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PlantSearch

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This conference, 5 - 7 July 2011, at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. is to support the worldwide implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation via the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC). Places are limited to 150 participants.

This conference is organised by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and Missouri Botanical Garden.

Conference Web site: http://www.mobot.org/gppc2011/

Conference announcement and details (PDF)

Conference Email address: gppc2011@mobot.org

Who should attend the conference?

• National focal points for the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
• Plant conservationists
• Representatives of: GPPC partner organisations; Donor Agencies interested in biodiversity conservation; National biodiversity organisations and agencies; Potential GPPC members; Regional biodiversity conservation bodies

Participation will be limited to 150 participants as this is the maximum the venue can accommodate. Please register as soon as possible.

The Conference

The goal of this conference is to bring together plant conservation scientists,  policy makers and practitioners from throughout the world to share methods and results that will advance plant conservation measurably. We hope that the conference will attract a wide range of participants to share their experiences and further the development of plant conservation science in this the U.N. Decade of Biological Diversity.

In October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, the 10th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a Decision incorporating a consolidated update of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation for the period 2011-2020. This updated GSPC includes 16 targets for plant conservation to be achieved by 2020. The role of the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation is recognised by the CBD in supporting GSPC implementation worldwide and this conference aims to help guide future plant conservation priorities.

The objectives of the meeting will include to:

• Showcase examples and share experience from around the world on GSPC implementation, particularly during the period 2002 to 2010, to provide guidance and support for national and regional GSPC implementation entering into the new phase;
• Assist the ongoing efforts to consider and develop further the technical rationales, milestones and indicators for the GSPC up to 2020 and rationales, milestones and indicators for the GSPC up to 2020 and harmonize with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020;
• Review the draft GSPC toolkit that is being prepared to support GSPC implementation at all levels (and prior to its submission for review by the Convention);
• Help build leadership amongst the participating organisations for monitoring and delivery of the GSPC targets.

The conference will provide an opportunity for a strategic discussion on (and progress in) mainstreaming plant conservation in national development agendas, including links to the implementation of the CBD’s Strategic Plan as well as providing guidance and suggestions for countries that are updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to include the targets of the GSPC. The meeting will also help efforts made to build on and evaluate progress in implementing the GSPC from 2002 to 2010 and how these experiences can support enhanced implementation over the coming decade. Sharing experiences will also assist those that are setting national targets for plant conservation or using the GSPC and CBD Strategic Plan to provide a flexible framework for their efforts in plant conservation at all levels.

The Venue

The meeting is being hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden where all sessions (plenaries, parallel sessions and workshops) will be held.

Registration

All participants will be expected to pay the registration fee.

Standard Rate, until 15 June 2011: US$150

Late On-site Rate, at Conference: US$180

The online registration deadline is 15th June, 2011

On-site Registration will take place at the Ridgway Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Monday afternoon 4th July (4.00-6.00pm) and on Tuesday morning 5th July (8.00-9.00am) before the Conference Opening.

Conference Sessions

Plenary sessions will take place on the mornings of Tuesday 5th, Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th July.

Parallel sessions and workshops will take place in the afternoons of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday afternoon a wrap-up and concluding session will be held.

Meeting rooms will be equipped with computer projection facilities for MS PowerPoint presentations.

Due to cost considerations, we regret that it will not be possible to provide translation facilities. The working language of the conference will be English.

Poster Sessions and Reception

Poster sessions will also be held and will be easily accessible for participants.

Programme Timetable

	Monday 4	Tuesday 5	Wednesday 6	Thursday 7	Friday 8
Morning		Opening Ceremony Plenary Sessions	Plenary Sessions	Plenary Sessions	Optional tours of the Herbarium, Library and Garden can be arranged.
Afternoon	Registration	Parallel Sessions: Workshops Poster Session	Parallel Sessions: Workshops Poster Session	Parallel Sessions: Workshops Poster Session Conclusions and Close
Evening	Informal  Welcome Reception	Free evening	Optional opportunity to attend the Garden’s Whittaker Concert	Conference Dinner

 

Social Programme

Receptions: A welcoming drinks reception will be hosted at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Monday night 4th July to coincide with registration, from 6.00 to 7.30. Transport to the hotel will be provided after the reception.

Conference Dinner: A conference dinner will be held on the evening of Thursday 7th July. Transport to the hotel will be provided after the dinner.

Accompanying Persons

The conference organisers cannot provide activities for accompanying person not attending the conference. However, there are a wide variety of tourist and cultural activities available in and around St Louis, including city tours, visits to historical sites and areas of natural beauty. Accompanying persons will have free access to the Missouri Botanical Garden on production of their conference badge.

Accompanying persons may attend the conference dinner by paying US$45.00.

Local transportation

The meeting will provide transportation in the morning from the conference hotel to the Missouri Botanical Garden and at the end of the sessions from the Missouri Botanical Garden to the hotels.

Accomodation

Special rates for delegates are being arranged in a hotel in Clayton situated a few miles from the Garden. Details are available on the conference website together with website links. Early booking will be recommended.

Lunches and a conference dinner arranged by the organisers are included within the registration fee. There is a wide range of restaurants, bars and coffee shops within easy distance of the hotel for times when meals will not be provided. Breakfast will be responsibility of individual conference participants and will be included in the hotel room rate. Coffee and tea will be provided at breaks.

Sponsorship

Unfortunately sponsorship opportunities for participants are very limited and no financial support is available to support travel costs. Delegates in need of lower cost accommodation options, particularly those attending from developing countries, should contact the organisers for further information.

Weather

During the summer months the weather in St Louis is HOT and humid, casual, light clothing is suggested.

Travel

St Louis is well-served by air, with frequent connecting flights from Atlanta, Washington D.C., Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and other cities. The airport lies about 10 miles [about 15 kilometres] north west of the city centre. Information on how to reach the Garden and hotel will be provided on the conference website.

Visas

Participants from some countries may require visas. We cannot undertake to arrange visas, but it is recommended you contact your local U.S. Embassy and relevant webs to ensure that you investigate and complete any necessary entry requirements in good time before your intended travel date. Letters of invitation to help facilitate visa applications are available on request from the organisers.

Call for papers and posters

Intending delegates are encouraged to submit abstracts of papers or posters for presentation using the form provided. Abstracts of proposals for workshops will also be welcomed. Oral presentations should link closely to one or more of the GSPC targets, or to broader local, national or regional GSPC implementation. Posters may be of a more general nature, but should still compliment the overall aims of the conference.

Overhead and slide projectors and computer projection facilities will be available in lecture theatres. After the conference it is intended to publish electronically a volume including a selection of case studies and other materials presented at the conference. Papers should be submitted in electronic format and hard copy at the conference. Further instructions for authors will be issued when the organisers have reviewed prospective abstracts.

The conference organisers will notify participants at the earliest possible date regarding decision on acceptance of proposed  presentations. The conference organisers may request a change in format of presentation from oral to poster format if such a change is required to achieve the best possible technical programme.

Background Information

Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

A Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) was first proposed at the XVI International Botanical Congress in St Louis in 1999. It was
subsequently developed and adopted through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2002, to guide policy and set priorities for implementation by each country worldwide. The GSPC highlights the importance of plants and the ecosystem services they provide for all  life on earth, and aims to ensure their conservation.

The GSPC has 16 outcome-oriented targets under 5 main objectives:

(a) Objective I: Plant diversity is well understood, documented and recognized;
(b) Objective II: Plant diversity is urgently and effectively conserved;
(c) Objective III: Plant diversity is used in a sustainable and equitable manner;
(d) Objective IV: Education and awareness about plant diversity, its role in sustainable livelihoods and importance to all life on Earth is promoted;
(e) Objective V: The capacities and public engagement necessary to implement the Strategy have been developed.

The 16 targets adopted in 2002 were set for achievement by 2010. These targets were recently been revised and updated by the CBD at its 10th Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan, setting new plant conservation goals for 2020.

Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC)

The Global Partnership for Plant Conservation brings together a wide range of international, regional and national organizations in order to
contribute to the implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) worldwide. To help nations meet the targets of the GSPC, this consortium of international and national plant and conservation agencies was formed in 2004.

The Secretariat for the Partnership is hosted by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). The Partnership is working to support national implementation and the GSPC, and to provide tools and resources on how each country can plan and act to meet the targets. The GSPC was included by the Convention on Biological Diversity as part of the flexible coordination mechanism of the GSPC and plays a significant role in helping to monitor and promote GSPC implementation.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is a member of the GPPC (see www.plants2010.org). Missouri Botanical Garden is working with scientists working in 38 countries on six continents around the globe, the Missouri Botanical Garden has one of the three largest plant science programs in the world. Its mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.”

 

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