News published: 12 June 2025

Just under a year ago BGCI published it’s 2024 Technical Review on the Role of Botanic Gardens in Tackling the Illegal Plant Trade. This was part of the beginning of the then titled Illegal Plant Trade Campaign, which started its endeavours at the end of 2024.

Since then the Illegal Plant Trade Campaign has been rebranded to the new Illegal Plant Trade Coalition, after members recognised the need to diversify efforts in order to fully understand and mitigate the growing detrimental illegal plant trade. Along with the new name, we have also developed a logo, tagline, brand guidelines and new webpages hosted on the BGCI website. Check them out for more information.

The first step towards the prevention of plant extinction caused by the illegal plant trade remains the same as that addressed by the Illegal Plant trade Campaign: to build awareness. Thereafter, the Coalition aims to move forward driving positive outcomes through behavioural change, accessioning and collaboration with enforcement and communities to ensure plant biodiversity preservation. The Coalition aspires to create an “evergreen” programme that will inspire a renewed focus on reducing the illegal trade in plants through an ongoing effort to stop wild plant extinction.

The initial step will be delivered through a broad awareness campaign supported by a toolkit that is currently being designed. This toolkit will be able to be used by gardens with visitors and staff to increase awareness of the threat to plants from illegal trade, the species impacted and what can be done do to help. The toolkit will also include social media products, information leaflets and posters to be used in gardens and by other members of the Coalition that are active on social platforms. Simultaneously, there are other tools and guidelines currently in design targeted at botanical garden staff.

For the campaign, and wider Coalition, to be a success WE NEED YOUR HELP!

All gardens have a role to play and would benefit from the development and use of the toolkit. There are lots of opportunities to get involved.

• Does your garden have a large social media following? We have pre-designed social media infographics and carousels that can be shared.
• Does your garden have threatened orchids, succulents, cacti or cycads? We have posters that can be displayed for visitor information.
• Does your garden have a collections policy? We have guidance on accessioning of confiscated collections.
  And much much more!

The toolkit will be launched at the IUCN World Congress in October 2025. Before then we would like to build momentum with some early posts to be shared on social media. In the next few months, we will be hosting meetings with those who have signed up to support the coalition, to share products, explore opportunities for co-branding and how to get involved in launch activities. There is still time to sign up. Follow this link and navigate to the ‘Get Involved’ Section.