• Home
• Science Strategy
• Science Teams
• Projects
  • European Native Seed Conservation Network (ENSCONET)
• People
• Publications
• Acronyms

European Native Seed Conservation Network (ENSCONET)

Welcome page to the ENSCONET website

Over the last two decades, many time-bound obligations for in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use of native plant diversity have been accepted within Europe at both the national and regional level. Seed collections held under long-term storage conditions and their associated germination and location data play a key role in meeting these obligations. The collections themselves are a major form of ex situ conservation. At the same time they are a source of research material and data for conservationists and the wider plant research community.

However such research infrastructures are usually part of independent institutes often working at a local scale. A group of 19 such institutes from 12 European countries (covering 5 of Europe’s 6 bio-geographical regions) led by RBG Kew established a network to co-ordinate and enhance their activities under the EU’s 6th Research Framework Programme. The European Native Seed Conservation Network (ENSCONET) recognises the current high levels of effort which are duplicated in establishing and improving methodologies for seed collecting, curation and data management by working independently. The elimination of wasted effort will allow these resources to be redirected to establish links with other research activities within the EU that will further increase the quality of plant conservation, restoration and sustainable use.

Within 5 years, the network expects to have shared and spread good practice, developed common databases and undertaken foresight studies. ENSCONET members seek to further integrate their activities at a bioregional scale though meetings, joint activities and exchange visits. Special efforts will be made to achieve a better public understanding of this aspect of plant science and conservation.

The network is organised in four areas of activity; seed collection, curation, data management and dissemination. These activities are guided by and report to the Annual network meeting. In between these meetings a small management committee will oversee progress and maintain the overall focus of the network on delivering the plans in this proposal.

Kew Home | Science Directory | Copyright & Privacy