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Editorial - Botanic gardens and the conservation of forest biodiversity

Volume 5 Number 1 - January 2008
Sara Oldfield

Deforestation is now recognised as the second leading contributor of carbon emissions worldwide, after the burning of fossil fuels. Conversely the protection of forests is increasingly seen as a major response in mitigating the impacts of climate change – a fact recognized recently at the political level at the UNFCC Conference in Bali in December 2007. But, of course, the world’s forests are so much more than just carbon sinks. They are major repositories for biodiversity – tropical forests alone, which cover six percent of the earth’s surface, harbour over 50 percent of all known species. These same forests provide essential livelihood resources for millions of people who live within them or in surrounding areas. They are also a major source of income for governments through timber revenues. Added to this, forests are crucial in regulating the world’s water supplies. Despite all these values global deforestation continues.

Protection of forests through the expansion of the world’s protected area network and promotion of sustainable forest management for production forests have been the two main platforms in conserving forest resources over the past twenty years. More recently efforts have focussed additionally on curbing illegal and uncontrolled logging and on forest restoration. International biodiversity policy reflects the importance of both protecting and managing sustainably the world’s forests and there have been major success stories. Concerted efforts through innovative partnerships are still however urgently required.

Botanic gardens have a major role to play in conserving forest biodiversity. Work to document and catalogue the flora of forest areas is ongoing with support from botanic gardens around the world. Management and restoration of forests are key activities for a range of gardens and education and raising awareness of the values and threats to forests are undertaken by botanic gardens worldwide. The Eden Project in the UK provides one successful example of interpreting the tropical rainforest to a distant audience who may never have the opportunity to experience a natural rainforest habitat (see p 25).

Botanic gardens around the world are responsible for managing forest reserves. One example is the Rio Botanic Garden (see p 20). Other examples include the Singapore Botanic Garden, the core of which is itself a remnant of the country’s original rainforest cover with 314 plant species surviving in the four hectare forest patch. The canopy trees grow to over 50m in height and include representatives of Singapore’s original timber trees such as Dyera costulata (Jelutong), Koompassia malaccensis and a range of dipterocarps.

Recent examples of forest conservation supported by BGCI include the work of Selva Misionera Botanical Garden, Argentina with local communities to develop ecotourism, recreation and marketing of ornamental and medicinal woody species; the Jardim Botânico de São Paulo working with local people to campaign for conservation of the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve within the São Paulo city green belt; establishing an arboretum of 100 endemic and endangered plants of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve by the Coimbatore Zoological Park and Conservation Centre, Tamil Nadu; and supporting the conservation of Aquilaria spp. in Cambodia (see p 27).

In addition BGCI’s support for forest conservation is delivered through the Global Trees Campaign a partnership with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) that aims to save the world’s more threatened tree species and their habitats. The Global Trees Campaign links tree red listing through to action to conserve trees in their natural habitats with ex situ collections maintained for back-up and restoration. More information is provided on p 3 and on other aspects of the Campaign on p 10. Much of the work of the Global Trees Campaign is undertaken by members of BGCI working in partnership with Forestry Departments and other local conservation agencies facilitated by FFI. BGCI and FFI are committed to strengthening the Global Trees Campaign in 2008 and BGCI will do this in partnership with our botanic garden members. I am delighted that the Morton Arboretum has recently agreed to work with BGCI taking a lead role in encouraging and coordinating the active support and participation of arboreta in the Campaign. This will provide a tremendous boost.

Another exciting partnership recently entered into by BGCI is with the USDA Forest Service. An MOU has been signed outlining the intention to cooperate in matters relating to the management of rare plant species and the conservation of their habitats and ecosystems. Initially such work will focus on the conservation of endangered oak species with plans for work being developed to start over the coming year.

Tackling the loss of forest biodiversity is a complex problem involving a wide range of organisations from the local to the global level. This issue of BGjournal highlights just a few of the ways that botanic gardens are helping to tackle one of the major environmental challenges that we face. More examples can be found on BGCI’s website and we look forward to highlighting future success stories for the world’s forests and the huge diversity of plant species they contain.

Sara Oldfield
Secretary General, BGCI