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Our work > Preventing plant extinctions > Central and South America
Central and South AmericaA particular focus of our work in this region is the promotion and strengthening of national and regional botanic garden networks. We train botanic garden staff so that they can implement sustainable community conservation solutions in their locale and we facilitate knowledge transfer, which is hugely important where resources are scant.
Colombia and CubaIn Colombia and Cuba we are working to conserve Critically Endangered and Endangered trees, particularly endemic Magnolia species. This work involves mapping populations of priority species to find those which fall outside National Protected Areas and conducting habitat assessments for these populations. This is not always easy: in Colombia the following threatened taxa grow in areas where it is not safe to work: Magnolia calimaensis (Critically Endangered - CR), Magnolia narinensis (CR), M. calophylla (Endangered - EN), M. magnifolia (EN) and M. striatifolia (EN). The security situation is often connected with the illicit production of coca which is closely linked with habitat loss and places further strain on already threatened populations. There is nevertheless significant potential to bring magnolias, some of which are on the brink of extinction in the wild, into cultivation and to begin work on restoration and recovery programmes. Our education campaigns raise awareness of the importance and status of the species and through our network we are strengthening botanic gardens; providing training, networking opportunities and sharing propagation protocols. The montane forests of the northern Andes, in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Argentina, are under intense pressure from land conversion, oil prospecting, and climate change. Montane tree species |
