2010 Targets for Botanic Gardens
An important outcome of the 2nd World Botanic Gardens Congress was the development of a series of 20 targets for botanic gardens to be achieved by 2010, to help measure the achievement of the objectives of the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation and as a contribution towards the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.
The targets were approved at the 2nd meeting of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of BGCI held at the Institute of Botany, Vienna, Austria on 17th July, 2005.
Put simply, the IA + the GSPC = the 2010 Targets
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International
Agenda for
Botanic Gardens
in
Conservation | | Global
Strategy
for Plant
Conservation | | 2010 Targets
for
Botanic Gardens |
Developing the 2010 Targets for Botanic Gardens
The draft 2010 targets for botanic gardens were published in BGjournal 1(1) July 2004 and also on the website with a request for comments to be sent to BGCI.
The alternate text for targets 17 and 18 were subsequently harmonised and the finalised targets were introduced to the 2nd meeting of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of BGCI held at the Institute of Botany, Vienna, Austria on 17th July, 2005 in a paper on the progress in the implementation of and monitoring of the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation. The report of that meeting has now been finalised and circulated; it can now be announced that the targets have now been approved by the IAC and are published here as a protocol to the International Agenda.
The GSPC target to which each 2010 target most closely relates is provided in italics to show how the relationship developed. The resulting BG Targets are in bold.
2010 TARGETS FOR BOTANIC GARDENS
(a) Understanding and documenting plant diversity:
GSPC: (i) A widely accessible working list of known plant species, as a step towards a complete world flora;
1) The herbaria of botanic gardens and their living collections contribute to and support the development of a working list of known plant species, by developing local, national and regional checklists, floras and monographs as appropriate;
GSPC: (ii) A preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species, at national, regional and international levels;
2) Botanic gardens contribute to, support, undertake and review national, regional and international threatened plant assessments to ensure that a preliminary evaluation is available in every country;
GSPC: (iii) Development of models with protocols for plant conservation and sustainable use, based on research and practical experience;
3) Botanic gardens develop and disseminate models, protocols and case studies for priority plants, their ecosystems and cultural landscapes, within their area of expertise and interest, as relevant to achieve the targets of the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation;
Sub-target: Botanic gardens develop, adopt and implement best practice in the implementation of the policies and guidelines of the Convention on Biological Diversity and relevant national laws and regulations in relation to access and benefit sharing;
(b) Conserving plant diversity:
GSPC: (iv) At least 10 per cent of each of the world’s ecological regions effectively conserved;
4) Botanic gardens support and contribute to national, regional and international conservation policies, planning and management of ecological regions, through documentation, research and advocacy;
GSPC: (v) Protection of 50 per cent of the most important areas for plant diversity assured;
5) Botanic gardens support and contribute to the identification and conservation of the most important areas for plant diversity and the development of policies, planning and management through documentation, research and advocacy;
GSPC: (vi) At least 30 per cent of production lands managed consistent with the conservation of plant diversity;
6) Botanic gardens contribute to the development and application of protocols and practices that support and promote the sustainable management and conservation of plant diversity in production lands;
GSPC: (vii) 60 per cent of the world’s threatened species conserved in situ;
7) Botanic gardens in every country support, promote and contribute to the integrated conservation and management of threatened species and populations in situ, working with protected area managers and communities at local, regional and national levels;
GSPC: (viii) 60 per cent 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 per cent of threatened plants included in accessible botanic garden ex situ conservation collections, including cultivated and genebank material, 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;
9) Botanic gardens support and participate in recovery and restoration programmes for 5 per cent of the world’s threatened plant species;
GSPC: (ix) 70 per cent of the genetic diversity of crops and other major socio-economically valuable plant species conserved, and associated indigenous and local knowledge maintained;
10) Botanic gardens in every country support, promote and contribute to the integrated conservation and management of medicinal plants, wild relatives of crops and other major socio-economically valuable plants, and maintenance of associated indigenous and local knowledge;
GSPC: (x) Management plans in place for at least 100 major alien species that threaten plants, plant communities and associated habitats and ecosystems;
11) All botanic gardens carry out invasive species risk assessments of their collections and management practices;
12) Botanic gardens contribute to best practice for control programmes for at least 100 major invasive species that threaten plants, plant communities and associated habitats and ecosystems;
(c) Using plant diversity sustainably:
GSPC: (xi) No species of wild flora endangered by international trade;
13) Botanic gardens in each country participate in the national and international implementation of CITES, through research, education and awareness, development of good practices, training and plant rescue;
14) Botanic gardens promote sustainable practices in international trade of wild flora through research, training, education and awareness;
GSPC: (xii) 30 per cent of plant-based products derived from sources that are sustainably managed;
15) All botanic gardens develop and implement a policy to use plant-based products derived only from sustainable sources and promote awareness of the need for sustainable use of plant resources;
GSPC: (xiii) The decline of plant resources, and associated indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices that support sustainable livelihoods, local food security and health care, halted;
16) Botanic gardens contribute to local, national, regional and international programmes that seek to reverse the decline of plant resources and associated indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices, through their research, education and conservation activities;
(d) Promoting education and awareness about plant diversity:
GSPC: (xiv) The importance of plant diversity and the need for its conservation incorporated into communication, educational and public -awareness programmes;
17) Every botanic garden to have a communication, education and public awareness programme that 1) communicates the importance of plant diversity and ecosystem services in sustainable livelihoods and 2) promotes the need for action.
18) Botanic gardens to develop their capacity for communication, education and public awareness through training or employing appropriately qualified education staff and/or collaboration with others that can provide this expertise.
(e) Building capacity for the conservation of plant diversity:
GSPC: (xv) The number of trained people working with appropriate facilities in plant conservation increased, according to national needs, to achieve the targets of this Strategy;
19) Appropriate resources and facilities developed to enable botanic gardens in every country of the world to achieve the targets of the International Agenda and the GSPC;
Sub-target: Double the number of trained botanic garden staff working in conservation, research and education;
Sub-target: Botanic gardens develop programmes to deliver training and capacity building in plant conservation;
GSPC: (xvi) Networks for plant conservation activities established or strengthened at national, regional and international levels;
20) Botanic gardens and their networks strengthened to achieve the targets of the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation;
Sub-target: At least 750 botanic gardens participate in the implementation of the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation (check how many have signed up so far);
Sub-target: All botanic garden networks participate in the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation;
Sub-target: All botanic gardens participate in relevant national, regional and international conservation and education networks and partnerships.
