Science Strategy
Conservation and Environmental Monitoring
Context
Kew’s conservation activities continue to develop rapidly to meet the increasing scientific and societal concern about habitat loss and the erosion of plant diversity, including species extinction. Kew's long involvement with conservation derives from its collections, knowledge gained from the study of the collections, the flora, fauna and fungi occurring on its land holdings, and its historic and continuing role overseas in some of the most biodiverse regions of the world.
Among the demands in the conservation arena to which Kew has been, or continues to be, responsive, are: information about levels of threat at species level; assessment and monitoring of threatened habitats and plant diversity hotspots; the effects of trade on endangered species and the practical implementation of legislation to control such trade; advice on legislation on biological diversity and its subsequent implementation; the development of offsite safe havens for threatened species (particularly through the Millennium Seed Bank); reintroduction of species and restoration of habitats; species survival in on-site reserves; and building the capacity of others to conserve biodiversity.
Defra is the UK Management Authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and Kew provides scientific support for that role. Kew also supports Defra’s conservation policy in relation to wildlife and the countryside and works closely with other agencies and departments to achieve conservation outcomes both in the UK and overseas.
Kew has an unrivalled capacity among its peer group of botanical institutes to have global conservation impact. It was an active member of the inter-continental group of botanical institutes involved in preparing the sixteen targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), now formally adopeted as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Kew now has a leading role at both the global and national level. Nationally, Kew contributed to the UK response to the GSPC including taking the lead on four of the sixteen GSPC targets. Globally, Kew has accepted responsibility for coordinating and promoting Target 1 of the GSPC - the effort to develop a single working list of vascular plants. Kew is also providing significant input into efforts to conserve threatened species off site awaiting recovery and reintroduction (Target 8). Kew’s activities will have a major impact on six further GSPC targets (Targets 2, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16).
Overall Objectives
2. Maximise the value of Kew's work for the conservation of plant diversity, by developing the relevance, quality and utility of the information that Kew provides, and improving its dissemination through a focus on service, synthesis, partnership and more effective use of technology.
4. Support Kew's activities, and those of policy makers and collaborators in the UK and overseas, in the conservation of biodiversity, through partnership, capacity building, joint research, training and advice.
Key Measures
2c. Total species use reports, species conservation assessments and species conservation plans supported.
2d. Total habitat conservation assessments supported through contributions of information or advice.
4. Total staff contact days on projects with UK or overseas collaborators that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of plant diversity through capacity building, joint research, training and advice.
Comment: These measures seek to assess the support provided by Kew to projects that are largely driven by Kew’s partners and others that are focused on conservation, environmental monitoring and capacity building.