News Published: November 09 2026

Since October 2026, the Recife Botanical Garden, located in Pernambuco, Brazil, has been conducting a series of training sessions for its technical team on invasive alien plant species and the planning of control actions within its forested areas. The training sessions were initiated at the request of the Garden’s Director, Dr. Marília Arruda, and are coordinated by forestry engineers Dr. Uilian Barbosa and Dr. Ladivania Nascimento. Pilot project activities are being implemented under the coordination of biologist MSc Yasodhara Lacerda.

This initiative is part of the development of an Invasive Alien Plant Species Control and Eradication Plan for the Recife Botanical Garden, aimed at strengthening biodiversity conservation and improving the management of the institution’s living collections and natural areas.

On 5 November 2026, the initiative expanded its reach with a training session for managers of botanical gardens belonging to the Brazilian Alliance of Botanical Gardens. The meeting provided an opportunity to share knowledge, discuss management strategies, and strengthen collaboration among institutions addressing the challenges posed by invasive alien species.

Representatives from six botanical gardens participated in the activity:

Recife Botanical Garden – Pernambuco;
Bauru Botanical Garden – São Paulo;
Araribá Botanical Garden – São Paulo;
Federal University of Santa Maria Botanical Garden – Rio Grande do Sul;
Atlantic Forest Botanical Garden – São Paulo;
Rio Verde Botanical Garden – Goiás.

The activities address the importance of identifying invasive alien plant species, assessing their impacts on native biodiversity, and developing appropriate control and eradication strategies. They also emphasize the need for science-based planning, careful selection of management methods, monitoring, and restoration of affected areas with native species, whenever necessary.

By promoting technical capacity-building and knowledge exchange, the Recife Botanical Garden reaffirms its commitment to biodiversity conservation and contributes to a collaborative approach to invasive alien species management among Brazilian botanical gardens.

This initiative highlights the important role of botanical gardens as centres for conservation, research, education, and the development of practical solutions to global biodiversity challenges, while contributing to the achievement of international biodiversity targets.