1. A note from CBCN Executive Director
2. Message from Ahmed Djoghlaf
3. Plant conservation in a changing world
4. Preparing to Launch the North American Botanic Gardens Conservation Strategy
5. Biodiversity, climate change, and cultural diversity
6. The urgent need for biodiversity information
7. Adapting to a Changing World
8. The Canadian University Biodiversity Consortium and a new biodiversity center at the Montréal Botanical Garden
9. Stopping the Green Invasion! Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden Takes Aim at Invasive Alien Species
10. What's Coming Up at CITES CoP 14
11. Letter from Wuhan: A report on the Third Global Botanic Gardens Congress
12. The Montréal Botanical Garden Formally Reinforces its Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation, and hosts a Wollemi Pine
13. Meeting of the Canadian Pollination Protection Initiative
14. Summer is around the corner. Make it count!
15. First Sustainability Camp: a Success
16. Earth Day Celebration at UBC Botanical Garden

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12. The Montréal Botanical Garden Formally Reinforces its Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation, and hosts a Wollemi Pine, Yann Vergriete, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, The Montréal Botanical Garden

The City of Montreal recently signed an agreement bringing together Muséums nature Montréal (the Montréal Botanical Garden being one of its four constituents) with the Steering Committee of the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity (from the international Convention on Biological Diversity). The sharing of expertise and the development of knowledge as it relates to species conservation will be highly beneficial. Moreover, with 1.7 million annual visitors, the Museums offer an exceptional window from which the Secretariat, as well as the issues connected to the loss of biological diversity, can communicate their messages to a larger audience.

In order to build upon the gathering momentum surrounding biodiversity conservation, and to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Montréal Botanical Garden will showcase a Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) in one of the greenhouses. This species, at one time believed extinct for two million years, was discovered in 1994 in Australia’s Wollemi National Park. Currently, less than one hundred of these trees exist. The Montréal Botanical Garden will thus contribute to the conservation of this particular endangered species, while also utilizing the presence of this "living fossil" to intensify its public awareness efforts.

The official unveiling of this once-missing plant will take place on May 22nd in the presence of Mr. Ahmed Djoghalf, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Mr. Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of the City of Montreal, and His Excellence William Fisher, High-Commissioner for Australia.

For more information regarding the Wollemi Pine, please visit the following website: www.wollemipine.com.