Millennium Seed Bank Project China Programme
Training Chinese botanists in seed collecting techniques in Yunnan Province, October 2005.
The goal of MSBP China programme is to help China to establish its largest wild plant conservation facility, the Southwest China Wild Species Bank (SCWSB). The SCWSB is managed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences with the aim of conserving China’s biodiversity and plant resources for sustainable use. The MSBP is providing technical support in the construction of the new building, and is sharing knowledge and experience in seed conservation activities.
A 10-year agreement was signed between the MSB and the SCWSB in May 2004. Under this agreement, 4,000 threatened and endemic plant species from China will be targeted and safeguarded in the SCWSB by 2010, half of which will be exchanged or duplicated in the MSB.
This collaboration also provides an excellent opportunity for UK and Chinese botanists to work together to collect and conserve China’s plant diversity through a range of scientific activities such as staff exchange, PhD co-supervision, conservation skills training and information sharing.
The MSBP China programme will make a major contribution to the Millennium Seed Bank Project, which aims to collect and conserve 10% of the world’s flora by 2010.
Project Team
Project Leader: Cai, Jie
Seed Conservation Department
Jie Cai, Simon Linington, Keith Manger, Hugh Pritchard, Paul Smith, Clare Trivedi
Project Partners and Collaborators
China
The Chinese Academy of Sciences
Southwest China Wild Species Bank, the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Funders
China
The National Development and Reform Commission
The Ministry of Science and Technology
The Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yunnan government
UK
Millennium Commission