International Agenda For Botanic Gardens In Conservation

Approaching the contributions of a world-wide sector of scientific institutions to addressing the extinction crisis, Botanical Gardens and Their Role in Plant Conservation brings together a diversity of perspectives. There are more than 3,600 botanical gardens worldwide, where trees, shrubs, herbs, and other plants are studied and managed in collections. They are foremost among efforts to conserve the diversity of living plant species and ensure that crucial biodiversity is available for the future of humanity. This book is a showcase for plant conservation, restoration, biodiversity, and related scientific and educational work of botanical gardens around the world, featuring both thematic overview chapters and numerous case studies that illustrate the critical role these institutions play in fighting extinction and ensuring plant diversity is available for sustainable use. FEATURES A wide range of case studies derived from practical experience in a diversity of institutional, national, and biogeographical settings, Reviews of topics such as networking amongst institutions, the importance of global policy agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, Profiles of botanical gardens contributions at the national level to conservation priorities, Real-world examples of programs in plant conservation for both critically endangered wild plant diversity and unique horticultural or cultural germplasm. Botanical Gardens and Their Role in Plant Conservation includes contributions from institutions from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas, and institutions of all sizes and histories, from long-established national gardens to new gardens offering their perspectives on developing their roles in this vital undertaking.

The 7-volume Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Second Edition maintains the reputation of the highly regarded original, presenting the most current information available in this globally crucial area of research and study. It brings together the dimensions of biodiversity and examines both the services it provides and the measures to protect it. Major themes of the work include the evolution of biodiversity, systems for classifying and defining biodiversity, ecological patterns and theories of biodiversity, and an assessment of contemporary patterns and trends in biodiversity. The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. It is an interdisciplinary field spanning areas of both physical and life sciences. Our awareness of the loss of biodiversity has brought a long overdue appreciation of the magnitude of this loss and a determination to develop the tools to protect our future. Second edition includes over 100 new articles and 226 updated articles covering this multidisciplinary field— from evolution to habits to economics, in 7 volumes The editors of this edition are all well respected, instantly recognizable academics operating at the top of their respective fields in biodiversity research; readers can be assured that they are reading material that has been meticulously checked and reviewed by experts Approximately 1,800 figures and 350 tables complement the text, and more than 3,000 glossary entries explain key terms

Approaching the contributions of a world-wide sector of scientific institutions to addressing the extinction crisis, Botanical Gardens and Their Role in Plant Conservation brings together a diversity of perspectives. There are more than 3,600 botanical gardens worldwide, where trees, shrubs, herbs, and other plants are studied and managed in collections. They are foremost among efforts to conserve the diversity of living plant species and ensure that crucial biodiversity is available for the future of humanity. This book is a showcase for plant conservation, restoration, biodiversity, and related scientific and educational work of botanical gardens around the world, featuring both thematic overview chapters and numerous case studies that illustrate the critical role these institutions play in fighting extinction and ensuring plant diversity is available for sustainable use. FEATURES A wide range of case studies derived from practical experience in a diversity of institutional, national, and biogeographical settings, Reviews of topics such as networking amongst institutions, the importance of global policy agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, Profiles of botanical gardens contributions at the national level to conservation priorities, Real-world examples of programs in plant conservation for both critically endangered wild plant diversity and unique horticultural or cultural germplasm. Botanical Gardens and Their Role in Plant Conservation includes contributions from institutions from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas, and institutions of all sizes and histories, from long-established national gardens to new gardens offering their perspectives on developing their roles in this vital undertaking.

Two of the biggest challenges faced by human kind are the conservation of our environmental resources and the elimination of poverty. It is increasingly recognised that these problems are interlinked: the goods and services provided by natural resources are needed to improve well-being, whilst for conservation to succeed it must relate to the poor's needs. This is reflected by all major international policies focused on development or conservation, such as the Millennium Development Goals, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. BGCI believes that biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction must be linked if we are to succeed in either aim. This report highlights how botanic gardens across the world are involved in a variety of projects that use biodiversity to improve human well-being and is based upon an extensive literature survey, and a multilingual survey of BGCI's members. For the purposes of the report, BGCI has divided human well-being into four main areas: (1) improving healthcare, (2) improving nutrition, (3) alleviating financial poverty, and (4) improving community and social relations. The many case studies within the report illustrate how botanic gardens across the world are contributing to these aspects in many diverse ways. Many botanic gardens promote improved nutrition and health through their support of home gardens. Their horticultural skills and ability to propagate plant materials often prove invaluable in this respect. For example, Aburi Botanical Garden in Ghana has been improving local access to medicinal plants by empowering local communities to set up medicinal gardens. As well as establishing a model home garden, it gives a wide range of lectures, seminars, workshops and demonstrations, distributes manuals and provides seedlings to enable communities to set up their own nurseries and first aid gardens. There are many other ways that botanic gardens work for well-being, from developing and hosting horticultural therapy programmes, to educating children about healthy eating, and training disadvantaged minorities in useful skills. Around the world, botanic gardens are also helping local communities to develop income generating projects, such as the production of handicrafts, based on the sustainable use of plant resources. This report also illustrates how various activities of botanic gardens underpin their ability to conduct projects that address well-being issues. Education and research are core strengths that need to be supported and directed to ensure they can continue to link plant diversity with human well-being. For example, many gardens have strong emphasis on research relevant to the development of useful plants in use in agriculture and healthcare. A typical example is Kisantu Botanic Garden in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which conducted trials on the popular fruit mangosteen, to enable farmers to extend the shelf-life of the harvested fruit, and so reach a larger market. Other gardens, such as Botanic Garden "Fundación Xochitla" in Mexico, have focused on developing plants to be locally cultivated for use in the ornamentals market. Well-being projects are not limited to developing countries. In developed countries urban greening projects can make a significant contributions to improving neighbourhood environment and community relations. Sometimes well-being projects involve collaboration between gardens, linking well-resourced gardens with those in an early stage of development, or with little financial support, and in many cases the unique role of botanic gardens is complemented by partnerships and collaborations with non-botanic garden institutions, such as local healthcare clinics. Botanic gardens are clearly much more than just "pretty places". As this report illustrates, they are uniquely placed to use plant diversity to contribute to human well-being. Given the scale of the crisis facing our efforts for both conservation and development, BGCI believes that it is an ethical and practical imperative that botanic gardens are mobilised for this goal.

This book focuses on global efforts to protect plant diversity and the role that botanic gardens play in conserving plant species.

2020 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Since their inception in the sixteenth century, botanic gardens have been embroiled with matters of governance. In Postnormal Conservation, Katja Grötzner Neves reveals that, throughout its long history, the botanical garden institution has been both a product and an enabler of modernity and the Westphalian nation-state. Initially intertwined with projects of colonialism and empire building, contemporary botanic gardens have reinvented themselves as environmental governance actors. They are now at the forefront of emerging forms of networked transnational governance. Building on social studies of science that reveal the politicization of science as the producer of contingent, high-stakes, and uncertain knowledge, and the concomitant politicization of previously taken-for-granted science-policy interfaces, Neves contends that institutions like botanic gardens have discursively deployed postnormal science and posthuman precepts to justify their growing involvement with biodiversity conservation governance within the Anthropocene.

This volume provides an enlightening and pragmatic approach to preserving biological diversity by gathering a wide range of peer-reviewed scientific content from biodiversity researchers and conservators from around the world. It brings comprehensive knowledge and information on the present status of conservation of biological diversity including floral, faunal, and microbial diversity. A detailed account of recent trends in conservation and applications under changing climate conditions, focusing mainly on agriculturally and industrially important microbes and their sustainable utilization, is presented as well. Over the past five decades, extensive research work has been done on many aspects of biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of biological resources. This book examines this crucial issue. Chapters discuss biodiversity concepts, benefits, and values for economic and sustainable development; explores applications and strategies for biodiversity preservation; and considers the role of biodiversity conservation in public awareness services and cultural significance. The volume also examines the process of evolution and the future of biodiversity in conjunction with climate change factors, with special reference to infectious diseases.