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

Photo: Colin Clubbe

Martin Hamilton collecting cuttings of the critically endangered cactus Leptocereus quadricostatus, on Anegada, BVI

The UKOTs conservation collections project has developed to meet targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). This is an on-going project with activities set on an annual basis to ensure progress. Activities are outlined in meetings with the project team and partners both formally and informally. 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 8: developing ex situ collections through plant rescues (e.g. British Virgin Islands [BVI], Montserrat) and seed collections for UKOTs and Kew (e.g. live plants and seed material from MSBP sent to Kew for developing collections):

·        Threatened species in cultivation in-Territory due to plant rescue or live/seed collection in BVI and Montserrat: BVI - Acacia anegadensis, Zanthoxylum punctatum ssp. thomasianum, Leptocereus quadricostatus, Senna polyphylla var. neglecta, Cordia rupicola, Malpighia woodburyana, Metastelma anegadense, Calyptranthes kiaerskovii, C. thomasiana, Machaonia woodburyana; Montserrat - Epidendrum montserratense

·        Threatened species in cultivation at Kew due to seed collection in BVI: Acacia anegadensis, Cordia rupicola

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. Between Kew, MSBP, and BVI the conservation collections are used to develop horticultural protocols for threatened species propagation (e.g. Acacia anegadensis, Zanthoxylum punctatum ssp. thomasianum, Leptocereus quadricostatus, Cordia rupicola) and develop horticultural protocols for threatened species cultivation (e.g. Acacia anegadensis, Zanthoxylum punctatum ssp. thomasianum, Leptocereus quadricostatus, Senna polyphylla var. neglecta, Cordia rupicola, Malpighia woodburyana, Metastelma anegadense, Calyptranthes kiaerskovii, C. thomasiana, Machaonia woodburyana). The collections are also used within the network to provide horticultural and conservation lectures to relevant project staff and students in the UKOTs (e.g. BVI, TCI).

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