Open AccessThe need for horticulturist expertise in plant conservation: challenges and opportunities
Author(s) -
Paul Smith
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
sibbaldia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2513-9231
DOI - 10.24823/sibbaldia.2021.316
Subject(s) - threatened species , environmental resource management , agroforestry , plant species , environmental planning , business , habitat , extinction (optical mineralogy) , native plant , geography , ecology , biology , introduced species , environmental science , paleontology
As many as 40% of the world’s plant species are currently threatened with extinction, and botanic gardens have an important role to play in restoring habitats and supporting plant species recovery in situ. Specialist horticultural skills are essential for proactive plant conservation and management. However, there are a number of impediments to deploying horticultural expertise where it is needed the most, including lack of information about which species and recovery programmes need expertise, where that expertise can be found, and institutional or practical impediments such as availability of time and funding. In this paper, the author presents details on tools and resources developed by Botanic Gardens Conservation International designed to engage and support the participation of horticulturists in plant conservation.