Developing Ex Situ Conservation Collections of UKOTs Species In-Territory and at Kew

Martin Hamilton collecting cuttings of the critically endangered cactus Leptocereus quadricostatus, on Anegada, BVI. Photo: Colin Clubbe

The UKOTs conservation collections project has developed to meet targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). The overall goals of the project are to secure threatened species from UKOTs in ex situ cultivation, in–Territory and also at Kew, to develop recovery programmes as required and to train project partners in threatened species management. Selected species are incorporated into display collections in-Territory and at Kew to help raise awareness of the important biodiversity in UKOTs. Products and outputs of the project meet the following GSPC targets:

GSPC Target 3: developing horticultural protocols for threatened species.  Species include Cordia rupicola (BVI); Nassauvia serpens (Falkland Islands); Rondeletia buxifolia (Montserrat); Limonium bahamense (TCI)  

GSPC Target 8: developing ex situ collections in Territory (from plant rescues and seed collections) and at Kew (from seed collections). Threatened species in cultivation include Acacia anegadensis (BVI); Salvia caymanensis (Cayman Islands); Epidendrum montserratense (Montserrat); Trochetiopsis ebenus (St Helena); Pinus caribaea var. bahamense (TCI)

GSPC Target 15: development of recommendations to help build capacity for conservation in the UKOTs and upgrading facilities (e.g. J.R. O’Neal Botanic Garden, Tortola, BVI; National Botanic Garden, Montserrat) using the conservation collections as a model; provide horticultural training to relevant project staff and students in the UKOTs (e.g. BVI, Montserrat) using the conservation collections; supply reports and technical information concerning UKOTs species to all relevant partners in the UK and UKOTs to enable further staff training.

GSPC Target 16: International plant conservation networks have been developed and strengthened to address plant conservation. The collections are used within the network to provide horticultural and conservation lectures to relevant project staff and students in the UKOTs (e.g. BVI, TCI).