Global strategy for plant conservation

The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) is a program of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity. The GSPC seeks to slow the pace of plant extinction around the world by 2010. The GSPC began as a grass-roots movement in 1999 with discussions at the 16th International Botanical Congress in St. Louis. A group of specialists subsequently met in Gran Canaria and issued the Gran Canaria Declaration Calling for a Global Plant Conservation Strategy. Following extensive consultations, the fleshed-out GPSC was adopted by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in April 2002. The heart of the GSPC are five goals, expressed as a total of 16 targets.

The 16 targets of the GSPC are:

Target 1: A widely accessible working list of known plant species, as a step towards a complete world flora

Target 2: A preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species, at national, regional and international levels

Target 3: Development of models with protocols for plant conservation and sustainable use, based on research and practical experience

Target 4: At least 10% of each of the world’s ecological regions effectively conserved

Target 5: Protection of 50% of the most important areas of plant diversity assured

Target 6: At least 30% of production lands managed consistent with the conservation of plant diversity

Target 7: 60% of the world’s threatened species conserved in situ

Target 8: 60% of threatened plant species in assessable ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 10 per cent of them included in recovery and restoration programmes

Target 9: 70% of the genetic diversity of crops and other major socio-economically valuable plant species conserved, and associated indigenous and local knowledge maintained

Target 10: Management plans in place for at least 100 major alien species that threaten plants, plant communities and associated habitats and ecosystems

Target 11: No species of wild flora endangered by international trade

Target 12: 30% of plant-based products derived from sources that are sustainably managed

Target 13: 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

Target 14: The importance of plant diversity and the need for its conservation incorporated into communication, educational and public-awareness programmes

Target 15: The number of trained people working with appropriate facilities in plant conservation increased, according to national needs, to achieve that targets of this Strategy

Target 16: Networks for plant conservation activities established or strengthened at national, regional and international levels

The GSPC is being put through a formal review of progress by the Convention on Biological Diversity, culminating in major discussions in May 2008 in Bonn, Germany at the 9th Conference of the Parties to the CBD.

External links

* [http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/cross-cutting/plant/default.asp Global Strategy for Plant Conservation] Official site
* [http://www.bgci.org Botanic Gardens Conservation International] Key contributor to the GSPC
* [http://www.plants2010.org Global Partnership for Plant Conservation] NGO partnership aiding in achieving the GSPC