Code: 1521
Type: Global Thematic Workshop
Organiser: IUCN Species Programme
Title: Wild plants for food and medicine – assessing and conserving plants for people
Abstract
Plants are an absolutely basic part of the ecosystem and vital for the support of human well-being. Despite this, only 12,000 out of an estimated 300,000 higher plants have been assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There is an urgent need to know the status of plants and to use this information as a basis for conservation initiatives focused on plants. Acknowledging secure livelihoods of local people as a prerequisite for conservation action, assessments will focus on threatened plants of socio-economic significance, including medicinal and nutritional plants.
The workshop will focus on the future of plant species assessments and their use in conservation initiatives, such as the joint project of IUCN Species Programme and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) to assess and conserve the plants of Uganda and Madagascar.
During the workshop we will engage participants in developing and expanding the initiative. A principal question to be addressed is how can information collected on the Red List and the expertise of botanic gardens be put to best use in plant conservation.
IUCN and BGCI welcome members and partners with an interest in working together on conserving plants for people.