1. IABG/BGCI European Botanic Gardens Consortium
Suzanne Sharrock
Botanic Gardens Conservation International

2. Relevant targets
In the overall context of EU biodiversity policies and strategies
European Action Plan for Botanic Gardens
European Plant Conservation Strategy
Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
International Agenda targets for botanic gardens
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

3. Action Plan for Botanic Gardens in the EU
Published in 2000
More than 30 objectives on
Science and horticulture
Conservation of biodiversity
Education, training and awareness
Networking and capacity building
Funding
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

4. European Plant Conservation Strategy
Published in 2002 and reviewed in 2004
42 targets to be achieved by 2007
Contribution to the GSPC
BGs – lead organisations for ex situ conservation and education
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

5. Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
Adopted in 2002
16 targets
Botanic gardens especially implicated in ex situ and education targets
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

6. International Agenda targets for botanic gardens
Developed at the 2nd World Botanic Gardens Congress, Barcelona, 2004
Adopted at end of 2004
20 targets
Harmonise the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation with the GSPC
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

7. European botanic garden targets?
European botanic gardens consortium
No new targets
Review of actions contributing to existing targets
Special focus on GSPC Target 8 via the BGCI PlantSearch database
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

8. GSPC I A EU biodiversity EPCS Botanic garden
(viii) 60% of threatened plant species in accessible ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 10 per cent of them included in recovery and restoration programmes
(8) 50% of threatened plants plants included in accessible botanic garden ex situ conservation collections, preferably in the country of origin
Sub target:
75 per cent of critically endangered species (CR) included in ex situ conservation collections by 2010, preferably in the country of origin;
1.9 Support strengthened for ex situ conservation programmes which are operated in line with best practice.
EU Action plan to 2010
A1.3.3 identify and fill critical gaps in EU ex situ conservation programmes for wild species
List of threatened plant taxa published on the web;
Recovery programmes for 50 priority plants across all taxa;
Inventory of taxa held in EU germplasm collections and
gaps identified;
Manual with guidelines and case studies for best practice for integrated conservation available on the web
19 botanical gardens in Poland posses documented ex situ collections of threatened species of Polish flora. - Among 446 species of threatened of vascular plants native to Poland 219 taxa are kept in ex situ collections of the Polish botanical gardens (48,4%)
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

9. Target 1 – Working list of known plant species
The National Botanic Gardens of Ireland provides taxonomic support for Irish botany, including publication of floristic lists and county (regional) Floras. Irish botany news and updates are provide on its website. The National Botanic Gardens maintains the national Census Catalogue (checklist) of the Irish flora and a new edition is planned for publication. The National Botanic Gardens maintains the most comprehensive herbarium on the Irish national flora.
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

10. Target 2 – conservation status
Since 1994 Tallinn BG is participating in the national monitoring program of rare and endangered plant species of Estonia.
The botanic garden of the University of Vienna has compiled a list of plant taxa deserving conservation action as a basis for the development of seed collection priorities
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

11. Target 3 – models and protocols
Portugal: Models, protocols and case studies for priority plants, their ecosystems and cultural landscapes: Convolvulus fernandesii, Culcita macrocarpa, Drosophyllum lusitanicum, Jonopsidium acaule, Linaria ricardoi, Lycopodium cernuum, Marsilea bartadae, Narcissus cavanillesii, Narcissus scaberulus,
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

12. Targets 4, 5 and 7 – in situ
Austrian BGs are involved in research activities related to different ecological zones in Austria (e.g., the pannonian drylands)
The Balkan BG in Greece manages an in situ conservation area of natural oak forest
In Slovenia, the BG manages some additional special areas in the vicinity of the capital.
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

13. Targets 6, 9 – agro-biodiversity
Development of manuals for good agricultural practice in Portugal
NBG, Belgium holds a seed bank of wild Phaseolineae recognized as base collection by IPGRI.
In Norway, the BG is involved in a project aiming to conserve clones of old and rare ornamental plants. The project is coordinated by the Committee on Plant Genetic Resources under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

14. Target 10 – invasive aliens
In Span, eradication in some collections of those species that are potentially invading. − Alerts about potentially invading species to the competent authority.
A list of invasive species in the Czech Republic has been prepared by the BGs
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

15. Target 11 – International trade
BG of Warsaw Uni. organized in 2004 a special International Conference on CITES use by botanical gardens and has edited 3 guide books about CITES
Several Austrian Botanic gardens serve as rescue centers for confiscated plants.
Tallinn BG is a research unit for the national committee of CITES
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

16. Target 12 – sustainable use
The National Botanic Gardens of Ireland has an active and on-going policy to reduce the use of peat in horticulture. In our restaurant only ‘Fair Trade’ coffee is served.
Norway - all plant based products used in the garden come from sustainable sources
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

17. Other targets T14 – education – all BGs
T15 – Capacity building – many BGs
T16 – Networking – e.g. EuroGard.
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

18. Target 8 – ex situ
Estonia - ex situ collection of 70 nationally endangered or threatened plant species in Tallinn Botanic Garden and 28 species protected by Bern Convention.
The two botanic gardens of Latvia have about 22 per cent of flowering plant and fern species protected by law in Latvia.
20 threatened medicinal and 10 arboreal plant species belonging to national red list are cultivated at Kaunas Botanic Garden of Vytautas Magni University, Lithuania
All Norwegian gardens keep some red list taxa. Oslo has ca. 500 taxa included in international red lists and ca. 30 taxa included in the Norwegian red list.
In the UK, 137 UK Red Listed species (67%) in collections (73 of wild British origin and 38 represented by one accession in one garden) .
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

19. Target 8 – BGCI PlantSearch database
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

20. PlantSearch database Target 8 – GSPC
60% threatened plants in ex situ collections
11,000 threatened plants recorded in PlantSearch
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

21. EuroGard, Septmber 2006

22. PlantSearch and EU collections
EU Consortium – focus of activities in 2006
Letter sent from BGCI to all EU gardens (+800)
National representatives encouraging input
Significant input of data
Still many gaps
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

23. PlantSearch and EU gardens
698 gardens registered in BGCI database
220 have provided plantlists
245,218 plant records (same plant will be recorded in many gardens)
Analysis of internationally red listed species done country by country
Regional analysis still required
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

24. Conclusions
EU botanic gardens are contributing to many EU and global plant conservation targets
Is this being recognised by GSPC/CBD focal points?
Main EU botanic garden policy document is the EU Action Plan – does this need updating?
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

25. Conclusions
Many EU botanic gardens have contributed data to BGCI’s PlantSearch database – but even more have not – how can we improve?
In the absence of an EU Red List, how can we measure the achievement of Target 8 at the regional level?
What about the future – what are the implications of climate change? Are we prepared?
EuroGard, Septmber 2006

26. Thank you !
EuroGard, Septmber 2006