Science Strategy
Conservation and Environmental Monitoring - in depth
Conservation activities in RBG Kew have undergone a rapid evolution (1960 to date) to meet the increasing scientific and social concerns about habitat loss and species extinction. Kew's 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; 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 capacity of others to conserve biodiversity.
Kew has an unrivalled capacity within its peer group of botanical institutes to have global conservation impact. Here we provide a historical perspective on some of our particular areas of expertise and activity, with links to current projects in these areas.
Information about levels of threat at species level - The Kew Conservation Unit was established in 1973. A year later IUCN funding was secured for the Threatened Plant Unit at Kew in order to establish a database and produce Red Data Books. The Threatened Plants of Europe and the IUCN Red Data Book were completed by the end of the decade. During the 1980s this early initiative was consolidated by the formation of the IUCN’s Conservation Monitoring Centre consisting of the Protected Areas Data Unit and Threatened Plants Committee at Kew, along with the monitoring units for Species Conservation and Wildlife Trade at Cambridge. With funding from IUCN, UNEP and WWF the Conservation Monitoring Unit became World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and in 1990 the Kew based Threatened Plant Unit was transferred to Cambridge. Kew has continued to make a significant contribution to species conservation assessments through the provision of red listings and participation in IUCN Species Survival Specialist Groups and their recently published action plans. In the course of production of monographs, floristic accounts and checklists, systematists deliver most of Kew’s contribution to Red List assessments and this activity has been prioritised at institutional level since 2000.
The effects of trade on endangered species and the practical implementation of subsequent legislation - The provision of advice to conservation policy makers grew in significance during the early 1970s when Kew was given the responsibility of providing advice to the UK government on issues relating to the Convention on International Wildlife Trade. In 1976 Kew became the UK CITES Scientific Authority for plants. In addition to providing the UK government with confidential reports and examining over 6,000 applications for permits each year, Kew has also published several CITES checklists for orchids, bulbs and Cactaceae. This work is managed by the Conventions and Policy Section (CAPS; see Conventions and Policies team documents).
Advice on legislation on biological diversity and its subsequent implementation - The role of CAPS expanded following the Rio Earth Summit. A report by a consultant employed to analyse the implications for the organisation of the Convention in Biological Diversity led to the recruitment of a Biodiversity Conventions Officer in 1996, and the subsequent development of a CBD Unit. Expertise in the Unit has been utilised by the CBD Secretariat and the UK Government including representation at the Conferences of the Parties. The CBD Unit has also developed internal policies on the commercialisation of genetic resources and has assisted with the negotiations leading to agreements between Kew and partner countries for access to genetic resources, particularly for the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) project (see Millennium Seed Bank Project).
The development of offsite safe havens for threatened species (particularly through the Millennium Seed Bank) - The MSB has its origins with the first Earth Summit, to which Kew responded by modifying the conventional Index Seminum role of botanic gardens into a more focused attempt to develop a Seed Bank for conservation purposes. This Seed Bank was first transferred to the physiology section of the Jodrell Laboratory and located at Wakehurst Place in 1974. Early targets for the Seed Bank included the Mediterranean flora (1974–87) and other drylands taxa identified by Kew’s SEPASAL database (initiated 1983). Overseas seed collecting began in earnest with the appointment of the first full time collector in 1989. Kew took over responsibility for seed banking of the UK flora from Cambridge Botanic Garden in 1991, and expanded the existing holdings (1974 onwards). A project to collect seeds of Schedule 8 species was sponsored through English Nature’s Species Recovery Programme (1992–5). One of the earliest targets to be realised by the MSB was the collection of virtually all of the UK flora. The drylands remain as the focus for the remaining target of collecting 10% of the world’s flora by 2010.
Micropropagation and cryopreservation are also utilised for ex situ storage and have a particular role where taxa cannot be stored in the MSB. Through the application of molecular genetic techniques, Kew’s Conservation Genetics Unit is also helping to monitor and retain any remaining heterozygosity in existing living collections. In addition, Kew is using molecular techniques to identify diversity within and among wild populations to help target new conservation collections.
Reintroduction of species and restoration of habitats - A major international conference ‘From Specimen to Habitat’ was organised and hosted by Kew in 1990. Its aim was to assist collection managers facing increased challenges and demands for species and habitat restoration. Kew has utilised horticultural techniques in collaboration with many partners to support species reintroductions and habitat restoration projects in the UK and overseas (e.g. the Mauritius Biodiversity Restoration Project, 1993). Micropropagation has also proven to be an extremely effective technique for species that are difficult to propagate conventionally. For example the Sainsbury Orchid Conservation Project was initiated in 1983 in Kew’s Micropropagation Unit (established 1974) to determine methods of propagating and cultivating the UK’s terrestrial orchids. The Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) has been a flagship species of this project. In 1989 the first seedling grown in the laboratory was reintroduced in collaboration with English Nature and flowered in 2000 for the first time. By identifying the degree of genetic divergence among candidate taxa for reintroduction Kew’s Conservation Genetics Unit is also contributing to informed decisions on restocking and reintroductions (see United Kingdom team pages).
Species survival in on-site reserves - Two pivotal conferences were organised and hosted by Kew in 1975 and 1978 entitled ‘Functions of Living Plant Collections in Conservation and Conservation-Orientated Research and Public Education’ and 'Survival or Extinction’. It can be argued that they set the agenda for plant conservation in botanic gardens until the mid 1980s. Conference resolutions regarding the role of botanic gardens in the conservation of native flora led to the opening of the Loder Valley Nature Reserve at Wakehurst Place in 1980, and subsequent initiatives for the in situ conservation of flora and fauna within the institute. Of particular note are the butterfly project and associated sward management at Kew, the conservation of cryptogams at Wakehurst Place, and the initiation of the Kew Wildlife Database (see United Kingdom team pages).
Identification of regions with high levels of biodiversity is often a precursor to the establishment of in situ reserves. In this regard Kew’s systematists provided the largest number of contributors to the keystone publication – "Centres of Plant Diversity". Habitat conservation assessments have been produced as part of the systematic output from the Herbarium (e.g. Checklist and Report in the Conservation of the Brejos of Pernambuco, 1998). GIS applications, utilising data gained in systematic projects, have been used to develop strategies for in situ conservation (e.g. review of protected areas in Madagascar, initiated 1995; see Madagascar team pages).
Building capacity of others to conserve biodiversity - Capacity building is one of the most effective ways that Kew's expertise can be replicated and deployed for conservation purposes and is a central theme of Kew’s conservation work. Capacity building is achieved through a variety of means including: training courses at Kew (e.g. International Diploma in Plant Conservation Techniques, 1993-); in-country workshops (e.g. Conservation and Management Planning [CAMP] workshop in East Africa, 1998) and training collaborations (e.g. post-graduate training programme).
The UK’s Overseas Territories provide an example of the success of recent initiatives. Kew’s historical connections with the UK’s Overseas Territories are diverse but largely relate to their unique flora and the economic role that these often remote islands had as strategic staging posts in global trade. Many of the UK Overseas Territories epitomise the direct and indirect impacts of human activities with rapid habitat destruction and some species extinctions. In 1984 Kew responded to a request from the Governor of St Helena to help with the conservation of the islands endemic flora species. Capacity building for nursery production and subsequent reintroduction was provided in-country and conservationists from St Helena were also hosted at Kew. As a result, several thousand individuals of the most threatened taxa endemic on the island have now been re-introduced. This project led to Kew becoming a sponsoring member of UK Forum for Conservation in the Overseas Territories. Through this forum Kew has developed many collaborative initiatives including a Sustainable Development Strategy for St Helena (1992), Endemic Plant Species Management Plan for St Helena (1995) and Integrating National Parks, Education and Community Development in the British Virgin Islands (1998). Most of the initiatives have focused on capacity building by conducting training courses in-country or through the Kew based Darwin Initiative funded courses on the ‘Cultivation and Conservation of Threatened Plant Species for the UK Overseas Territories’ (1996, 1997 and 1998; see UK Overseas Territories team pages).
Relevance – The number and frequency of legislative and policy initiatives, at a variety of spatial scales, are a useful surrogate measure of societal concern for conservation and the intensity of the current need. Globally these include: The Convention on Biological Diversity, including its Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and 2010 target on biodiversity loss reduction; Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); The UN Forest Programme; and the Ramsar Convention (protecting wetlands). Regionally these legislative initiatives also include: Bern Convention (Council of Europe); EU Biodiversity Strategy, May 1999. Nationally these legislative initiatives include the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981); UK Biodiversity Action Plan Tranches 1 and 2; and Defra Policy on Plant Genetic Resources for Agriculture.
Connections to other Kew Programmes – There are direct and specific connections between the existing conservation and monitoring programmes at Kew and the living and genetic resource collections that provide offsite safe havens for a great variety of plant species. In addition, there is an increasingly strong link between the baseline plant diversity research programmes and the establishment and monitoring of protected areas overseas. The specific key objectives that connect conservation with these two programmes are: to build the ex situ collections of living plant material to maximise their value for conserving, restoring and utilising plant resources in partnership with countries from which these resources were originally obtained; and to continue to provide basic information on units of plant diversity and their distribution, and also maximise the relevance and utility of this information for designing and implementing conservation strategies
Conservation and Environmental Monitoring Strengths – Kew contributes to a great variety of conservation and environmental monitoring projects ranging from conservation on the Wakehurst and Kew estates to in situ conservation efforts in the UK and abroad. In addition, the Millennium Seed Bank project is an important initiative of global significance. Kew also regularly provides a great deal of information for conservation related purposes ranging from underpinning taxonomic research through to input into international policies and conventions and advice on CITES implementation (through the Conventions and Policy Section) to a great range of specific technical enquiries. The training courses in the Kew Diploma series also make significant contributions to capacity building overseas for conservation-related purposes. Kew’s expertise in population genetics is also increasingly sought for input into specific conservation problems, especially in the UK and Europe.
A primary strength of Kew in relation to the future development of its conservation activities is the range and nature of its scientific expertise and resources. Kew’s large international network of collaborators within peer institutes, non-government organisations, governments and individuals ensures direct links with many conservation customers. In addition, Kew has established scientific credentials that are not replicated by most NGOs, while at the same time Kew is not perceived as a direct instrument of the UK government. There are clear opportunities for expansion of Kew’s conservation work based on the high quality of its scientific assets, their potential conservation relevance and a strong commitment of Kew staff to conservation.
Key Objectives
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 with others, and more effective use of technology.
Measures of success:
· Total species use reports, species conservation assessments and species conservation plans supported
· Total habitat conservation assessments supported through contributions of information or advice.
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.
Measures of success:
· 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.
Strategy for Conservation and Environmental Monitoring – The overriding objective for the conservation and environmental monitoring programme is to significantly increase the integrated application of Kew's resources so as to increase conservation impact, both in situ and ex situ.
Actions 2006-2011
To help meet our objectives the following general actions have been agreed for the period 2006-2011. More specific actions are set out in the science team documents.
· Start to develop and implement a Kew-wide integrated approach to plant conservation to maximise the conservation impact of Kew’s staff skills and information.
· Continue modification of existing work practices in all areas of the institution – especially in the baseline plant diversity research programme – to greatly increase the impact of Kew’s conservation efforts.
· Develop skills and standard methodologies for assessment and monitoring of threatened habitats, and contribute to management plans and in situ conservation strategies.
· Continue to implement the integrated strategy for in situ and ex situ conservation efforts across the institution while emphasising the importance of the ex situ collections for reintroduction and restoration.
· Build stronger linkages between ex situ conservation and reintroduction and restoration programmes.
· Continue to provide a range of technical skills and tools for application in areas such as plant diversity information, assessment and monitoring of species in situ, and ex situ conservation.
· Continue to improve genetic management of critically endangered or extinct-in-the-wild plant taxa in collaboration with overseas partners.
· Strategically back-up, in the Seed Conservation Department, taxa in the living collections that are of high conservation importance.
· Contribute to improved understanding and reduced impact of invasive species on the conservation of species and vegetation around the world.
· Host and participate in the Plantlife Biodiversity Action Plan Technical Committee and the Fungus Conservation Forum.
· Working in close partnership with both Defra and the FCO and other associated bodies including English Nature, and NGOs such as the Overseas Territories (OT) Conservation Forum, use to full advantage opportunities to contribute to conservation and environmental monitoring projects both in the UK and the UK Overseas Territories.
· Explore potential partnerships with other international conservation organisations such as IUCN - The World Conservation Union, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Tropical Biology Association, Flora and Fauna International, the Eden Project, Earthwatch and Birdlife International, so as to prioritise our conservation activities, while at the same time seeking to improve the profile of our contributions to conservation and maintain our long-term relevance.
· Further improve interpretation in the gardens to highlight Kew's contributions to plant conservation.
· Continue to streamline internal structures and processes to ensure that Kew meets its obligations to its overseas partners, especially in relation to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
· Provide new facilities for the Micropropagation Unit, including a public observation area.