News Published: 31 March 2026

The Global Conservation Consortia (GCC) Working Groups have unveiled a dedicated webpage to serve as the central hub for three specialised working groups under the umbrella of the Global Conservation Consortia. The new site provides an accessible online platform for participants, partners, and those interested in joining the working groups. You can explore it here: GCC Working Groups Home.

Three dedicated groups have formed to advance the objectives of the GCC’s:

• Cryopreservation Working Group
• Conservation Genetics Working Group 
• Conservation Planning for Plants Working Group

The Cryopreservation Working Group is a coordinated group of individuals, and institutions working to communicate, collaborate and stay informed on the best cryopreservation practices, contributing to the conservation of threatened plant species. This group is coordinated by Valerie Pence (CREW, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden) and Amy Byrne (The Morton Arboretum).

The goal of the Conservation Genetics Working Group is to mobilise and foster an international group of individuals and institutions to communicate, collaborate and develop best practices in conservation genetics to ensure the conservation of priority threatened species of the Global Conservation Consortia. This group is coordinated by Jean Linsky (Atlanta Botanical Garden), Vanessa Handley (Montgomery Botanical Center), and Amy Byrne (The Morton Arboretum).

The Conservation Planning for Plants Working Group covers a range of topics relevant to conservation planning for plants. Each meeting of the working group will contain examples from the botanical community and provide time for questions and group discussions. The Conservation Planning for Plants Working Group is coordinated by Yvette Harvey-Brown (Botanic Gardens Conservation International), Amy Byrne (The Morton Arboretum), and Jean Linsky (Atlanta Botanical Garden). 

With this online platform, participants from botanic gardens, research institutions, and conservation groups can stay informed about upcoming meetings, past meeting notes and other relevant resources.