of the world’s tree specieswere threatened with extinction.

I hope that the successful collaborationbetween Botanic Gardens andArboreta and the Global TreesCampaign will continue to grow andthat similar conservation alliances willbe formed for other groups of plants.The value of the Global Partnership forPlant Conservation, supported byBGCI, will be to encourage and fostersuch conservation partnerships.

The challenge set by the GSPCremains huge but everyone can beinvolved in making the Strategy asuccess. Every conservation actionlarge or small is a worthwhilecontribution. I greatly look forward toworking with all members of BGCI tofacilitate, promote, and implement theStrategy and our Agenda forconserving Plants for the Planet.

Sara Oldfield18th May, 2005

BGjournal • Vol 2 (2)02

Editorial

The Global Strategy for PlantConservation (GSPC) was adopted atthe sixth Conference of the Parties(COP6) to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity (CBD) held at The Hague, TheNetherlands in April, 2002 in DecisionVI/9 (CBD, 2003).

The history of Botanic GardenConservation International’s (BGCI)contribution to the development of theGSPC until its adoption by COP6 hasbeen reviewed by Peter Wyse Jackson(2002). This paper describes BGCI’scontinued contribution to developing,promoting and implementing theStrategy at global and national levelsand its support for such work inbotanic gardens and relatedinstitutions.

Global

In February 2003, a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) was signedbetween the Secretariat to theConvention on Biological Diversity(SCBD) and BGCI, thus formalisingBGCI’s contribution to theimplementation of the Strategy. The aim of the MOU is to promote thefurther development, implementationand monitoring of the GSPC.

In the spirit of the MOU, BGCIseconded a member of staff, Ms StellaSimiyu, based in Nairobi, to the CBDSecretariat to act as GSPC ProgrammeOfficer with effect from 1st August,2003. Financial support for thisposition and BGCI’s involvement in the

implementation of the GSPC has beengenerously provided by HSBC, throughthe Investing in Nature partnership.Investing in Nature is a US$50 million,five year environmental partnershipfunded by HSBC, working with BGCI,Earthwatch and WWF. For moreinformation, visit www.hsbc.com/investinginnature.

Similarly, BGCI collaborated with theCBD Secretariat to convene two ExpertGroup meetings. The first (Liaisongroup meeting) was held at the JardínBotánico “Guillermo Pineres”,Cartagena, Colombia, in October 2002and the second meeting (Expertmeeting) was held in Co. Kerry, Irelandin October 2003. The meetings wereheld to review the development of sub-targets, milestones and indicators foreach of the 16 targets included in theGSPC, and elaborate baseline dataavailable and necessary for monitoring.

One of the key recommendations fromthese meetings was the establishmentof the Global Partnership for PlantConservation (GPPC), open to allorganisations which would contributeto the implementation of the Strategy.

The Global Partnership for PlantConservation

The 7th meeting of the Conference ofthe Parties (COP7) to the CBDwelcomed the establishment of theGlobal Partnership for PlantConservation (GPPC) and encouragedthe participating organisations to

continue to contribute to theimplementation of the Strategy. The meeting also invited otherorganisations to join the Partnership,and encouraged BGCI to continue itssupport for the partnership.

The GPPC was launched at a sideevent organised by BGCI on 13thFebruary, 2004 at the COP7. The aimof the Partnership, as elaborated in astatement released at the launch is: ‘To provide a framework to facilitateharmony between existing initiativesaimed at plant conservation, identifygaps where new initiatives are required,and promote mobilization of thenecessary resources’.

In response to CBD Decision VII/10,BGCI agreed to continue to supportthe Partnership over the comingperiod, by providing the Secretariatand its Interim Chairman (Peter WyseJackson, former Secretary General,BGCI) in close cooperation with theGSPC Programme Officer.

An initial ad hoc meeting ofrepresentatives of Partnership memberorganisations was convened by BGCIin May, 2004, at the Royal BotanicGardens, Kew, UK. The purpose wasto review the ways and means ofsupporting the national implementationof the GSPC by the Partnership, andreview existing and suggesting newglobal level enabling activities.Recommendations were made forpotential initiatives. A follow upmeeting, again convened by the

BGCI • 2005 • BGjournal • Vol 2 (2) • 03-07 03

The BGCI contribution to theimplementation of the Global Strategyfor Plant Conservation

Authors: Etelka Leadlay, Suzanne Sharrock, Stella Simiyu

Partnership Secretariat, BGCI, wasrecently hosted by FAO (Food andAgriculture Organization of the UnitedNations) in Rome. The meetingdiscussed among other matters, theorganisation of an internationalconference on the GSPC due to beheld in October, 2005 in Dublin, Irelandunder the auspices of the Partnership.

Plans for the Partnership are beingdeveloped and will be available on theGlobal Partnership for PlantConservation website(www.plants2010.org) which ismaintained by BGCI.

Ex situ conservation Target 8

Target 8 of the GSPC is: 60 per cent ofthreatened plant species in accessibleex situ collections, preferably in thecountry of origin, and 10 per cent ofthem included in recovery andrestoration programmes.

BGCI, together with the InternationalPlant Genetic Resources Institute(IPGRI) were requested by the CBDSecretariat to facilitate stakeholderconsultations to review the scope,terminology, base-line information,technical and scientific rationale ofTarget 8 (Anon, 2003). Further, BGCIand IPGRI organised a stakeholderconsultation meeting on Target 8 inJuly, 2003 at the National BotanicGarden, Brussels, Belgium (WyseJackson et al., 2003).

Plant Search DatabaseTo monitor the achievement of Target8, BGCI has developed a Plant SearchDatabase to provide a record of taxa inliving collections. This database waslaunched on BGCI’s website(www.bgci.org) in 2003. By March2005, the database held 125,961 taxa,of which 8,816 are known to be rareand threatened. The plant records arelinked to three databases – the 1997and 2004 IUCN Red Lists of threatenedplant species, the International PlantNames Index (IPNI) and Google’simage service which finds pictures onthe web. The ability to cross referencethe species with current red list datashows which threatened species are incultivation and which need to beconserved. A user is able to identify ataxon in cultivation but not where it isbeing held; the user can send a ‘blind’

e-mail to the gardens concerned andthe gardens receiving the message candecide whether or not to respond.This means that gardens can add theirplant collection details to the databasein the knowledge that they will not beputting confidential information aboutthe location of rare plants in the publicdomain.

BGCI is adapting their 1992 BGCIPropagation database for PlantNetwork(The Plant Collections Network ofBritain and Ireland) for endangeredBritish and Irish plants (Jebb, 2004).The Cultivation and PropagationDatabase Project being developed byPlantNetwork will be linked to the PlantSearch Database; this database willhelp to promote the link to in situconservation and monitor theachievement of the second part ofTarget 8: 10 per cent of them[threatened plant species] included inrecovery and restoration programmes.There is also a reintroduction databasemodule under development.

Ex situ conservationBGCI is supporting many in country exsitu projects which contribute to theachievement of Target 8 in Africa,Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, India,China, Mexico and Russia through theHSBC Investing in Nature Programme(see examples in the box: BGCIsupporting local initiatives toimplement the GSPC).

Education and public awarenessTarget 14

Target 14: The importance of plantdiversity and the need for itsconservation incorporated intocommunication, educational andpublic-awareness programmes.

Initially, the CBD Secretariat did notinvite institutions to facilitatestakeholder consultations on this targetas it was considered a cross cuttingtarget together with Targets 3, 15 and16; these targets were expected to beconsidered by the consultations oneach of the other targets. However theExpert meeting held in Ireland onreviewing the progress in stakeholderconsultations recognised that this wasan important target and was not likelyto be adequately considered as a crosscutting target.

The meeting recommended a separateconsultation and BGCI volunteered tocarry out this process as this targetwas closely linked to its own mission at a global level. BGCI was invited tohelp facilitate a stakeholderconsultation, involving expertise incommunication, education and publicawareness in relation to plantconservation.

A consultation document on Target 14of the GSPC was produced anddistributed in January, 2004 to a widenumber of organisations includingBGCI members, the AmericanAssociation of Botanical Gardens andArboreta (AABGA), PlantlifeInternational, IUCN Commission onEducation and Communication, UnitedNations Environment Programme(UNEP), WWF, Earthwatch, CBDSecretariat and the U.K Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs(Defra).

In March, 2004, BGCI staff participatedin a meeting organised by the BotanicGardens Education Network (BGEN) inLondon, UK to respond to theconsultation paper. In April, 2004,BGCI held a workshop on Target 14 at the 2nd World Botanic GardensCongress in Barcelona, Spain.Comments from the workshop havebeen useful in developing the nextstages of the consultation process.

BGCI education staff have heldworkshops and given manypresentations on the GSPC and theimportance of Target 14 over the lastyear to botanic garden and zooeducators in UK, Germany, HongKong, Russia and Canada.

BGCI, botanic gardens and otherbotanical organisations havecontributed to an important referencebook, Plant, the international version ofwhich was published this year(Marinelli, 2005). This valuablereference book will contribute to thepublic understanding of therelationship between plants and theenvironment from a horticulturalperspective.

The Education Department of BGCIhas developed a series of informativeand thought-provoking pages on theBGCI website within the education


section to look at how education feedsinto and contributes to the GSPC(http://www.bgci.org/education/index.html).

Promotion: communication andraising awareness

In May, 2003, a colour brochure of theGSPC in English was produced andpublished by the Secretariat of theConvention in association with BGCIand supported by HSBC through theInvesting in Nature partnership (CBD,2003). A large print-run of 40,000copies of the brochure1 was made toenable a wide distribution. BGCI hassent copies to over 2,200 botanicgardens worldwide. By the endDecember, 2004, 15,730 brochures hadbeen distributed. Several languageversions of the GSPC brochure havebeen prepared (Chinese, Russian andSpanish and a pdf version in French);the Chinese and Russian versionsthrough the Investing in NaturePartnership. BGCI produced a CD-Rom, Plants for the Planet (BGCI,2004) which included the text of theGSPC in four languages (English,French, Russian and Chinese).

In addition to the website for theGlobal Partnership for PlantConservation at http://www.plants2010.org, BGCI has developed avariety of web-based resources relatedto various targets of the Strategy(www.bgci.org). BGCI also publicisesthe progress of the GSPC in its serialpublications, BGjournal, Roots andCuttings and on its website atwww.bgci.org.

BGCI staff have made presentations onthe GSPC at national and internationalmeetings and facilitated workshops forthe development of strategies toimplement the GSPC at national leveland through botanic gardens.

BGCI and national responsesto the GSPC

BGCI staff have given presentationsand contributed to workshops ondeveloping national responses to theGSPC. For instance, BGCI staff wereinvolved with the development of ThePlant Diversity Challenge, the UK’sresponse to the GSPC which waspublished in February, 2004 (Cheffings

et al.). BGCI collaborated with theMinistry of Environment and NaturalResources of The Seychelles and alocal NGO, the Plant ConservationAction Group (PCA) to plan a responseby The Seychelles to the GSPC at atwo-day workshop in March, 2004(Beaver et al., 2005).

The GSPC and botanic gardens

BGCI is developing, promoting andsupporting the implementation of theGSPC through the botanic gardencommunity. This also supports thecross-cutting Targets 15 (The numberof trained people working withappropriate facilities in plantconservation increased, according tonational needs, to achieve the targetsof this Strategy) and Target 16(Networks for plant conservationactivities established or strengthened atnational, regional and internationallevels). Examples of BGCI supportinglocal initiatives to implement theTargets of the GSPC through thebotanic garden community can beseen in the Box: BGCI supporting localinitiatives to implement the GSPC

An important outcome of the 2ndWorld Botanic Gardens Congress wasthe development of the 2010 Targetsfor Botanic Gardens; these are a seriesof 20 targets for botanic gardens to beachieved by 2010, to help measure theachievement of the objectives of theInternational Agenda for BotanicGardens in Conservation (WyseJackson & Sutherland, 2000) and as acontribution towards the GSPC (WyseJackson, 2004).

The GSPC Targets and the 2010 Targetsfor Botanic Gardens have provided aframework for the development ofbotanic garden targets and strategies atnational levels. For example BGCI staffcontributed to the development of thedraft Strategic Framework and ActionPlan for the African Botanic GardensNetwork (ABGN) which were alignedwith the GSPC which was an outcomeof the African Botanic Garden Congress– Partnerships and linkages in Durban,South Africa (November, 2002) (Willis etal., 2002).

BGCI (U.S.) has taken the lead infacilitating the development of a NorthAmerican Botanic Garden Strategy for

Plant Conservation through acommittee made up of four partnerorganisations: BGCI (U.S.), CBCN(Canadian Botanical ConservationNetwork), CPC (Center for PlantConservation) and the AABGA. BGCIstaff from the UK contributed to thefirst meeting in Atlanta, Georgia(January, 2004). Subsequently, a workplan was devised and discussed at the2nd World Botanic Gardens Congressby representatives from US gardens.HSBC’s Investing in Nature Programmesponsored a round table meeting(October, 2004) to review a documentwhich had been revised at the annualAABGA meeting in Dallas (June, 2004)and another meeting of the partnerswas held in March, 2005 to review thefinal draft which consists of 19 clearoutcome-orientated targets. Thereview process included the circulationof the document to hundreds ofmembers of the botanic gardencommunity.

References

➡Anon., 2003. Global Strategy forPlant Conservation: Target 8.BGCNews 3(10): 30-32.[http://www.plants2010.org/targets/target8.html]

➡Beaver, K, Matatiken, D., Dogley, D.& Kueffer, C, 2005. The challenge of GSPC – how a small tropicalisland state is responding.BGjournal 2(1): 5-6.[http://www.geobot.umnw.ethz.ch/staff/keufferfor download copies ofthe PCA newsletter Kapisen]

➡CBD, 2003. Global Strategy forPlant Conservation (GSPC)Secretariat of the Convention onBiological Diversity[http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/cross-cutting/plant/default.asp,2005; See also 2005, www.bgci.org/conservation/strategy.html]

➡Cheffings,C., Harper, M. & Jackson,A., 2004. Plant Diversity Challenge -The UK’s response to the GlobalStrategy for Plant Conservation.JNCC, Plantlife & RBG, Kew

➡Jebb, Matthew, 2004. Cultivationand Propagation Database.PlantNetwork Newsletter 26:11.


1 Copies are available from the Secretariat of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity, World Trade Centre, 393 St. Jacques, Suite 300, Montreal, Quebec,Canada H2Y 1N9. Tel: +1 (514) 288-2220; Fax: +1 (514) 288 6588; E-mail: [email protected]; website: http://www.biodiv.org, or from BGCI.

BGCI supporting localinitiatives to implement theGSPC

Through the Investing in NatureProgramme 42 small grants havebeen awarded for plant conservationin botanic gardens in Africa (5),Argentina (4), Brazil (9), India (21) andRussia (3). All these projects supportseveral GSPC Targets. Examplesfrom completed projects are givenbelow from India and Brazil.

India

Auroville Botanical Gardens, TamilNadu has upgraded theinfrastructure at the garden’s nurseryto increase capacity for seedlingproduction of Tropical Dry EvergreenForest (TDEF) plant species of SouthIndia. The Botanic Garden haspropagated and multiplied a total of3,607 accessions of the 17 TDEFspecies at Auroville nursery.

The Coimbatore Zoological Park andConservation Centre (CZPCC), TamilNadu is establishing an arboretum of100 endemic and endangered plants ofthe Nilgiri Biospere Reserve (NBR).CZPCC has undertaken extensive fieldtrips in several localities of the NBRand have introduced six endemicspecies to the arboretum (Arengawightii, Diospyros bourdilloni, Veprisbilocularis, Entada rheedii, Decalepishamiltonii, Elaeocarpus tuberculatus).About 30 living plants were raised fromthese collections and maintained at thearboretum site. CZPCC, in associationwith the Centre for Environment, Tiripur

also organised an awarenessworkshop on biodiversityconservation for school students,teachers and parents in April 2004.

The Community AgrobiodiversityCentre (CABC) MS SwaminathanResearch Foundation at Wayanad,Kerala has made significant initiativesin the collection, propagation andmanagement of seven rare,endangered and threatened andimportant species identified for theproject. A total of 62 livingcollections of seven species(Aristolochia tagala, Dioscorea

➡Marinelli, J., 2005. Plant. DKPublishing, New York.

➡Sharrock, S., 2004. Databases andlocal action: Progress from BGCI onex situ conservation Plant Talk 38:34-35

➡Simiyu, S. & Wyse Jackson, P.,2003. Progress during 2003 in theimplementation of the GlobalStrategy for Plant Conservation.BGCNews 4(1): 4-5.

➡Willis, C.K., Owusu-Afriyie, G. &Dalzell, C., 2002. Launch of theAfrican Botanic Gardens NetworkBGCNews 3(9): 35-38.

➡Wyse Jackson, P., 2002.Development and adoption of theGlobal Strategy for PlantConservation by the Convention onBiological Diversity: an NGO’sperspective. BGCNews 3(8): 25-32.[http://www.bgci.org/conservation/development_global_strategy_plant_conservation.html]

➡Wyse Jackson, P. 2004. Developinginternational targets for botanicgardens in conservation: aconsultation document. BGjournal1(1): 4-6

➡Wyse Jackson, P.S. & Sutherland,L.A., 2000. International Agenda forBotanic Gardens in Conservation.BGCI, London, U.K.

➡Wyse Jackson, P., Gibbs, D. &Dulloo, E., 2003. Global Strategyfor Plant Conservation: Target 8.BGCNews 4(1): 27-30.

Etelka Leadlay, Suzanne Sharrockand Stella SimiyuBGCI, Descanso House 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey,TW9 3BW, UKTel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953Fax: +44 (0)20 8832 5956E-mail: [email protected],[email protected] [email protected]: http://www.bgci.org


Right: Planting

in the

arboretum of

the Coimbatore

Zoological Park

and

Conservation

Centre, Tamil

Nadu

Right: Orchid

House at the

Auroville

Botanical

Gardens, Tamil

Nadu

hamiltoni, Dendrobium aqueum,Embelia ribes, Ipsea malabarica,Ochlandra travancorica, Sarcostigmakleinii) were collected. Propagationand multiplication through vegetativemethods and seed germination werecarried out for Aristolochia tagala,Dioscorea hamiltoni and Ochlandratravancorica. CABC is planning formass multiplication of Ipseamalabarica and Dendrobium aqueumin collaboration with the KeralaForest Research Institute (KFRI) forreintroduction into local habitats.CABC has also established apartnership with the GramPanchayats in Wayanad through theState Planning Board for preparationof a Plant Biodiversity Register whichincludes the ten target speciesidentified for the IiN-India smallgrants project. CABC has alsoformed a Biodiversity ConservationGroup in Wayanad District for linkingtheir project programme with thepeople, elected bodies andgovernment organisations.

Brazil

The Belo Horizonte Zoo-BotanicFoundation, Minas Gerais has carriedout surveys of six Caatinga habitats.The Caatinga is a unique habitat whichcovers 10% of Brazil and ischaracterised by its semi-arid climateand thorn forest. Unfortunately it isbecoming increasingly degraded andthreatened due to extensive cattlerearing and charcoal production. Manyof the endemic species of this regionare now considered endangered.

As a result of the project, 187specimens of Caatinga flora are nowcultivated in the glasshouses andthematic gardens of the botanicgarden. Of these 24 are species ofcacti considered of particularimportance for conservation.Herbarium samples were prepared of339 species, and fruits and seeds of 86species have been added to thecarpological collection. These sampleshave already proved of greateducational value and have been usedin the production of seeds and fruit kitsfor use by local schools.

The team also established excellentrelationships with local organisationsand collected data on the socio-cultural and environmental aspectsof the region. A number of schoolsand community groups wereinvolved and education materials onthe project were developed for thelocal population.

As part of the project thegreenhouse at the botanic gardenhas been redeveloped and is nowhome to an outstanding educationalexhibit aimed at raising awareness ofthe social and cultural importance ofthe unique Caatinga plants, thepeople they support and the threatsthey face. Around 100,000 visitorsper year are expected to visit thenew glasshouse.


Far left: MS

Swaminathan

Research

Foundation at

Wayanad,

Kerala

Left:

Pilosocereus

pachycladus

(Photo:

F.M.Fernandes)

Left: Barriguda

(Ceiba

ventricosa), a

species of the

Caatinga in the

dry season (left)

and in flower

(bottom left)

(Photo:

F.M.Fernandes)

Mid left: Seeds

of Amburana

cearensis

(Photo: Inês

Ribeiro)

Far left:

Inauguration of

the Caatinga

Greenhouse at

the Belo

Horizonte Zoo-

Botanic

Foundation

(Photo:

F.M.Fernandes)

Target 8 of the Global Strategy for PlantConservation aims to secure 60 per cent ofthreatened plant species in accessible exsitu collections, preferably in the country oforigin, and 10% of them included inrecovery and restoration programmes.

At a meeting of PlantNetwork: the PlantCollections Network of Britain & Ireland, on6–7th April 2005 at the National BotanicGardens, Glasnevin, Ireland, eight targetswere elaborated for botanical collections inIreland and Britain to develop a co-ordinated response to support efforts tomeet the 2010 target.

In particular the role of ex situ collections inserving the broader remit of plantconservation through public awareness,building and sharing cultivation expertise,collaborating with in situ conservationprogrammes, and in lobbying atgovernmental level were all seen as vitalelements that plant collections and theirstaff can bring to conservation work inthese islands. The meeting includedrepresentatives of 53 institutions in Britainand Ireland.

Targets

The following eight targets were adopted tobe achieved by 2010:

PlantNetwork Target 1: 100% ofcritically endangered vascular plantspecies in managed ex situ collections

Sub-targets1a: PlantNetwork Gardens involved in every

appropriate national, regional or localBiodiversity Action Plan (BAP) or IrishPriority Species conservationprogramme.

1b: Species in the Extinct in the Wild (EW)category secured in no fewer than twoliving collections.

1c: Species in the Endangered (E) category,with high rates of decline, secured in nofewer than two living collections.

PlantNetwork Target 2: Geneticallyrepresentative conservationcollections established for all vascularplant species with small, limited orrapidly declining extant populations

PlantNetwork Target 3: Cultivation andpropagation protocols available for allthreatened plant species

Sub-targets3a: On-line database of cultivation and

propagation protocols launched by endof 2006.

3b: Duplication of effort minimised throughthe collation and dissemination ofavailable datasets.

PlantNetwork Target 4: Participate inspecies recovery or managementprogrammes with partners

Sub-target4a: 100% of UKBAP & Irish Priority Species

included in recovery programmes.

PlantNetwork Target 5: Developcomplementary collections ofthreatened bryophytes in cultivation

Sub-target5a: A PlantNetwork Conference organised

with the British Bryological Society(BBS) on how horticulture and botanicalcollections can contribute to bryophyteconservation.

PlantNetwork Target 6: Public andpolitical awareness raised of nativeflora and the need for its conservation

Sub-targets6a: 25% of PlantNetwork gardens working

with appropriate partners or communitygroups to develop public-awarenessprogrammes for plant conservation.

6b: Positive stories on plant conservationpromoted in the media, with articles inall major horticultural-news journals by2007.

6c: A 20% increase in public understandingof need for conservation of native plantsneeds achieved.

6d: Coherent shared themes for plantconservation developed andimplemented throughout PlantNetworkgardens, including the production offramework documents to assist withindividual education projects.

6e: 50% of PlantNetwork memberinstitutions participating in InternationalBiodiversity Day (22 May) every year.

PlantNetwork Target 7: Build thecapacity required in PlantNetworkmember institutions to achieve thePlantNetwork targets for Target 8 ofthe Global Strategy for PlantConservation

Sub-targets7a: Side-by-side living collections of critical

native species developed inPlantNetwork member institutions, withat least one such collection in eachregion (England, Scotland, Wales,Ireland).

7b: Expertise in native plant taxonomyavailable and accessible in 50% ofPlantNetwork member institutions.

PlantNetwork Target 8: Best practiceachieved in the implementation ofactions needed to meet the targets ofthe Global Strategy for PlantConservation

Sub-targets8a: Website established to disseminate

protocols and best-practice information,and to highlight gaps, as a clearing-house mechanism.

8b: Available guidelines for the collection,acquisition and maintenance of geneticdiversity of ex situ material applied and,where necessary, developed, for themanagement of collections.

8c: PlantNetwork member institutions tohave accessible, effective andcomprehensive documentation systemsfor their native plant collections.

For further information please contact: Matthew JebbChairman PlantNetworkCurator of the HerbariumNational Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin,Dublin 9, Ireland. Tel: +3531 804 0329Fax: +3531 836 0080E-mail: [email protected]

BGCI • 2005 • BGjournal • Vol 2 (2) • 0808

Developing a PlantNetwork response to Target 8 ofthe Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

Right:

Polystichum

lonchitis - Holly

Fern

This species is

Vulnerable.

Small

populations

exist in Wales

and the Lake

District; it is

more frequent

in the Scottish

uplands and

western

Scotland

Introduction

South Africa has a network of eightNational Botanical Gardens (NBGs)managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).This was previously the NationalBotanical Institute or NBI which from 1 September 2004, with thepromulgation of South Africa’s newNational Environmental Management:Biodiversity Act 2004, the NBI becameSANBI, a parastatal organisation underthe national Department ofEnvironmental Affairs and Tourism. The focus of the NBGs is growing andconserving South Africa’s indigenousplants and together conserve over1,350 ha of natural vegetation andassociated biodiversity within theirboundaries and promoting and raisingenvironmental awareness at home andabroad. The botanical gardens arecentres of excellence for plants; theyprovide information, professional skillsin horticulture and tourism and supportnational, regional and internationalnetworks for the conservation,sustainable use and appreciation of theflora of South Africa.

Living Collections

The eight NBGs–Free State, HaroldPorter, Karoo Desert, Kirstenbosch,Lowveld, KwaZulu-Natal, Pretoria andWalter Sisulu NBGs–are located in five ofSouth Africa’s nine provinces (see map).The NBGs are situated in different partsof the country, ranging frompredominantly winter-rainfall

mediterranean climates (Kirstenboschand Harold Porter NBG) to semi-aridclimates (the Karoo Desert NBG) andfrom summer rainfall subtropical andtropical climates (Lowveld and KwaZulu-Natal NBG) to South Africa’s interiorplateau areas that can receive frostduring the dry, cold winter months (FreeState, Pretoria and Walter Sisulu NBGs).This range of climatic conditions meansthat different gardens are able to growplants that might not be grown sosuccessfully in other gardens withoutartificial structures having to be built.

The NBGs include natural vegetationrepresentative of six of southernAfrica’s seven biome units, namelyforest, fynbos (characterized by thepresence of ericas, restios andproteas), grassland, savanna, NamaKaroo, and Succulent Karoo. The only

biome not represented is the DesertBiome, represented in Namibia almostexclusively by the Namib Desert.Further, Kirstenbosch NBG wasentrusted in 1957 with themanagement of both the EdithStephens Wetland Park (3,42 ha) onthe Cape Flats and the Tienie VersfeldReserve (20,72 ha) near Darling in thewestern Cape. Both reserves aresituated outside Kirstenbosch.

Each NBG has a dedicated collectingpolicy, with an overall LivingCollections Policy covering all of thegardens. As there is some overlapbetween gardens’ collecting areas,many collaborative field trips areundertaken between gardens.Wherever possible the gardens try togrow plants that have been collectedfrom the wild, after the necessary


National Botanical Gardens:embassies of South Africa’sbiodiversity and culture

Author: Christopher K. Willis

Above: Map

showing the

location of

South Africa’s

eight national

botanical

gardens (drawn

by Linette

Ferreira)

Left: Tranquil

scenes in the

Harold Porter

NBG (Photo:

Hans

Heilgendorff)

Right: The

Walter Sisulu

NBG’s succulent

rockery (Aloe in

foreground)

serves an

important role

in its garden-

based education

programmes

(Photo: Hans

Heilgendorff).

Above:

Botanical

Society

volunteer

looking after the

proteas at the

Kirstenbosch

Garden Fair

(Photo: Dave

McDonald)

permits and permission have beenobtained from the provincialconservation agencies/authorities andlandowners.

HorticultureIn recent years maintenance orcontinuance plans have beendeveloped by horticulturists for plantcollections requiring special cultivationattention and techniques, such as someof the succulent plant groups (e.g.Haworthia spp.). Special collectionsthat are currently held across thevarious NBGs include cycads,pelargoniums, haworthias, Lithops,Plectranthus, and various bulb species.

Descriptive notes andcultivation/propagation techniques forSouth Africa’s indigenous plants arecurrently made available electronicallyto the general public through a SANBI-managed web site,www.plantzafrica.com. SANBI staffhave, in addition, over the past fewyears also contributed towards a seriesof guides to the cultivation andpropagation of various indigenousSouth African plants, known as theKirstenbosch Gardening Series. Titlesin this series, amongst others, haveincluded Grow South African Plants,Grow Bulbs, and Grow Clivias.

Conservation collectionsA survey completed in 2002 of livingcollections across the eight NBGsprovided some interesting results(Golding & Heilgendorff, 2002). Basedon a preliminary data set of livingcollections in South Africa’s NBGs, theeight gardens together house some8,500 indigenous plant species, 36 per

cent of South Africa’s indigenous flora(estimated at 23,420). The number ofindigenous plant taxa per gardenranged from 347 taxa in the Free StateNBG to 5,538 in the Kirstenbosch NBG(24% of South Africa’s flora), SANBI’sflagship garden. A total of 813 Red Listplant species are representedthroughout the NBGs, 384 beingregarded as threatened (see Golding,2002). The NBGs collectively hold 17per cent of South Africa’s estimated2,301 (9.8% of South Africa’s flora)threatened plants. Low priority taxa(Rare and Lower Risk) accounted forabout 50 per cent of all the Red Listspecies in the NBGs.

Threatened species from the familiesProteaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Aloaceaeand Iridaceae are the most well-represented in the NBGs. They aremainly showy, well-known and highlyattractive species that appeal togarden visitors. Of concern is that themajority (65%) of Red List species inSouth Africa’s NBGs occur in only asingle collection. Horticultural protocolsfor individual threatened plant taxaneed to be developed so thatconservation collections can be held inseveral botanical gardens. Surveys setmeaningful targets, particularly thoselinked to Target 8 of the GlobalStrategy for Plant Conservation(GSPC).

Based on this preliminary review(Golding & Heilgendorff, 2002), SouthAfrica’s NBGs are currently working ondeveloping a plant conservationstrategy, linked to the targets of theGSPC, together with other sectionsand programmes of SANBI, to serve asa framework for the various gardens’conservation programmes.

Plant recordsAn IT Review is currently beingconducted for the new SANBI, with thegarden records database a priority areafor development. Attempts have beenmade in the past to develop a plantrecords database compatible withSANBI’s in-house PRECIS (NationalHerbarium, Pretoria (PRE)Computerised Information System)database. The ideal situation will bewhere each NBG, despite being ineight different centres, has directaccess to a centralized, regularlyupdated, database system.

With each garden having relativelylarge areas of natural vegetation withintheir boundaries, they should, throughappropriate partnerships with bothamateur and professional biologists,continue to develop and refine existingchecklists of biodiversity recorded ineach NBG.

Training

The NBG provide training for staff andother conservation workers inhorticulture, tourism and service skills,which builds competence forconservation and making gardensenvironments for learning.

In line with national health and safetyregulations, staff in all eight gardenshave received training in variousaspects of the national Health andSafety Act, chemical safety, fire fightingand first aid. In addition, horticulturalskills training programmes (facilitated inmother tongue) for ground staff havenow been implemented at all eightNBGs. In line with legislation regulatingtraining in South Africa, these coursesare nationally registered and offered by


Below: South

Africa’s

Millennium

Seed Bank team

collecting

Pavonia

senegalensis in

the Kalahari

(Photo: Erich

van Wyk)

Left: New

Kirstenbosch

Tea Room set

against the

dramatic

backdrop of

Table Mountain,

Cape Town

(Photo: Hans

Heilgendorff)

an accredited training provider. Trainingcourses and workshops have alsobeen presented to various staff ontopics such as supervisory andpersonal skills improvement andfinancial life skills training. Servicestandards in the NBGs have also beenimproved through a nationallyrecognised South Africa HostProgramme. Selected staff in the NBGshave also been assessed andregistered with their provincialregistrars as tourist guides, both on asite and regional level.

For several years now, SANBI hascontributed towards the academic andin-service training of the nextgeneration of professionalhorticulturists. Practical training (sixmonths) in indigenous flora is offeredto second and third year students whostudy horticulture through the SouthAfrican education system.

At Kirstenbosch NBG, newly qualifiedhorticulturists also receive training inthe practical application of theoreticalprinciples in horticulture, with specificreference to botanical gardens. Theduration of the internship is two years.Since 2000, SANBI has accommodated12 students, four of whom have beenappointed as horticulturists in thevarious NBGs of South Africa.

A Kirstenbosch Scholarship is alsoprovided every year to one qualifiedhorticulturist with a special aptitude forbotany and research work connectedwith indigenous flora. The duration ofthe scholarship is one year.

Networks

The NBGs work very closely withorganisations and institutions in SouthAfrica for the conservation andsustainable use of plants in the region.

For instance, the NBGs are very closelyinvolved with, and supported by, theBotanical Society of South Africa, anon-governmental organisation. TheBotanical Society of South Africa wasestablished in 1913 to support thedevelopment of Kirstenbosch NBG andnow works with the other seven NBGs.The members act as the ‘friends’ of thegardens and support both garden-based and in situ conservation efforts.The Botanical Society has alsocontributed significantly to theinfrastructural development of SouthAfrica’s NBGs, particularly inKirstenbosch, where the largest branchof the society and it’s Head Office isbased.

South Africa’s NBGs have also made asignificant contribution towardssupporting other gardens in southernAfrica through the successfulGEF/UNDP and USAID/IUCN ROSA-supported Southern African BotanicalDiversity Network (SABONET)Programme. The project was aimed atupgrading facilities and strengtheningthe level of botanical diversity expertisethroughout the subcontinent. Theparticipating countries are Angola,Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi,Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa,Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Key partnerships have also beendeveloped within the past five yearswith the Millennium Seed Bank (RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew, U.K.) and astrategic partnership with the BallHorticultural Co. based in Chicago,USA.

Environmental Education

Education is defined as one of the keyfunctions of a botanical garden. SouthAfrica’s NBGs have been serving aneducation role for learners, teachersand the general public for manydecades.

There has been major investment inKirstenbosch, over the last 15 years, inupgrading visitor amenities with newgarden management facilities, aconservatory, restaurant, nursery,herbarium, library and researchfacilities and since 2000, significantinvestment has also been made inupgrading facilities in the other sevenNBGs. This has included newrestaurants, visitors’ centres, new andupgraded parking areas, environmentaleducation centres, function facilitiesand pathways. Combined, SouthAfrica’s NBGs receive over one millionvisitors per annum, with Kirstenboschreceiving over 685,000 visitors.

New environmental education centreshave been built in the Walter Sisulu,Pretoria, Free State and LowveldNBGs, allowing dedicated educationstaff to be housed and garden-basedprogrammes to be hosted in thevarious NBGs. This has allowed theexpansion of the formal educationprogrammes to gardens beyondKirstenbosch.


During the past ten years, outreachgreening programmes have beendeveloped and expanded to extendbeyond the boundaries of the botanicalgardens. Much of this focus has beenon working together with localcommunities, using indigenous plants,to ‘green’ disadvantaged schools intownship areas around the gardens inCape Town, Pretoria andJohannesburg.

In recent years, since its firstdemocratic elections took place in1994, South Africa has become knownas the ‘rainbow nation’, due to it’smany diverse cultures, languages(South Africa has 11 official languages)and peoples. In order to promote andshare this cultural diversity with visitors,South Africa’s NBGs have beendeveloping demonstration gardens withassociated buildings in many of thegardens to promote the association ofvarious cultures with South Africa’sindigenous plants. These range fromwater wise gardens, useful plants andmedicinal gardens to traditional hutsand a traditional cooking shelter (usedin the arid Richtersveld area in the northwestern corner of South Africa) in theKaroo Desert NBG.

InterpretationInterpretation has received increasedsupport in South Africa’s NBGs in thepast five years, and several gardenscurrently have dedicated InterpretationOfficers. Each of the gardens hasdedicated interpretation themes andplans that assist in guiding theirinterpretive work. The overall slogan forinterpretation in South Africa’s NBGs is‘indigenous plants enrich our lives–let’scare for them’. Each of the gardens’natural areas includes an interpretedself-guided hiking/walking trail.

Although the gardens do not havecollections of animals maintained inenclosures or cages, the interpretive

signage certainly does promote thelinks and dependence betweenanimals, people and plants. Interpretivelabels in the various gardens include arange of indigenous South Africanlanguages, particularly the languagesspoken in those areas where thegardens are located. Languagesgenerally used in interpretive signageare English, Afrikaans and the localAfrican language spoken. These includeSiswati, Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho.

Both standardised permanent andtemporary interpretive signs are used inSouth Africa’s NBGs. SANBI has alsostandardised the directional signageused in the various NBGs.

Since 1976, Kirstenbosch and othergardens in the national network havebeen participating in the world-renowned Royal Horticultural Society’sChelsea Flower Show held every year inLondon, UK. To date theKirstenbosch/SANBI exhibition has won26 gold medals at this annual show.Participation by SANBI in this event iscurrently made possible through agenerous public-private sectorsponsorship involving Old Mutual SA,the City of Cape Town and the WesternCape Provincial Government. Thissponsorship has enabled younghorticulturists from the NBGs toexperience and participate in the showon an annual basis.

Corporate strategic plan andbusiness plans

Each of the NBGs prepare, on anannual basis, business plans linked tothe objectives of SANBI’s CorporateStrategic Plan. These plans help thegardens define their programmes andactivities for the forthcoming year. Morerecently, targets for South Africa’sNBGs have been set within the latestSANBI Corporate Strategic Plan(2005–2009). These include thefollowing:• 45% of South Africa’s plant taxa

represented in NBGs.• Maintenance or continuance

programmes in place for allconservation collections withinNBGs.

• Increased income (10% per annum)through new tourism relatedinfrastructure and programmes inNBGs.

• Possible sites for new gardens in the Northern Cape and Eastern Capeprovinces evaluated.

• 50% of South Africa’s threatenedplants in NBG collections and/or theMillennium Seed Bank (UK) (MSB).

• 90% of Critically Endangered SouthAfrican plant taxa in NBG collectionsand/or the MSB.

• 100% of Extinct in the Wild SouthAfrican plants held in NBGs and/orMSB.

• NBG plant collections computerized. • Gap analysis of plants in cultivation in

NBGs and South Africa’s flora. • Collecting areas for NBGs reviewed.• Review the implementation of the

International Agenda for BotanicGardens in Conservation withinNBGs.

• Back-up collections of threatenedplants cultivated in NBGs stored inthe MSB.

• Continued implementation ofintegrated threatened plantprogrammes in each NBG.

As part of a broader institutional reviewprocess, progress with theimplementation of the InternationalAgenda for Botanic Gardens inConservation (IA) by South Africa’sNBGs was reviewed for the first time in2004. Results from the survey indicatedthat on average across the eight NBGs,53% of the activities listed in the IA arebeing implemented.

References

➡Golding, J, 2002 (ed.) SouthernAfrican Plant Red Data Lists.SABONET Report No. 14,SABONET, Pretoria, South Africa

➡Golding, J.S. & Heilgendorff, J.P.2002. An evaluation of the extent towhich the NBGs contribute to the exsitu conservation of South Africa’sthreatened plants: Results.Occasional report of the Directorate:Biodiversity Policy and Planning.

Christopher K. WillisSouth African National BiodiversityInstitute, Private Bag X101,Pretoria, 0001, South AfricaTel: +27 (0)12 843 5226Fax: +27 (0)12 843 5354E-mail: [email protected]: www.sanbi.org,www.sabonet.org


Above: A picture

of Pretoria

NBG’s

Environmental

Education

Centre, using

materials

from the natural

grassland in the

garden (Photo:

Eugenie

Novellie)

‘In situ conservation of crop wildrelatives through enhanced informationmanagement and field application’ is aUNEP/GEF supported project thataddresses national and global needs toimprove global food security througheffective conservation and use of cropwild relatives. This large, multi-faceted,five year project was launched in 2004and brings together five countries andsix international organizations tomanage and make use of the wildrelatives of vitally important crops.

The natural populations of many cropwild relatives are increasingly at riskand they are at present poorlyconserved, for a range of reasons.There are technical problems involvedin developing conservation plans forsuch a diverse range of species withdifferent biological characteristics,ecological requirements, conservationstatus and uses. There are alsopolitical, administrative andinfrastructural problems that limiteffective in situ conservation actions. In many cases, collaboration betweendifferent ministries, agencies orinstitutions is required where there isno tradition of collaboration and in factmay even be a history of competition.While many countries already haveconservation initiatives in place (e.g.gene banks and protected areas) fewof these target crop wild relatives(Meilleur & Hodgkin, 2004). Anassessment of in situ conservation ofLupinus spp. in Spain, for example,showed that protected areas do notconsider crop wild relative populations

unless they are anendangered species(Parra-Quijano, et al.,2003). Undoubtedly,however, a majorlimitation is in thecapacity to bringtogether and useinformation that doesexist. A number ofstudies have shownthat substantial amounts of informationoften exists (e.g. Thormann et al.,1999) but that it is dispersed amongdifferent institutions and agencies indifferent countries and internationalorganizations.

The project was developed to addressnational and global needs to improveconservation of crop wild relatives,focusing on improved managementand use of information on thesespecies. It brings together fivecountries - Armenia, Bolivia,Madagascar, Sri Lanka andUzbekistan, with IPGRI (InternationalPlant Genetic Resources Institute) asthe project manager, and five otherinternational conservation agencies -the Food and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations (FAO), BotanicGardens Conservation International(BGCI), the United NationsEnvironment Programme’s WorldConservation Monitoring Centre(UNEP-WCMC), the WorldConservation Union (IUCN) and theGerman Centre for Documentation andInformation in Agriculture (ZADI) - toenhance the conservation status of

selected crop wild relatives in eachcountry. All partners are contributingexperience, expertise and informationto the project. Each country hassignificant numbers of important andthreatened taxa of crop wild relativesand all but Uzbekistan are among theworld’s biodiversity hotspots—placesthat have the highest concentrations ofunique biodiversity on the planet. Theyare also the places at greatest risk ofloss of diversity.

Project development andimplementation

The preceding two year design anddevelopment phase of the projectanalyzed the conservation situation forcrop wild relatives in the five countries.It was found that relatively little isknown of the conservation status ofthese species, no management planshave been developed for reserves withsuch species in mind, where moderninformation management systemsexisted they were extremely limited intheir scope and application, and no insitu conservation projects or monitoringactivities targeted to crop wild relatives

BGCI • 2005 • BGjournal • Vol 2 (2) • 13-15

A global initiative to conserve cropwild relatives in situ

Author: Annie Lane

Above:

Participants at

the First

Information

Management

Workshop of the

project, held at

IPGRI

Headquarters,

Rome (Diane

Wyse Jackson,

Head of

computer

systems and

database

development,

BGCI – back row

fourth from the

left, Annie Laird,

author of article

- back row fifth

from the left).

(Photo: IPGRI)

13

were currently in place. All of thepartner countries expressed their desireto improve the conservation and wiseuse of these important resources in asustainable and cost-effective way. Toachieve this, they decided to useapproaches that maximize the use ofexisting information and conservationresources in ways that are widelyapplicable to the different taxa thatoccur within their borders.

Key elements

The project has four majorcomponents, the first two of whichfocus on the systematic compilation,access and use of information relatedto crop wild relatives. Application ofthis information will significantlyenhance the development of effectivein situ conservation and monitoringstrategies for crop wild relatives, whichis the major focus of the thirdcomponent, and in raising awareness,the fourth component.

Component 1. InternationalInformation System. An informationportal dedicated to crop wild relativeswill be developed to serve as agateway for access allowing users tosearch for information through a singleweb address. The system will bringtogether information from availablenational and international sources onthe identity, status, distribution andpotential use of crop wild relatives.National partners will test theeffectiveness of access and use of theinternational systems to support

country conservation decisions. Thedevelopment of the InternationalInformation System is co-funded byGTZ, an international cooperationenterprise for sustainable development.

The major activities under thiscomponent are: (a) Design of the system will involve all

international partners and nationalinformation experts and will beachieved using Unified ModelingLanguage. The design process willalso address issues of ownership,custodianship, access, use,exploitation and intellectual property.

(b) Joint terminology which will involvethe development of an appropriateontology that will provide definition ofterms, their specification and therelationship between them. The mainentry point for accessing informationis likely to be species name. Sixtyfour crop genera comprising about12,000 species have at this stagebeen identified as the focus of theproject. Eighteen of these are cropslisted in Annex 1 of the InternationalTreaty on Plant Genetic Resourcesfor Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA),which came into force on June 29,2004, for which multilateral exchangeagreements are envisaged. Theterminology development work willdirectly support national informationmanagement in the five partnercountries.

(c) Development of infrastructure thatwill provide a cost-effective internetbased system that can hostinformation gathered and compiledby partners. Analytical tools suitablefor spatial information andgeographic analysis will allow thedistribution of crop wild relatives tobe visualized and related tovariables such as climate, edaphicfactors and land use and social-economic factors such as humanpopulation and poverty.

(d) Content development will ensurethat information maintained byrelevant international and nationalorganizations is made available tousers.

At the first International ManagementCommittee (IMC) meeting it wasagreed that the system design wouldbe based on the model used by GlobalBiodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).Information categories were agreed

and work was initiated on thedevelopment of descriptors. This workhas now been finalized and countriesand international organizations arebeginning to enter data and modifyinformation categories and theirdescriptors.

Component 2. National InformationSystems. In all five partner countriesinformation exists in herbaria and exsitu gene banks that can be used todetermine the likely location ofpopulations of species of crop wildrelatives. Information on the extent anddistribution of protected areas is alsoavailable from natural resourcemanagement agencies, and informationon the use of crop wild relatives can befound in institutions attached to theMinistry of Agriculture, universities andcolleges.

The national partners will analyseexisting information holdings, establishnecessary infrastructure, developappropriate hardware and softwaresystems and national data exchangeprotocols and ensure that theinformation is available to theinformation system. Their systems willinclude aspects of species biology,ecology, conservation status,distribution, crop production potential,local community uses and existingconservation actions and informationsources on crop wild relatives.

Component 3. Enhanced capacityand in situ conservation actions.Lack of capacity, including the absenceof an effective operational frameworkand national plans to deal specificallywith conservation of crop wild relatives,has been identified as a significantobstacle to the conservation and use


Right: Wild

pepper (Piper

sp.) in the

limestone

grottoes of

Walvulpana, SE

of Colombo, Sri

Lanka

Below:

Passionfruit

(Passiflora sp.)

in the

Cochabamba

region of Bolivia

of crop wild relatives. This componentcontains a range of activities toimprove country capacity to effectivelyconserve and use crop wild relatives. A solid legal structure is needed anddecision-making procedures foridentification of priority conservationactions need to provide for theparticipation of all stakeholders. Thelegal framework as it relates to in situconservation of these species will bereviewed in each country. Recommendations will be made wherenew or modified legislation is required.Similarly, benefit-sharing practices areto be framed into legal rules that setout entitlements. Supporting thedevelopment of an operationalframework will be a series of trainingactivities and these will includeinformation management, Red Listingprocedures, and participatoryapproaches and benefit sharing issues.

The partners in each country willimplement and monitor conservationstrategies that are needed to conservepriority crop wild relatives in situ.Countries will undertakeecogeographic surveys and analysis onthree to five selected taxa and use thisinformation to refine procedures forusing spatial information as a tool inconservation management andmonitoring. Specific conservationactions will be identified by integratinginformation on the species themselves,information on the existingconservation actions and the use ofthese species at local level. A selectedset of actions that are identified as highpriority will be implemented and testedfor operational effectiveness andsustainability. An action plan will bedeveloped for at least one protectedarea per country that contains cropwild relatives, and at least twosignificant in situ crop wild relativeconservation demonstration projectswill be implemented and assessed witha view to their application as national(and potentially international) modelsfor sustainable conservation. Prioritywill be given to working with wildrelatives of crops of importance to thepartner countries. However, wildrelatives important for cropimprovement in one country may onlyoccur in other countries. Thisinternational dimension will be reflectedby working on wild relatives of acommon agreed list of crops. In this

way, the outcomes will provide globallyrelevant solutions to improvingconservation of crop wild relatives.

Output 4. Public awareness.Awareness concerning the need forconservation of plant genetic resources(PGR) and especially crop wild relativesis relatively recent. Awareness of PGRhas increased since the approval of theITPGRFA but knowledge of the value ofcrop wild relatives to plant diversity andsustainable livelihoods is low. The outputwill raise awareness within the countriesand internationally of the importance ofconsidering crop wild relatives and theirvalue for improving agriculturalproduction. Country and internationalpartners will work together to developinternational public awareness activitiesthat ensure that project outputs aremade available to conservation workersin non-target countries. These activitieswill be targeted at various sectorsinvolved in PGR such as policy makers,conservation managers, plant breederand local users.

The outcomes of the project will bewidely disseminated nationally andglobally, and successful strategies(best practices) will be readilytransferable to other countries withsignificant populations of crop wildrelatives. In this way, global efforts toconserve biological diversity in general,and crop wild relatives in particular, willbe accelerated and optimized for thebenefit of both the global communityand local users.

Expected benefits

The UNEP-GEF Crop Wild RelativesProject will provide a sustainable andcost-effective information anddecision-making framework for currentand subsequent work on theconservation of crop wild relatives andin doing so make a significant globalcontribution to their conservation anduse. Whilst wild relatives have alreadycontributed many useful genes to cropplants, there is great potential tosignificantly improve our knowledge,information dissemination systems andultimately effective use of thesespecies. This will lead to furtherimprovements in crop production and,critically for subsistence farmers,reduced risk of crop failure andimproved food security.

References

➡Meilleur, B. A. and Hodgkin, T. 2004.In situ conservation of crop wildrelatives: status and trends.Biodiversity and Conservation 13:663-684.

➡Parra-Quijano, M., Draper, D. andIriondo, J. M. 2003. Assessing insitu conservation of Lupinus spp. inSpain through GIS. Crop wildrelative 1: 8-9.

➡Thormann, I., Jarvis, D., Dearing, J.and Hodgkin, T. 1999. Internationallyavailable information sources for thedevelopment of in situ conservationstrategies for wild species useful forfood and agriculture. Plant GeneticResources Newsletter 11(8): 38-50.

Annie LaneGlobal Project Coordinator Crop Wild RelativesInternational Plant GeneticResources Institute (IPGRI)Via dei Tre Denari, 472/a00057 Maccarese (Fiumicino)Rome, ItalyTel: +39 06611 8400Fax: +39 066197 9661E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org


Left: Wild vanilla

(Vanilla sp.)

Ankarafantsika

National Park,

Madagascar; an

important spice

common in

markets and on

the street

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens inVienna, Virginia, USA. has created threedistinct native plant collections insupport of the International Agenda forBotanic Gardens in Conservation. Thelargest of these is the Potomac ValleyCollection (PVC). The PVC developmentis based on biogeography and floristiccomposition within the Potomac Riverbasin (see BGCNews 3(7), June, 2001).Whereas, the Virginia Native TreeCollection (VNT) and the Virginia NativeWetland collection (VNW) includespecies that occur within the state as a political unit.

Virginia is topographically andfloristically diverse. The AppalachianMountains in the southwest region ofthe state reach elevations of 1,600 m.Many other peaks in the west are morethan 1,200 m high. West to east thestate traverses six distinct geographicregions. These include the AppalachianHighlands, Valley and Ridge,Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge,Piedmont and Coastal Plain. TheCoastal Plain area is represented bymost of the Chesapeake Bay andreaches the Atlantic Ocean furthereast. The entire state is locatedbetween 36-40° N and 74-83° W. InTakhtajan’s Floristic Regions of theWorld, Virginia occupies theAppalachian Province and the northerntip of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast PlainProvince. Virginia is a state wherebromeliads reach their most northerlydistribution, cacti adorn beach dunes,endemic birches are found andnorthern spruce forests dominate the

highest mountains. It is also a state inneed of both in situ and ex situconservation. A principal goal of thesecollections is to educate the publicabout the connection between gardenconservation collections and savingplants in the wild.

The Virginia Native Wetland(VNW)

This collection is located in and arounda small wetland called Lake Lena at thelowest elevation in the Gardens. Thenative biota of Lake Lena is an idealclassroom for educational programmesfocused on Virginia’s native wetlandsand the need for conservation. Nohorticultural selections are used in thiscollection. Conservation work began in1999. Several native trees were alreadyestablished on the site when theboardwalk was installed adjacent tothe lake over ten years ago. Amongthese are numerous bald cypress trees(Taxodium distichum). These treeshave grown well and developed theirtrademark “knees” on the water’sedge. Sycamore (Platanusoccidentalis), black gum (Nyssasylvatica), river birch (Betula nigra),black willow (Salix nigra) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) alsogrow in the area. Many of Virginia’smost southerly wetland shrubs andwildflowers are on exhibit here.

Lake Lena is a place of solitude in thegarden – a place where native planthorticulture and habitat conservationblend to create a naturalized wetland.

Aquatic native plants such aspickerelweed (Pontideria cordata), nativefragrant water lilies (Nymphaea odorata),arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) and sweetflag (Acorus calamus) flourish insummer’s humidity. On the lake shore,carnivorous pitcher plants (Sarraceniapurpurea), red and blue cardinal flower(Lobelia cardinalis, L. siphilitica) andblue flag iris (Iris versicolor), souringrush (Equisetum hyemale) mingle witharomatic bayberries (Myricapensylvanica). Many widespreadwetland species are naturalizing aroundthe lake, including cattails (Typhalatifolia) and numerous native sedges(Cyperus spp. and Carex spp.).

Lake Lena also provides a habitat foraquatic animals and birds. Severalspecies of turtles, northern watersnakes and native frogs inhabit thearea. Many native fish and aquaticinsects coexist with the plants. Wadingbirds frequent the lake. Great blueherons, green herons and blackcrowned night herons enjoy secretivehunting on the water’s edge. A fullassortment of perching birds frequentthe lake too.

The Virginia Native TreeCollection (VNT)

The Virginia Native Tree collectionresides in a far corner of the gardens.Here visitors can see some of theState’s best native trees for use in thehome setting. Several smaller nativetrees make up a good part of thiscollection. The fringe trees


Conservation collections atMeadowlark Botanical Gardens, USA:supporting the International Agendathrough education and conservation

Authors: Keith P. Tomlinson, Gary Becht, David Z. Brodkey

(Chionanthus virginicus), nativemembers of the olive family, routinelyamaze visitors with their fragrant,strap-like white flowers. In the fall,these trees display a dark blue ovoiddrupe. This is an ideal tree for thediscerning gardener with a small yard.

Growing close by are several pawpaws (Asimina triloba). Thesehandsome little trees are familiar topeople who spend time along localrivers where it grows in abundance.The long, broad leaf tapers neatly to a “drip tip,” a feature that illustrates itstropical origin as a member of theAnnonaceae. When crushed, theleaves have a distinctive odorreminiscent of diesel fuel. The fruit is a large oblong berry with a slightlycoriacious green or brown rind. Themesocarp is white and creamy, oftendescribed as a mix between apple andbanana with large black seeds. Pawpaw is widely regarded as Virginia’sfinest indigenous fruit.

Other trees in this collection includethe hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), ahazelnut relative with soft shaggy bark.Also from the Corylaceae is thehornbeam or muscle wood (Carpinuscarolinana). This tree is notable for itsextremely hard wood and fine twigswith delicate imbricate buds. Musclewood is slow growing and, with age,provides a beautiful fluted trunk.Further along the trail, is overcup oak

(Quercus lyrata), so named as theimbricate involucre on the acorn coversnearly the entire nut. A tree with highlyvariable cruciform leaves, it is a goodcandidate for low, wet sites.

The sweet-bay magnolia (Magnoliavirginiana) grows nearby. Found fromMassachusetts to Florida, sweet-baymagnolia varies in size, attaining muchlarger stature in the south. In time,sweet-bay becomes a handsome yardtree. The early summer flowers arecreamy white and very fragrant.Several other native trees are in thiscollection, which is located below theHillside gazebo, about a ten-minutewalk from the Visitors Center. The VNTis one of the featured collections in ourSpecimen Tree programme.

Collection Based Education forConservation

In the United States, amateur gardenersare constantly encouraged to usehorticulture selections by the popularliterature and many public gardens. Inthe collections at Meadowlark,horticultural selections are used only inthe VNT. This is an intentional departurefrom the relatively strict dictum of usingregional genotypes in the PVC andVNW. This specific strategy is designedto interest ornamental gardeners innative species through the initial use ofhorticultural selections. The vastmajority of native plants in the

American nursery trade are selections.Thus, most amateur gardeners areusing these horticultural creationswithout realizing the wild ancestor maybe in need of conservation.

Ultimately, we hope to encourage useof native plants in the landscape andeducate the public about the often-subtle differences between nativespecies that represent wild populationsand horticultural selections.Furthermore, we educate the visitingpublic and avocation gardeners alikeabout the ecological and conservationvalue of native plants in public gardencollections and in the landscape atlarge. Through this decidedly didacticapproach, we have created a forumbased on living collections thatpromotes the International Agenda andfosters an appreciation for conservingplant diversity to a wider audience.

Keith P. Tomlinson and Gary BechtMeadowlark Botanical Gardens9750 Meadowlark Gardens CtVienna, VA 22182 , USA.Tel: +1 703 255 3631 Ext. 102Fax: +1 703 255 2392E-mail: [email protected]: www.meadowlarkgardens.org

David Z. BrodkeyStudent, Environmental Science,McGill Universityc/o Meadowlark Botanical Gardens


Left: View of

Lake Lena

Introduction

Spain is a privileged country withrespect to the wealth of its biologicaldiversity compared to the rest of theEuropean Union (EU) and thetaxonomic knowledge of this diversityis still limited in many cases. There areat least 8,000 vascular plant species inSpain of which 1,500 are endemic.However, Spain also has the largestnumber of threatened plants in the EUwith approximately 12 per cent withIUCN threatened categories (IUCN,2001).

The objectives of the Convention onBiological Diversity (CBD) and the CBDprogramme, the Global Strategy forPlant Conservation (GSPC) recognisesthe importance of ex situ conservation(CBD Article 9. Ex situ Conservation,GSPC Target 8: 60 per cent ofthreatened plant species in accessibleex situ collections, preferably in thecountry of origin, and 10 per cent ofthem included in recovery andrestoration programmes and theimportance of networks for conservation(CBD Article 18. Technical and ScientificCooperation, GSPC Target 16: Networksfor plant conservation activitiesestablished or strengthened at national,regional and international levels (CBD,2003; CBD, 2005).

As in many other countries of the world,seed banks in Spain were created anddeveloped in response to the necessityof conserving plant genetic resourcessuch as crops, local varieties and wild

relatives. At present,there are more than 25seed banks mainlylocated in the provincesof Asturias, Badajoz,Córdoba, La Coruña,Madrid, Málaga, Murcia,Pontevedra, Valencia andZaragoza. These seedbanks hold more than 65,000accessions of the main crops andfamilies of economic interest forSpanish agriculture such as cereals,legumes, vines, potatoes, tomatoes,citrus, berries or fleshy fruits.

Simultaneously and especially duringthe last twenty-five years, seed banksfor the Spanish flora have beendeveloped in line with theimprovement, restoration or creation ofbotanic gardens and measures for insitu conservation such as reserves,national parks or the implementation ofrecovery plans for endangered species.

The first wild-flora seed bank initiativewas undoubtedly that of theDepartment of Vegetal Biology of thePolytechnic University of Madrid(PUM). Under the direction of ProfessorGómez Campo, it was started in 1966for the conservation of theBrassicaceae in the Mediterranean.Then, in 1971 the seed bank extendedits scope to the Iberian endemic flora,at the time when two people joined itsteam, who later developed the BotanicGarden of Córdoba and its seed bank(the first author and MargaritaClemente). The seed bank of the PUM

holds the highest number ofaccessions of the Spanish flora (9,900).At the beginning of the 80s, the seedbanks of the Botanic Garden Viera yClavijo in Gran Canaria and the above-mentioned Botanic Garden of Córdobawere also started. The first one nowhas 2,200 accessions almostexclusively of the Canarian flora, andthe second has 5,200 accessions ofplants of ethnobotanical interest,Andalusian endemic species andspecies of the family Cardueae. For thefirst twenty years of existence until2002, the Córdoba Seed Bank wasmanaged through several agreementswith the Department of Environment ofthe Regional Government, and it hasrecently become the Andalusian Seedbank (BGVA).

The seed bank in the Botanic Gardenof Valencia University was created in1991. It now contains more than 1,500accessions mainly from theMediterranean flora of eastern Spain(Autonomous Community of Valencia).

The seed bank in the Botanic Gardenof Sóller is the same age and alsospecialises in the local and regionalflora. It conserves most of the


REDBAG: the Spanish Network ofgenebanks for wild plants

Authors: J.E. Hernández Bermejo, F. Herrera Molina

Right: Map of

distribution of

consolidated

partners

8+2+2 Seed Banks35,000 Accessions10,000 Different Taxa

endemic species of the BalearicIslands with an emphasis on theconservation of critically endangeredspecies. It plays an essential role in theprotection of the Balearic flora.

The Botanic Garden of Marimurtra inBlanes has a small seed bankspecialising in Mediterranean bulbousspecies and a germplasm collection ofthe genus Androcymbium at a worldlevel.

Other seed banks involved with theconservation of Spanish wild flora arethose of the Royal Botanic GardenJuan Carlos I, Madrid and the BotanicGarden La Concepción in Málaga.

Finally, there are plans for new seedbanks at the Botanic Garden ofBarcelona, as well as botanic gardensbeing built in Gijón, Asturias (AtlanticBotanic Garden) and the University ofAlbacete (Botanic Garden of Castilla-LaMancha).

The founding of REDBAG

In November 2002, the AIMJB(Asociación Ibero-Macaronesian deJardines Botánicos) with thecollaboration of the Department ofVegetal Biology of the PUM called for ameeting of all the members of theAssociation that manage germplasmbanks and conservation programmes.The result of this meeting was thefounding of REDBAG (Red Española deBancos de Germoplasma de PlantasSilvestres - Spanish Network ofgenebanks for wild plants).

Membership categories

REDBAG is open to all thoseinstitutions which actively manageseed banks of wild species and otherphytogenetic resources; they can beAIMJB members with seed banks orother institutions. There are threedifferent member categories:

1) Consolidated partners are thosenon-profit making institutions whoseseed bank conserves and managesthe plant germplasm of wildpopulations of the Spanish flora orthe autochthonous phyto-resources,with short and medium-term aims,appropriate facilities and methods(See Boxes 1 and 2).

2) Consolidating partners are thoseinstitutions whose seed bank is in adevelopment stage with a view tobecoming a consolidated partner.

3) Potential partners are thoseinstitutions which are developing aseed bank or have a clear plan.Those institutions that have a seedbank but do not belong to AIMJBare considered invited partners.

The REDBAG Objectives are to:

1) establish an efficient system ofcollaboration with the Central andRegional Governments to fulfil theobjectives of the Global Strategy forPlant Conservation (GSPC),especially those included in theTargets 8 and 16;

2) coordinate the development ofpriorities for REDBAG seed banks toavoid biogeographical andphytogenetic gaps, and share theresponsibility for each objective;

3) develop and apply protocols for themanagement of Spanish plantgermplasm, especially those relatedto its distribution, donation andtransfer, according to the currentinternational framework ofcooperation and the national andregional legal development asregards Access and Benefit Sharing(ABS) i.e. the access systems andmethods of sharing the benefitsderived from the commercial andother utilisation of germplasm;

4) establish methods to provideinformation on biological charactersrelated to reproduction anddispersal, germination tests, culturaltechniques, distribution anddemography, extinction risks,conservation methods, restorationprogrammes and the legalframework for the conservation ofSpanish plant germplasm;

5) cooperate in the training oftechnicians for management andresearch in relation to seed banks;

6) provide coordination for internationalprojects and seed bank networks orany other forum or supra-nationalframework that relates to the activityof REDBAG members;

7) foster network development byadding new seed banks to completethe biogeographical andphytogenetic map of plant diversityconservation in Spain;

8) promote joint initiatives amongnetwork members such as seedcollecting expeditions, duplicatedistribution, licence management,and in short, any activity that easesthe work of the Network member.

The first actions of REDBAG were to:1) elect a Board made up of four

partners from the seed banks of theUPM, Gran Canaria, Valencia andCórdoba. Córdoba will act as theSecretariat;

2) promote a declaration of the SpanishParliament fostering the creation of aSeed Bank Network committed to theconservation of the wild flora.

3) promote the signing of anagreement with the Department ofConservation (Ministry ofEnvironment), to recognise theexistence of REDBAG and topromotes its coordinated activitiesand ensure the nationalimplementation of the GSPC by theSpanish Government (see Box 2).

References

➡CBD, 2003. Global Strategy for PlantConservation Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity.[http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/cross-cutting/plant/default.asp, 2005]

➡CBD, 2005.http://www.biodiv.org/welcome.aspx

➡ IUCN, 2001. 2001 IUCN Red ListCategories and Criteria version 3.1.IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.[http://www.redlist.org/info/categories_criteria2001.html, 2005]

J.E. Hernández Bermejo & F.Herrera Molina on behalf of theIbero-MacaronesianAssociation (AIMJB) with thecooperation of: Aguilella, J.A.;Bramwell, D.; Gómez-Campo,C.; Elvira, R.; Estrellés, E.;Gradaille, J.L.; Iriondo, J. M.;Membrives, N.; Lasso de laVega, B.; Pedrola, J.; Pérez, C.;Roca, A. & Velayos, M.

Jardín Botánico de CórdobaAv. De Linneo, s/n14004 Córdoba, SpainTel: +34 957 203154Fax: +34 957 295333 E-mail:[email protected]


Germplasm bank Other (Consolidated Place Foundation Main Nº Conservation relevantpartners) year collections accessions techniques facilities

UPM Plant Madrid 1966 Iberian 9900 Cool-room Seed technologyBiology endemic flora Cryopreservation facilities MolecularDepartment In vitro culture biology

BGVA Andalusian Córdoba, 1982 Andalusian 5200 Underground Seed technologyGovrt. & Córdoba Andalusia endemic flora, cool-roomWith 20 facilities CryopreservationBotanic Garden ethnobotanical cool chambers In vitro culture

collection, Cardueae (-20 & -5ºC) Molecular biology

Valencia University Valencia 1991 Valencia endemic 1500 Cool-room Seed technology facilitiesBotanic Garden flora

Royal Botanic Madrid 1986 Spanish flora 4211 Cool-room Molecular biologyGarden of Madrid

Viera y Clavijo Canary Islands 1983 Canarian flora 2200 Cool-room Seed technology facilitiesBotanic Garden In vitro culture Molecular biology

Royal Botanic Garde Alcalá de Henares, 1997 Spanish flora 2556 Cool-room CryopreservationJuan Carlos I Madrid In vitro culture

La Concepción Málaga, Andalusia 1994 Exotic and 6242 Cool chambers Molecular biologyBotanic Garden autochthonous plants

Marimurtra Blanes, Catalonia 1990 Androcymbium 210 Cool chambers Molecular biologyBotanic Garden Medicinal plants

Sóller Botanic Sóller, Mallorca, 1991 Balearic flora and 460 Cool rooms Seed technology facilitiesGarden Balearic Islands endemic flora

• A preliminary inventory of the germplasm

collections currently conserved in the

seed banks of REDBAG

• The development of a co-ordinated

database leading to a complete inventory

of the collections conserved in the seed

banks of REDBAG

• The design and creation of a website

• An inventory of those species with

recovery plans in the Spanish

Autonomous Regions

• The development of a proposal of

priorities and plans for implementing the

work of seed banks in the coming years

• The design of a protocol related to the

distribution, donation and transference of

plant germplasm, within the framework of

the CBD regarding ABS

• The design of a method of seed exchange

through the Index Seminum for members of

REDBAG, including using the Network

website

• The development and publication of a

manual of good practice for wild germplasm

collection

• The official approval of a system of data

registration common and accessible for all

members of the Network and the

corresponding national and regional

authorities

• The establishment of a method of

cooperation among the members of the

Network that allows official approval for

security measures and promotion of a

duplicate system which ensures the ex situ

conservation of the Spanish flora

• The support and implementation of

collecting programmes for those regions

and taxa which require urgent measures for

ex situ conservation

• The organization of meetings to

implement the above mentioned aims

• The provision of information and

awareness on the activities of REDBAG

• The attendance of meetings of

international networks and conventions

related to the Network aims

• The support for the Department of

Conservation in meetings and

commitments related to the conservation

of plant diversity within the framework of

the CBD and other international

agreements

• The facilitation of access and use of the

phytogenetic material conserved in the

seed banks of REDBAG for conservation

or restoration activities by the

Department of Conservation

• The support of the conservation and

restoration activities implemented by the

Department of Conservation


Box 2 The activities of REDBAGfor agreement with theDepartment of Conservation(Ministry of Environment)

Box 1 Consoldidated partners of REDBAG

Saving trees around the world: the Global Trees Campaign

Author: Sara Oldfield

The immense ecological, cultural andeconomic importance of trees aroundthe world should provide strongincentives for their conservation. Thatis the rationale behind the Global TreesCampaign developed by Fauna & FloraInternational (FFI) in partnership withthe UNEP World ConservationMonitoring Centre. The Campaignaims to save the world’s mostthreatened trees and their habitats bythe provision of good information,taking conservation action andpromoting sustainable use. TheCampaign supports key targets of theCBD Global Strategy for PlantConservation (GSPC) and is a practicalmechanism contributing to theimplementation of the Strategy.

The Global Trees Campaign waslaunched in 1998 in response to thepublication of The World List ofThreatened Trees. This report, resultingfrom a three year survey, documentedthe conservation status of around8,000 tree species globally, informationwhich has subsequently beenincorporated into the IUCN Red List.The survey indicated that less than 12per cent of the globally threatenedtrees were protected within nationalparks or other sites set aside forconservation and only eight per centwere in cultivation. FFI decided to takeaction to promote the value of treesand implement conservation action.

Now the Global Trees Campaign isworking on priority projects in over 20countries. Projects are carefully

selected in consultation with localpeople and with advice from membersof the IUCN/SSC Global Tree SpecialistGroup which is closely associated withthe Campaign. Some of these projectsare carried out by FFI through the workof its Regional Programmes and othersare supported financially by FFIthrough small grants. A significantsource of funding has been theFlagship Species Fund managed byFFI on behalf of the UK Government’sDepartment for Environment, Food andRural Affairs (Defra).

In parallel to the conservation action,gaps in the information on theconservation status of tree species,building on the 1998 data, are beingfilled by field research and networkingwith experts worldwide. The updating ofthis important conservation informationis coordinated by the IUCN/SSC GlobalTree Specialist Group, for which FFIprovides the Secretariat at itsCambridge, UK headquarters.

The Global Trees Campaign functionseffectively by working throughpartnerships. These may be forexample with local community groups,NGOs, forestry departments or othergovernment agencies. Botanic Gardensand Arboreta are important partners inthe Global Trees Campaign working invarious different ways. The botanicalknowledge, horticultural skills andexpertise in public awareness andeducation provided by botanic gardenshave been very valuable to the successof the Campaign.

Projects around the world

One of the current projects of theGlobal Trees Campaign is undertakenby the Havana Botanic Garden inCuba, working with the IUCN/SSCCuba Plant Specialist Group. TheCuban Palm Project, is assessing theconservation status and threats tosome of Cuba’s rarest palms, and isdeveloping strategies to save themfrom extinction. Recent field work hasconfirmed that one of the speciesbeing studied, Coccothrinax crinita, is


Above:

Cultivated

Magnolias in

China

(Photo: Paul

Mathew/FFI)

Critically Endangered.Only 130 individualsremain in the wild attwo localities in Pinardel Río Province.Coccothrinax crinitahas many uses forlocal people. Theleaves and fibres areused to makebrushes, hats andstuffing for pillows

and mattresses. The trunks are used inhouse construction and the fruits areused as animal feed. Over exploitationis one of the threats faced by this palmtogether with habitat degradationthrough cattle grazing, burning and theimpact of invasive species.

Conservation action for Coccothrinaxcrinita and other threatened palms ofPinar del Río was discussed at aproject workshop held in November2004. In situ conservation, propagationstudies, reintroduction and publiceducation form important components

of the conservation strategy for thisspecies. To promote public awarenessindividuals are being planted inprominent places such as in thegrounds of health centres and in therecreational park in the Bahía Hondamunicipality. A very significant successof the Project has been the declarationearlier this year of a Flora Reserve toprotect Coccothrinax crinita in itsnatural habitat. The Reserve will alsoprotect other threatened trees includingspecies of box, Buxus spp which growat the same forest site.

Caribbean tree conservation activitieshave been developed in closeassociation with Fairchild TropicalBotanic Garden Miami, USA with whichFFI has signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding. Fairchild is alsosupporting another important GlobalTrees Campaign in Madagascar. Thisfocuses on four highly endangered treespecies found in the Vohibola forest,one of the two remaining littoral forestsin the eastern part of the country.

The project, undertaken by localpartners will help people who live inthe area and depend on forestresources to improve forest burningcontrols and policing against illegaltimber cutting. Recovery of the treespecies will be further assisted bytranslocating saplings produced in anon-site nursery back into their foresthabitat.

In China a new Global Trees Campaignproject to conserve threatened speciesof Magnoliaceae was designed at aworkshop held in Kunming BotanicGarden in May 2004. At this workshop,species conservation priorities wereagreed on the basis of status, threat,reliability of taxonomy and use. Aproject proposal was subsequentlyprepared and funding has beenprovided through the Flagship SpeciesFund to support the conservation offive priority species: Manglietia sinica,Manglietia grandis, Magnoliasargentiana, Magnolia phanerophlebiaand Michelia coriacea.


Right: Large-

leaved

Mahogany

(Swietenia

macrophylla)

threatened

because of

exploitation of

its valuable

hard wood.

(Photo: Juan

Pablo

Moreiras/FFI)

Below:

Pau Brazil

(Caesalpinia

echinata). This

is one of the

species

included in the

SoundWood

programme.

(Photo: Paul

Mathew/FFI)

In association with FFI’s ChinaProgramme the project will:

• Conduct a thorough literature surveyof the five priority species, followedby field survey work to fillinformation gaps and to ground-truth the distribution data. Thesurvey results will be used toprepare practical conservationstrategies for protecting key speciesor areas of concern.

• Hold a workshop involving Chineseand Vietnamese scientists andofficials to develop proposals forcross-border survey andconservation work in south-eastYunnan province, China and Vietnam.The intention is to build partnershipsbetween scientists in the twocountries and develop the basis forjoint conservation work once furtherfunding becomes available.

• Review the impact of wild collectionof Magnoliaceae in China for thehorticultural trade, the impact of theinternational (particularly UK) tradein wild and propagated ChineseMagnoliaceae, and the ex situconservation of Magnoliaceae in theUK. The project will assess theways propagation is benefitingMagnoliaceae and will promote linksbetween UK and Chineseinstitutions involved in ex situconservation activities.

In Brazil, the Global Trees Campaign isworking with the Rio Botanic Gardensand the Margaret Mee Foundation tocarry out detailed studies of remainingpopulations of the endangered treePau Brasil, Caesalpinia echinata.Regeneration of the species is beingstudied, planting schemes carried outand local community educationprojects undertaken

Pau Brasil is the national tree of Brazil,and gave the country its name. ThisEndangered species acts as a Flagshipspecies for the threatened AtlanticCoastal Forest - a global biodiversityhotspot. Pau Brasil was initiallyexploited by European settlers as asource of valuable purple dye. Fellingthe trees led to the clearance of vastamounts of the Atlantic Forest from the16th to mid-19th centuries andpopulations of the species continuedto decline until the 1920s whensynthetic dyes were made widely

available. The timber is still highlysought after for the manufacture ofbows for stringed musical instruments,although government legislation nowprevents export of the timber.

SoundWood

Pau Brasil is one of the speciesincluded in the SoundWoodProgramme of the Global TreesCampaign. This aims to conservethreatened tree species that are usedin musical instrument manufacture.SoundWood works with industry tosupport sustainable production andprocurement of the required timbers,supports international policy initiativeson sustainable trade in timber and hasa strong educational component.Projects to conserve and restorespecies such as Pau Brasil, MahoganySwietenia macrophylla and AfricanBlackwood Dalbergia melanoxylon intheir natural habitats are alsoundertaken. These in turn feed into theeducational activities bringing alive theecological and livelihood issuesassociated with the tree species.

SoundWood education programmeshave been running for schoolchildren inthe UK, US and Brazil. In the UK,projects have been undertaken incollaboration with the University

Botanic Garden, Cambridge and theEden Project, Cornwall. Educationresources have been developed forwider use and can be accessed fromthe Global Trees Campaign website.

Looking ahead

The Global Trees Campaign continuesto grow and to develop newpartnerships. Over the coming monthsBGCI will be exploring ways to workwith FFI to help further the aims of theCampaign. Linking in situ and ex situactivities will be crucial, for example, tosave the 900 Critically Endangered treespecies that are currently recorded byIUCN. BGCI’s Plant Search facility, willbe an important tool to facilitateprioritisation of tree species for furtheraction.

Sara Oldfield (BGCI)Descanso House, 199 Kew RoadRichmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, UKTel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953Fax: +44 (0)20 8832 5956E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.bgci.org

For more information on the GlobalTrees Campaign visit:www.globaltrees.org or e-mail:[email protected]


Below:

Impressive

flowering tree

inside the

rainforest,

Parque

Internacional La

Amistad, Costa

Rica. (Photo:

Juan Pablo

Moreiras/FFI)


The tree Tsoongiodendron odorumChun is rare and nationally protected inChina (Fu, 1992). T. odorum occurs froma latitude of 26°N southward throughoutthe mountain areas of subtropicalChina, where it grows naturally in theprovinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan,Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhonand Yunnan. Its altitude range is from200–1,200 m. It is scattered in mountainevergreen broadleaved forests or invillages, but does not form continuoustracts (see map).

Mature trees are isolated and naturalregeneration is weak. Seedlings oryoung trees are not seen near theparent trees. There are few fruitingtrees and mature seeds are frequentlyeaten by birds and mice. The treesgrow fast, but because the tree’s trunk

is straight and large; and the timber isvery good and easily worked, youngtrees are always cut down and theroots are dug out by local residents.Thus the number or trees isdecreasing. It is estimated that thereonly 80 individual trees remaining inHunan Province and if it is not saved intime it will become extinct.

The Nanyue Arboretum has beenstudying this species over the last 24years. Areas of research have includedits botanic and ecologicalcharacteristics, distribution, causes ofthreat and the development oftechniques for propagation andcultivation through seeds and cuttings.The long life of the tree makes itsuitable for planting as a street tree, asan ornamental or as a lumber tree.

Seeds were collected between 1980and 1983. These were germinated andtwo thousand seedlings of the specieshave developed into saplings. Theyhave been planted in a plot of about 3ha in the Arboretum that is reserved forrare and endangered species. Thesaplings (2003) have a mean height of23 m with a trunk diameter of 19.6 cm(at chest height); the tallest is 24 mwith a trunk diameter of 22 cm. All thetrees have flowered and fruited; andeach tree can produce up to 15 kg ofseed each year. The seeds are used forpropagation.

The seed was collected from the forestregion of Gao Ze Yuan (Jiangyongcounty) in southern Hunan Province

where it grows at elevations of200–300 m. This region is at a latitudeof 25 °N. The soil of the site is derivedfrom weathered sandy shale or granite.The tree grows on fertile, deep, moist,loose soils that have a pH of 5–6.5; thesurface soil layer is rich in humus. Theannual mean temperature is between18–20 °C with a minimum temperatureof -3 °C and a maximum temperatureof 43 °C. There is a frost-free period of300–310 days; the annual rainfall isaround 1,500–2,000 mm and therelative humidity is 65–85 per cent. T. odorum grows with companion treessuch as Exbucklandia populnea (R.Br.ex Griff) R.W. Brown, Altingia chinesisOliver, Daphniphyllum macropodiumMiq., Elaeocarpus decipiens Hemsle.,Liquidambar formosana Hance andChoerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt.& Hill. To sum up, this species likeswarm, moist, mountain habitats in amonsoon climate and fertile or veryfertile soils.

However, even though the Rare andEndangered Plant Plot in the Gardenhas different conditions from theprovenance area in Gao Ze Yuan and is300 km apart, this species has beensuccessfully cultivated in theArboretum. It is 2.5 degrees of latitudefurther north and has a higher altitudeof 300–450 m. The soil derived fromweathered granite turns into mountainred earth and mountain yellow loamwith a lower pH of 4.5–5.5. The annualmean temperature is lower at 16 °C,with a lower minimum and maximumtemperature of -8 °C and 40 °C. It has

The ex situ conservation ofTsoongiodendron odorum Chun(Magnoliaceae) in Nanyue Arboretum,Hunan Province, China

Right:

Tsoongiodendron

odorum growing

in the Arboretum

Endangered

Plants Plot

Authors: Guo Cheng-ze, Guo Da-zhu,Ma Pei-shen


a shorter frost-free period of 280–300days; lower annual mean rainfallaround 1,200–1,700 mm, but similarrelative humidity of 60–85 per cent;and there is an annual snowfall of notmore than 7 days. The plant cover ofthe provenance site includes Pinusmassoniana Lamb., Loropetalumchinense Oliver, and Rhododendronsimsii Planch.

Reference

➡Fu, Li Kuo (ed) 1992. China plantred data book: rare and endangeredplants. Beijing: Science Press.

Guo Cheng-ze, Guo Da-zhu andMa Pei-shenNanyue ArboretumNanyueJIngsha Road No. 26,3-201Hengyang 421900Hunan Province People’s Republic of China

The mature fruits (conocarpium) arepicked and put in the sun for severaldays (see illustration). When thewalls of the fruits have broken down,the seeds are soaked in water for3–4 days; the water must bechanged every day. The pulp seedstalks become soft and are lightlyrubbed with the hands; the seeds areextracted and dredged in moist sand(one part seed and three parts sand)and stored in wooden, bamboo orceramic containers over the winter ina ventilated, shaded room. Theseeds must be kept moist, andchecked frequently to prevent dryingout, as well as for damage by fungior mice.

A kilo of fruit contains about2,200–2,500 seeds, and about 70per cent of these will germinate.Seedlings were grown inexperimental nurseries at altitudes of100 m, 200 m and 400 m. Seedswere sown in lines, 20–25 cm apart,2–3 cm deep, in groups of 40–50.They are covered by one centimetre

of soil and two layers of rice straw,so the soil can only just be seen.After about two months the seedsgerminate and the rice straw can beremoved on a cloudy day or at duskon a fine day. Seedling diseases andpests need to be controlled byweeding, loosening soil and gooddrainage to prevent water logging.

In their first year, the seedling’s meanheight is 60–70 cm with a grounddiameter of 0.4–0.7 cm. and theydevelop a good root system. Over 85per cent of seedlings may be plantedin the following spring; smallerseedlings can be kept in the seedbed for a further year.

Successful vegetative propagationhas been undertaken by using cut orcleft-grafting and layering half woodycuttings in spring. The stock usedwas Magnolia maudiae (Dunn) Figlar.The scions taken were one year oldfrom the canopy of the seed tree. Intotal about 200 plants have beengrafted and 95 per cent survived.

Above:

Distribution of

Tsoongiodendron

odorum in China

Left: Fruit of

Tsoongiodendron

odorum in the

Arboretum

Propagation procedure

The eastern coast of United States,particularly Philadelphia and theDelaware Valley area, often described asthe ‘gateway to America’s gardens,’possesses the largest concentration ofbotanical gardens and arboreta in thecountry. Among them, the Arboretum atThe Barnes Foundation in Merion,Pennsylvania, presents a uniqueassemblage of mature specimens of rareand unusual trees and other woodyplants of aesthetic interest that is visitedby about 40,000 people annually. Theplants are cultivated in a fine landscapeand garden setting that reflectsconcepts from the unique arrangementof art works in the Gallery* rooms. TheArboretum and the attached Schoolhave served as a training ground for thehorticultural movement among easternPennsylvania communities for more thansixty years.

* Albert Coombs Barnes (1872-1951), a medicaldoctor, established The Barnes Foundation in 1922as a school to promote the advancement ofeducation and the appreciation of fine arts andhorticulture. The Foundation carries out its missionthrough teaching, research, and other programsrelated to its Art and Arboretum Departments, aswell as through public access to the Arboretum andthe Gallery which houses its main collection ofpaintings, sculpture, and other works of art. TheFoundation owns one of the finest collections ofFrench Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and EarlyModern paintings in the world. An extraordinarynumber of masterpieces by Renoir (181), Cézanne(69), and Matisse (60) and many exemplary works byAmerican artists give visitors a depth of experienceunavailable anywhere in the world. Fine examples ofAfrican, Native American, Asian, and Classical art, aswell as hand-wrought iron, early American furniture,ceramics, textiles and glass, together make it thenation’s first purposely-multicultural collection ofapproximately 9,000 objects.

The Arboretum was established on a 13-acre plot of land previously owned byCaptain Joseph Lapsley Wilson, aPhiladelphia attorney, who planted anumber of different trees as early as the1880s. When Dr Albert Barnespurchased the property in 1922, heagreed to preserve Wilson’s trees, whichbecame the nucleus of the Arboretum ofThe Barnes Foundation. Dr Barnesmade Wilson the first director of theArboretum and later entrusted itsdevelopment to his wife, Laura LeggettBarnes. Several of Wilson’s original treesstill stand around the Gallery, includingan unusual fern-leaf beech (Fagussylvatica ‘Laciniata’), a Japanese raisintree (Hovenia dulcis), and a very largehoney locust (Gleditsia triacanthos).

With the support of E.H. Wilson from theArnold Arboretum and Dr. John Fogg Jr.

from the University of Pennsylvania,Laura Barnes enhanced the livingcollections. Mr. Frank A. Schrepfer, alandscape architect, also from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, prepared theplan for the grounds including a series offormal terraces crowned with a rosegarden. Special emphases were given tobroad-leaved evergreens for this areaand for groups like lilacs and peonies.Representative species in each genus ofthe conifers were introduced includingthe monkey-puzzle tree (Araucariaaraucana), Californian redwood (Sequoiasempervirens) and Dawn redwood(Metasequoia glyptostroboides).

Here, most cultivated plants serve a dualpurpose: to exist as a part of the generaldisplay/teaching collection and of theaesthetic scheme developed byexperiment and careful observation. In1933, Laura Barnes testified her purposein developing an area behind the gallerybuilding as, ”…to obtain a compositionaleffect that would be beautiful in it andalso a unit that would harmonize withother units and form a composition of allparts of the Arboretum. In doing this, Ifollowed the same instinct as the painterdoes in organizing his canvas … It takestime to find rare trees and to find out byexperiment the particular arrangement ofmasses, colors, graceful lines andspatial intervals that gives the mostbeautiful effect.” She experimentedboldly and successfully with plantsusually grown south of Washington, DC,and in other countries that were notsupposed to be hardy in the frigidPennsylvania winter, including southern


The Arboretum at The BarnesFoundation USA: an exquisite piece ofnature and a professional trainingcenter for horticulturists

Author: Jacob Thomas

Below: A very

old Wisteria

sinensis on the

terrace garden

Above: A view of

the greenhouse

magnolias, camellias and mimosas andmost continue to survive and flourishtoday. Specimens of different teachingcollections, like Japanese maples,Hollies, Stewartias, Magnolias,Phellodendrons, Crabapples etc., areplaced in close proximity for theconvenience of comparison. Plantnames like Ilex aquifolium cv.‘Laura L.Barnes,’ Syringa vulgaris cv. ‘Laura L.Barnes,’ S. vulgaris cv. ‘The BarnesFoundation,’ Picea orientaliscv.’Barnes.’ reflects her in-depthinvolvement in breeding and namingnew cultivars/varieties of decorativeplants.

French architect Paul Cret, whodesigned the gallery building, alsocreated a stone teahouse in a smallremnant of indigenous woodlandcovered by an enchanting forest of trees,native plants and water. This woodlandserves as the setting for the collectionsof wild flowers and many species andvarieties of hardy native ornamentalferns including a number of Englishvarieties, arranged in masses and drifts.As early as the 1930s this collection wasdescribed by fern authorities asunmatched in range and in display valuein the United States. Over the years,Mrs. Barnes continued to demonstrate aconcern for the environment andextended her hospitality to everyonewith an interest in gardening, openingthe gates of the Arboretum to thecommunity.

No account of this Arboretum would becomplete without reference to theArboretum School that Laura Barnesorganized in 1940. It was the first of itskind in the region, conceived to addressthe lack of opportunity in this part of thecountry for serious students to studyhorticulture under professional guidance.Her mission to guide students to betterappreciate the aesthetic appeal of plantsand gardens, while providing a soundscientific and practical base in botany,horticulture and landscape design, wassoon realized. She developed aninteresting program for training a well-informed horticultural practitioner,which is unique even today in thisregion. Students gain required practicalknowledge and experience by working inthe Arboretum and greenhouse. Startedwith a faculty of three and five courses,this program now in its seventh decade,has a college-level faculty of thirteen or

more and offers 17 courses over a three-year period. Recently, the AmericanCouncil on Education recommended thecourses for college credit transfer. Thisschool has changed many lives duringits existence; many have gone on tocareers/businesses in horticulture orbecame volunteer gardeners in theircommunities; many of the area publicgardens have Barnes graduates asvolunteers, as board members or aspaid staff.

Dr. John M. Fogg Jr., director of theArboretum after Laura Barnes, createdand developed a herbarium of about10,000 specimens. It houses voucherspecimens of almost every species,variety, form and cultivar, growing in theArboretum as well as specimens fromDr. Fogg’s exploration trips to differentparts of the world. The herbarium servesas an important teaching aid and aresource for the study of critical groupsof woody plants. A checklist of thewoody collections was periodicallypublished and disseminated amongother gardens and students. LauraBarnes documented relevant informationabout each specimen on index cards asthey were procured, which is stillregarded as the authentic accessionrecord. Detailed location maps were alsoprepared for the woody collections, andseparate maps for the lilacs andpeonies. This information and thevoucher specimens in the herbariumserve as the reference resource forcuratorial and research projects.

Recently, several creative steps wereinitiated including hiring professionalstaff and development of a collectionspolicy, to renovate and upgrade theArboretum and its features. The oldgreenhouse was rebuilt during 2000-02with climate controls and is being usedfor classes, and for propagation anddisplay of plants, including tropicals.Individual plant tags, descriptive labelsand directional signs were installed.Replanting of lost or dead plants hasbeen initiated along with selected newintroductions. The fern collection isbeing renovated for its historic andconservation values.

A Children’s Garden is being developedwith vegetables, annuals and a butterflygarden. School students who visit TheFoundation under the K-12 curriculumand learning program are making use of

the Arboretum and related facilities fortheir exercises. Special horticulturalprograms are being developed withselected schools and introduced to thestudents in the community. A small butactive group of volunteers, mostlygraduates from the Arboretum School,render many hours of service to maintainand develop the gardens, for plant salesand as tour guides.

In the coming years, we intend topresent the Arboretum as a good publicgarden with better amenities and accessto various collections, especially for thedisabled. Living collections ofgermplasm value, like lilacs and peoniesconstituting hundreds of predominantvarieties and cultivars of those periods,are being evaluated for research andconservation. Also under considerationis a plan to participate in theconservation of native and local florausing the ‘Ker-Feal’ grounds, 137 acresof natural woodlands in Chester County,Pennsylvania. The greenhouse will alsobe used for continuing experiments withunusual plants, a practice initiated byLaura Barnes. Plant records, presentlyon index cards and registers, need to beupdated and computerized. Fifty year’scomprehensive data on the floweringrecords of the plants of the Arboretum-an invaluable reference document- isawaiting publication. It is hoped that theArboretum at The Barnes Foundation willcontinue to serve its aesthetic andeducational mission as envisaged by itsfounders.

Jacob ThomasThe Barnes Foundation300 North Latch’s LaneMerion, PA 19066, USA.Tel: +1 610 664 2937 Fax: +1 610 664 4026E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.barnesfoundation.org


Above:

A view of the

woodland

garden with tea

house and pond


Re-introduction of NativeOrchids in Singapore

During the last two years, two nativeorchids, Bulbophyllum vaginatum and B.membranaceum have been successfullypropagated and re-introduced bySingapore Botanic Garden.

Seeds of these species were collectedfrom plants growing in their naturalhabitats. The seeds were sown onaseptic media. Seedlings were grownon the media until 2-3 cm tall beforebeing transferred to the nursery. Someseedlings were planted on fern barkmeasuring 7 by 5 cm. These weregrown in the nursery for 6 months untilnew shoots began to develop, theywere then reintroduced. Suitable treeswere selected; fern bark withestablished seedlings was secured tothe tree trunk by nails. So far, some500 seedlings have been re-introducedin several locations in Singapore suchas Pulau Ubin, Sembawang Park, KentRidge Park and Tiong Bahru Park. Over90 per cent have settled down and aregrowing well in their new home,producing new shoots and growingonto the bark of the host tree. Severalseedlings of B. vaginatum planted inPulau Ubin have flowered.

Source: Yam Tim Wing, AungThame, 2004. Re-introduction ofNative Orchids. Gardenwise 23: 8

Ex situ conservation ofIsonandra villosa (Sapotaceae)at the National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow,India

Isonandra villosa Wight is a rare Indianendemic reported, only from AndhraPradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu Statesin India (Nayar & Satry, 1990). Wightdescribed the species from voucherspecimens at the Madras Herbariumthat had been collected from theQuilon district of Kerala. The date ofcollection and original habitat of thesespecimens is not known. This specieshas not been collected again from thetype locality or adjoining regions in therecent past. The last collections of thisspecies were made from Nelloredistrict of Andhra Pradesh and fromthe Kambakam Hills in the Chingalputdistrict of Tamil Nadu State in 1923. A literature search and examination ofspecimens at the herbaria of theBotanical Survey of India at Kolkata(Calcutta) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu)revealed the extreme rarity of thisspecies. Some recent explorationparties have reported that it is probablyextinct in its natural habitat.

In the course of preparing inventoriesof the living plant collections at theBotanic Garden of the NationalBotanical Research Institute (NBRI),Lucknow, Isonandra villosa was foundgrowing successfully, most probablyfrom seed procured in 1972. Ex situconservation and propagation studieson this taxon are being carried out in

the NBRI Botanic Garden to providematerial for remedial measures for insitu populations. The results of theseefforts are summarised below.

The plants flower profusely but verypoor fruit formation and seed settingas well as maturation have beenobserved during the past ten years. Afew seeds were collected in April 1996and sown in the July, but none of themgerminated.

Efforts were made to multiply thisspecies vegetatively by taking stemcuttings, but these failed. Air-layeringwas attempted in July using rootinghormone. After a period of 30–40 days50–60 per cent rooting was observed.The rooting response was better frombranches more exposed to sunlight.Successfully rooted twigs (25–30 cmlong) were treated with a 1 per centsolution of a mild fungicide andtransplanted, at the end of August, intopots containing sterilised coarse sandand leaf-mould in a 3:1 ratio. Theplantlets established within a period of40–50 days. Transplantation of theplantlets into the ground wasundertaken during the following year’srainy season (years 1999 and 2001respectively). The plants are growing

well and are under constantobservation. Theirgermplasm hasbeen provided onexchange tovarious institutionsand organisations.

Short Communications

Far right:

Twig of

Isonandra

villosa with

successful air

layering

Right: Using a

crane to

introduce

orchids in

Singapore

Right: A

branch of

Isonandra

villosa with

flowers in leaf

axils (right)

and fruit in

leaf axil

(far right)


References

➡Nayar, M.P. & Satry, A.R.K., 1990.Red Data Book of Indian Plants: Vol3. Government of India, Calcutta.

Anil K. Goel & Kamla KulshreshthaPlant Conservation & Eco-education, National BotanicalResearch Institute, Lucknow 226 001, India.Tel: +91 522 2205831 – 35Fax: +91 522 2205836 E-mail:[email protected];[email protected]

Seed germination of Arbutusunedo L. (Ericaceae)

Some ecological factors that couldaffect seed germination of Arbutusunedo have been studied. Thefollowing treatments were applied, 1)cold stratification (4ºC), 2) thermalshock simulating fire effect, 3)sulphuric scarification simulating thepass through digestive tract ofdispersers, and 4) effect of the fruitpulp. Sulphuric acid did not affect thegermination capacity nor germinationrate. The remaining treatmentsdiminished germination capacity; nogermination was observed in the seedstreated with fruit pulp. Resultssuggested that fruit pulp inhibits seedgermination, and that seeds could beeffectively dispersed by endozoochoryand are damaged by fire.

Source: Eduardo Narbona,Montserrat Arista y Perdo L. Ortiz,2003. Germinación de las semillasdel madroño (Arbutus unedo L.,Ericaceae). Acta BotanicaMalacitana 28: 73- 78.

Chagual Botanic Garden -education and conservation ofnative Mediterranean plantsfrom Chile

Santiago’s new Botanic Garden israpidly taking shape. It will be part ofthe Metropolitan Park of Santiago,probably the city’s main historical andscenic milestone, with a magnificentview of the Andes Mountains. TheGarden will be a centre for theconservation of the native plants ofChile and will help people recogniseand value the flora as a part of theChilean national identity, culture andlandscape.

The Botanical Garden will extend over40 ha (87 acres). It will be organizedinto three areas: plant collections of theecosystems of Central Chile (30-38° S);thematic gardens highlighting taxonomyand plants of economic value with a“discovery garden” for young childrenand other special exhibits; and plantsfrom other regions with Mediterraneanclimates such as South East and SouthWest Australia, the South African Cape,California and the Mediterranean Basin. The Government has selected theChagual Botanic Garden, out of a totalof 800 initiatives, to receive a one ofeight “Sello Bicentenario”. This awardwill celebrate the bicentenary of Chile’sindependence in 2010 and has beenawarded to initiatives which strengthenthe country’s identity as a nation. TheBotanic Garden will make a significantcontribution to the enhancement of thenation’s natural heritage.

In the initial stages of this project, seedmoney was received from the UnitedNations Development Project (UNDP).

Other contributions have been receivedfrom government as well as fromprivate institutions. The BotanicGarden Master Plan wascommissioned by the CatholicUniversity in Santiago, Chile and will becompleted by May 2005. An importantfund raising campaign is now beinglaunched, to secure the financing forfuture works.

Antonia EcheniqueJardín Botánico Chagual deSantiagoE-mail: [email protected]

Below: Master

plan of Chagual

Botanic Garden

which shows

the proposed

location of the

plant groups

Left: Model of

Chagual Botanic

Garden


Janet Marinelli, 2005PlantDK Publishing, New York, USA. 512 pp. ISBN 075660589X Price: US$50.00 excluding postage.Contact: DK Publishing, 375 Hudson St.,New York, NY 10014, USA. Tel: +1 212 213 4800, Fax: +1 212 689 4828, E-mail:[email protected],Internet: us.dk.com.

This beautiful encyclopedia is designed toprovide environmental and horticulturalinformation so that gardeners can makethe right decisions about what to grow intheir gardens. The book highlights theneeds of each plant based on its naturalhabitat which shows why certain plantsneed watering and others need dryconditions. This information is thenrelated to the conservation status in thewild (if it is threatened and why), whichhighlights the importance of managinghabitats and cultivating plants forconservation. It also includes a sectionon invasive plants, plant information andglobal habitats.

The Editor-in-chief, Janet Marinelli isbased at Brooklyn Botanic Garden inNew York, USA. Ms Marinelli is a leadingadvocate of plant conservation and haspioneered the importance of ecologicallandscaping and sustainable horticulture.This book has been sponsored by BGCIand twenty botanic gardens worldwideand includes contributions from staff ofmany gardens. A royalty on sales of theinternational edition of this book willcome to BGCI to support plantconservation worldwide.

This book provides a unique perspectivewhich will help us develop horticulturalskills so that we can manage ourenvironment sustainably. It will beextremely useful for all botanic gardensas a reference work for scientists,horticulturists and environmentaleducators.

Ian Spellerberg and David Given (ed.),2004Going Native: Making use of New Zealandplants Canterbury University Press,Christchurch, 256 pp. ISBN 1-877257-13-3 Price: NZ$39.95 Order from Canterbury University Press,Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, NewZealand. Tel: +64 3 364 2914, Fax: +64 3 364 2044, E-mail: [email protected],Internet: www.cup.canterbury.ac.nz

This book is a celebration of native NewZealand plants, their use andconservation. It is a collection of essayson topics from traditional plant use byMaori, native plants in art, plantchemicals, use of natives for horticulture(containers, amenity use, landscapedesign, shelter, restoration planting inschools), restoration of lowland andcoastal habitats and horticulture(propagation, plant distribution andcultivation of natives and restoration).The final chapter provides a selection ofNew Zealand native plants withrecommended propagation methods,environmental tolerance and garden andother uses. The book will lead to anincrease in planting and revegetation ofnatives which is essential for theirconservation and also a key to the futuresustainability of most land uses.

It is a stimulating book for anyone workingto conserve a native flora and forinformation on the propagation, cultivationand use of New Zealand plants.

J. Martínez, O. Fiz, V. Valcárcel and P.Vargas, 2004Jardín Botánico de Madrid: Un Paseoguido (Botanic Garden of Madrid: aguided walk) Ibersaf, Madrid 304 pp.ISBN: 84-95803-18-6 Price: €25Orders from Safel Distribución, S.L., C/ San José, 2, Madrid 28014, Spain. Tel: +44 91 429 95 34, +44 91 429 30 96l,Fax: +44 91 420 39 48 l 28014, E-mail: [email protected] In Spanish withnotes in English

This guide book to the Royal BotanicGarden Madrid is arranged in 41 stopswith information panels in English, Frenchand German. The stations describe thehistory, architecture and plants of thegarden. For instance, there are stationsdescribing the greenhouses, labels andfountains, the olive (Olea europaea) andthe oak (Quercus ilex), statues in thegarden, carnivorous and endemic plantsand plant classification. The guide hasinformation in Spanish with short notes inEnglish and is clearly arranged withbeautiful and relevant illustrations. Thisbook would enhance a visit to the gardenand shows how botanic gardens canprovide a wealth of information to thepublic.

E. Weber, 2004Invasive Plant Species of the World: A Reference Guide to EnvironmentalWeeds CABI Publishing, UK. 560 pp. ISBN 085199 695 7. Price £75/ US$140.00Copies can be obtained form CABIPublishing, CAB International,Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8DE, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1491 832111, Fax: Tel: +44 (0) 1491 833508, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: www.cabi-publishing.org

This book provides a reference guide to450 major invasive plant species that areharmful to natural areas. Each specieshas an entry providing informationcovering lifeform, synonyms andcommercial use, geographic distribution,habitats invaded, description ofmorphology and importantly, ecology andcontrol with key references to eachspecies. It has a useful introduction oninvasive plant species with furtherreferences.

The book would be invaluable for agarden developing policies on invasiveplants within the garden and providingadvice to local and regional organisationson the control and management ofinvasive plants. The book, by providingbaseline information, could also help

Book Notices


horticulturists in botanic gardens identifyinvasive traits; a role for botanic gardens,which are often accused of being asource of invasive plants. This bookwould be an important reference work fora any botanic garden library.

Tim Upson and Susyn Andrews, 2004The Genus Lavandula Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 442pp.ISBN 1842460102 Price: £37.50Order from KewBooks.com, c/oSummerfield Books, Main Street, Brough,Cumbria CA17 4AX, UK. Tel: +44 (0)17683 41577, Fax: 44 (0)17683 41687, E-mail: Information: [email protected] Sales: [email protected]: kewbooks.com

This book describes 39 species,numerous hybrids and almost 400cultivars and brings together thetaxonomy, distribution, history andcultivation of Lavandula. There arechapters on propagation, pests anddiseases, and an overview of thecommercial products, essential oils andplant chemistry. A new infragenericclassification is described which splits thegenus into three subgenera which reflectsthe many different groups of speciesfound in this genus. In recent years, fivenew species have been described, alongwith many infraspecific taxa, from theArabian Peninsula, north and north-eastAfrica and the Canary Islands. It is inthese regions where the genus is mostdiverse, rather than southern Europewhere the most popular garden speciesoriginate. The work will be useful forperfumers, aromatherapists, growers andgardeners.

Dilys Roe, 2004The Millennium Development Goals andConservation - Managing Nature’s Wealthfor Society’s HealthIIED http://www.meetingthemdgs.org/pubs.html

This is an e-book of essays on achievingthe Millennium Development Goals freeon the web. For instance there are usefuland thought-provoking papers: BeyondWildlife - Biodiversity and Human Health(Eric Chivian, Harvard Medical School),Climate Change - Biodiversity andLivelihood Impacts (Hannah Reid, IIED),

How can Markets for Ecosystem ServicesBenefit the Poor? (Maryanne Grieg-Gran,IIED and Joshua Bishop, IUCN),Reconciling Global and Local Priorities forConservation and Development (SonjaVermeulen, IIED) Sustainable Landscapes- Linking Conservation and Production(Jeffrey A. McNeely, IUCN),Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Business(Annelisa Grigg, Fauna and FloraInternational) and Linking BiodiversityConservation and Poverty Reduction toAchieve the Millennium DevelopmentGoals (Peter Hazlewood, GeetaKulshrestha, and Charles McNeill, UNDP).

Graham Bennett, 2004Integrating biodiversity conservation andsustainable use: Lessons learned fromecological networksIUCN, Gland, Switzerland andCambridge, UK. 55pp. ISBN 2-8317-0765-XAvailable from IUCN PublicationsServices Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road,Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK. Tel: +44 1223 277894, fax: +44 1233 277175, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: www.iucn.org/bookstore

Habitat fragmentation is one of thegreatest threats to biodiversity andecosystem function. An ecologicalnetwork is an inter-connected system ofnatural or semi natural landscapes that ismanaged with the objective ofmaintaining or restoring ecologicalservices. This book describes systemsthroughout the world from industrialisedand developing countries such as theBaltic Ecological Networks (Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania), the Green Wood inthe Netherlands, the Tri-DOM in theCongo Basin, the MesoamericanBiological Corridor, Y2Y (Yosemite toYukon) in North America and the Terai ArcLandscap arc in Nepal. These systemsconserve biodiversity and providesustainable livelihoods for their people.

J.E.M. Baillie, C. Hilton-Taylor and S.N.Stuart, (eds) 20042004 IUCN Red List of ThreatenedSpecies. A Global Species AssessmentIUCN, Gland, Switzerland andCambridge, UK 191 pp. ISBN 2-8317-0826-5Available from IUCN Publications

Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road,Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK. Tel: +44 1223 277894, Fax: +44 1233 277175, E-mail: [email protected], Internet: www.iucn.org/bookstore

This publication is an analysis of all thespecies (and their supportingdocumentation) listed in the 2004 IUCNRed List of Threatened Species. The fulllist of species in the IUCN Red List isavailable as an on-line searchabledatabase accessible via the internet at:http://www.iucnredlist.org. This analysisincludes useful figures on topics such asextinction in recent times, trends in thestatus of threatened species, the socialand economic context of the Red Listand the many causes of threat. Forinstance, habitat loss appears to be themost pervasive threat, impacting 86 percent threatened birds, 86 per centthreatened mammals and 88 per cent ofthreatened amphibians.

Romaric Pierrel and Jean-Pierre Reduron(eds) 2004Les Herbiers: Un outil d’avenir. Traditionet modernitéAFCEV, Villers-lés-Nancy, France. 357 pp. ISBN 2-9514620-2-6 Price: €35.00 plus €3.48 postage. To order contact AFCEV, 100 rue dujardin botanique, 54600 Villers-lés-Nancy,France. Tel: +33 (0) 3 83 91 84 93, Fax: +33 (0)3 83 27 86 59, [email protected] In French

These are the proceedings of a meetingorganised by AFCEV (L’AssociationFrançaise pour la conservation desEspèces Végétales) in cooperation withthe Botanical Society of France held inLyon in November, 2002. This collectionsof papers illustrates the richness andscope of floristic research that has beenundertaken in France over the last fewcenturies and that herbaria are the mostimportant resource of botanicalknowledge, representing an invaluablecultural heritage and an inexhaustiblesource of data for numerous disciplinesas well as plant conservation.

The meeting included workshops whichdiscussed the management of herbariaand herbarium data and policies for theuse of material.

The mission of BGCI is to build aworld network for plant conservation.It was founded in 1987 and nowincludes over 525 memberinstitutions in 115 countries, workingtogether to implement theInternational Agenda for BotanicGardens in Conservation and thenew Global Strategy for PlantConservation.

Institutions can join BGCI for the following benefits:• Membership of the worldwide plant conservation network • Botanic Garden Management Resource Pack (upon joining)*• Regular publications:

- the regular newsletter, Cuttings- BGjournal – an international journal for botanic gardens (2 per year)- Roots - environmental education review (2 per year)- A wide range of new publications

• Invitations to BGCI congresses and discounts on registration fees • BGCI technical support and advisory services

• Regular publications:- the regular newsletter, Cuttings- BGjournal - an international journal for botanic gardens (2 per year)- Roots - Environmental Education Review (2 per year)

• Invitations to BGCI congress and discounts on registration fees

G Corporate Gold Member (BGjournal, Roots and Cuttings plus more) 5000 8000 7500H Corporate Silver Member (BGjournal, Roots and Cuttings plus more) 1000 1600 1500

J Conservation donor (BGjournal, Roots and Cuttings plus more) 160 250 220K Associate member (Cuttings and BGjournal) 35 60 50L Associate member (Cuttings and Roots) 35 60 50M Friend (Cuttings) available through online subscription only (www.bgci.org) 10 15 15

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*Contents of the Botanic Garden Management Resource Pack: The Darwin Technical Manual for Botanic Gardens, A Handbook for Botanic Gardens on the Reintroduction ofPlants to the Wild, A CITES Manual for botanic gardens, BGjournal - an international journal for botanic gardens (2 past issues), Roots - environmental education review (2 pastissues), The International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation, Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, Environmental Education in Botanic Gardens, BG-Recorder (acomputer software package for plant records).

A BGCI Patron Institution 5000 8000 7500 B Institution member (budget more than US$2,250,000) 600 1000 940C Institution member (budget US$ 1,500,000 - 2,250,000) 440 720 660 D Institution member (budget US$ 750,000 - 1,500,000) 300 500 440E Institution member (budget US$ 100,000 - 750,000) 160 250 220F Institution member (budget below US$100,000)* 75 120 110

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Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)PUBLICATIONS LIST 2005

POLICY Global Strategy for Plant Conservation CBD Secretariat, 2003International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation Wyse Jackson & Sutherland (eds, 2000) English, French or Spanish versions

ACTION PLANS Action Plan for Botanic Gardens in the European UnionCheney et al. (comp & eds, 2000) English or French versions

MANUALS The Darwin Technical Manual for Botanic GardensLeadlay & Greene (eds, 1998) English, French or Spanish versions

A Handbook for Botanic Gardens on the Reintroduction of Plants to the WildAkeroyd & Wyse Jackson (1995)

A CITES Manual for botanic gardens Akeroyd, McGough & Wyse Jackson (eds, 1994) English or Spanish versions

PROCEEDINGS European Botanic Gardens - studies in conservation and education(papers from the Eurogard 2000 Congress) Hobson (ed, 2003) CD-ROM

Plants, People and Planet Earth - the role of botanic gardens in sustainable living - (5th International Botanic Gardens ConservationCongress) Davis & Scott (comp, 2001) CD-ROMConservation into the 21st Century (4th International Botanic GardensConservation Congress) Touchell et al. (eds, 1997)Botanic Gardens in a Changing World (3rd International Botanic GardensConservation Congress) Hobson (ed, 1996) diskette

EDUCATION Plants for the Planet BGCI, 2005, CD-ROM

Connecting with Plants - Lessons for Life (5th International Congress onEducation in Botanic Gardens) Hobson (ed, 2004) CD-ROM

Environmental Education in Botanic Gardens: Guidelines for developingindividual strategies Willison (ed, 1994)

Teaching for the 21st Century (3rd International Congress on Education inBotanic Gardens) Hobson & Willison (eds, 2001)

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Publication Order Form Send To: Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5956Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, U.K.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International

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ISSN 0965-2582

Journal of Botanic Gardens Conservation …...plants and fungi, how to implement the Global Strategy...

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