In 2019, BGCI received 72 applications from 64 different institutions from 39 different countries. This year, BGCI’s Global Botanic Garden Fund will provide 17 grants totaling $33,013. Eight grants will be provided through funding from the Global Botanic Garden Fund, four through Minnesota Landscape Arboretum/BGCI funding, and five through ArbNet/BGCI funding.

Global Botanic Garden Fund Grants

Bogor Botanic Gardens – Conservation of Dehaasia pugerensis, An Endemic Species of the Family Lauraceae in Java Island, Indonesia

Dehaasia pugerensis is an endemic species of the family Lauraceae in Java Island, Indonesia. The species is threatened with extinction due to habitat loss. IUCN Red List assigned the species as Critically Endangered in 1998. As the conservation status was assessed more than 20 years ago, it needs updating. In addition, this endemic species has not been represented in any ex situ conservation areas. Therefore, the project aims at:

• assessing the current population status of D. pugerensis
• updating the conservation status of the species
• based on IUCN Category and Criteria
• collecting the plant specimens (seed, wilding or cutting) to be planted and
• cultivated at Bogor Botanic Gardens
• disseminating the results to relevant stakeholders and public in general.

Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden – Ex-situ conservation of five highly threatened Cape taxa: focus on geophytes and ground orchids.

This project aims to collect seed and propagate at least five extreme risk Cape taxa, focusing on geophytes and ground orchids, targeting taxa or sub populations not already represented in other conservation collections. Our strategic focus is on taxa at the brink of extinction with immediate ongoing threat, that can be realistically managed as ex situ collections in their small botanical garden. The geophytes and ground orchids also contain a disproportionate number of highly threatened and charismatic species.

MUSE Botanic Gardens (Muse) and Tooro Botanical Gardens (TBG) – Conserving the flora of the Mountains of the Moon

‘Conserving the flora of the Mountains of the Moon’ will focus on “Af77 Rwenzori Mountains” identified by Heywood and Davies as an Afromontane regional centre of diversity and endemism in Tropical East Africa (TEA). The project will draw on joint expertise of two botanic gardens: TBG in Uganda and Muse in Italy, developing an international partnership with a special focus on a global biodiversity hotspot. The two gardens will share and complement their individual expertise on Tropical East African flora, its propagation and seed conservation. The Gardens staff will carry out mutual exchange visits with a special focus on capacity building in taxonomy and identification of Tropical East Africa Flora, plant propagation and seed conservation. A specific training in low-cost seed conservation will be delivered in TBG. Jointly the two gardens will develop a ranked priority list of species of conservation interest originating from the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ rainforest from 1,500 to 2,400 m as in the Rwenzori range. A subset of this list will be targeted for collection in the wild, applying for the relevant permits, developing plant propagation protocols and experimenting seed conservation and its duplication for a few flagship species. The outcome of these efforts will be highlighted in both gardens, displaying one flagship species propagated, with the relevant interpretation including IK and community involvement. Both gardens will apply for accreditation to BGCI scheme.

Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden – Conservation of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Cacti Collection

The Brazilian Red List has 2953 endangered species and a study showed that only 21% of them were being ex situ conserved in Brazil. Eastern Brazil is one of the main centers of diversity for Cactaceae. In Brazil, they have 39 genera and 359 taxa, of which 131 are considered endangered by IUCN. The history of their cacti collection started in 1912. Nowadays, it has 400 native and exotic species, including 230 cacti species and 170 other succulent species. Although historical, this collection has gone through periods of neglect and has even been closed to the public for periods in the 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, the garden had important improvements powered by partnerships with the private sector. This year they hired a cacti specialist to take over, which improved the identification and cultivation of plants, allowing seeds from endangered species they have, to begin to be deposited in the institutional seed bank. This project will support the addition of 15 species of cactus and repairs to greenhouses.

National Tropical Botanical Garden – Conservation of the Endangered Hawaiian species Pteralyxia kauaiensis

Pteralyxia kauaiensis is a single-island endemic taxon that was federally listed as Endangered in 1994. Using the IUCN Red List criteria, it was assessed as Endangered in 1998. Currently, there are between 300 and 400 individuals among 12 subpopulations on Kauaʻi. These numbers continue to decline. Specific components of the proposed project are to:

• make collections from wild populations
• propagate and out plant to create an ex situ conservation collection, as well as back-up collections in multiple gardens
• update Red List assessment.
• Results of the proposed project will directly contribute to the conservation of this taxon.

Tallinn Botanic Garden – Spore viability and propagation of the species of endemic fern genus Adenophorus  with ex situ conservation of Critically Endangered Hawaiian species Adenophorus periens

Fern genus Adenophorus gaudich is endemic to Hawaiian Islands. There are altogether 12 taxa in the genus, 10 of these represented on the oldest of high islands – Kauai. These are epiphytic ferns of mid-elevation wet forests. The abrupt decline of Adenophorus periens and disappearance from its last known locations during relatively short time has functioned as a wake-up call. For ex situ conservation of these species, an appropriate propagation method is needed. The plan for the project is to conduct field work on Kauai for collecting the spores for simultaneous storage and germination tests on spore viability length, test different growth substrates (artificial media and mix of natural components), and initiate ex situ collection of gametophytes

MS Swaminathan Botanical Garden – Development of an Ex-situ Conservation Garden of the threatened Western Ghats endemic genus ‘Humboldtia’Vahl.

The genus HumboldtiaVahl (Family Fabaceae– Caesalpinioideae) with nine taxa, (seven species and two varieties), is a totally endemic genus of the Western Ghats bio-geographical zone (including Sri Lanka). All the members of the genus(Plate) are found restrictedly distributed to very small localities and few populations, in the Southern Western Ghats, except H. laurifolia, which is endemic to Sri Lanka. Almost all the taxa are categorized under one or other IUCN Red list category. This is one of the very rare and highly important ornamental groups of trees, which need immediate conservation attention. The main objectives of the project are:

• Propagation and multiplication of selected five species of Humboldtia for proper conservation
• Establish a garden of Humboldtia genus at M S Swaminathan Botanical Garden (MSSBG)
• Educate the public about the species endemism and its importance through the conservation of selected genus
• Develop a nursery of the genus Humboldtia species for in situ and ex situ conservation

Clavijero Botanical Garden – Cloud Forest Sanctuary Restoration.

The Cloud Forest Sanctuary (CFS) is a remnant of natural forest next to the Clavijero Botanic Garden (CBG). The CFS is a fragment of 30 ha of tropical mountain cloud forest (TCMF) that represents different succession stages such as open areas, secondary vegetation, and remnants of old-growth forest. The CFS is home of several endangered and charismatic species endemic to cloud forest ecosystems. It also brings several environmental services to nearby cities. This ecosystem and its iconic species are gravely threatened by anthropogenic activities (e.g., housing development, agriculture). The project aims to restore secondary forest areas by propagating shrub species native to TCMF.

ArbNet/BGCI Partnership Grants

ArbNet and BGCI are pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 BGCI/ArbNet Partnership Programme! This funding opportunity supports the development of international collaborations between gardens and arboreta for the purpose of exchanging skills, resources and expertise to advance tree conservation. We are excited to see what these partnerships will accomplish over the next year!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum/BGCI Grants

M.M.Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv

Collection of rare woody plants species in M.M.Gryshko National Botanical Garden for conservation and use

Puebla University Botanical Garden (JBU-BUAP)

Interpretive signs for plant species in some risk category within the University Botanical Garden-BUAP

Amur Branch of Botanical Garden-Institute of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science

Creating a native plant guide and educational materials for the Amur Branch of Botanical Garden-Institute FEB RAS in eastern Russia

Jardin Botanique Kivu

People & plants conservation in fragile zones