Combating the illegal trade of plants requires a multi-pronged effort from a wide range of strategic partners. Thus, BGCI has launched a new initiative that draws on the extensive international reach of botanic gardens worldwide and their networks, partners and visitor outreach capacity. This vision has been unanimously endorsed by BGCI’s International Advisory Council with strong recognition of both the need for this new collaboration and the unique potential for botanic gardens to lead this important work.

A Global Campaign to Tackle the Illegal Trade in Plants

The illegal trade of plants is a global problem for a multitude of reasons. Including species extinction, ecosystem disruption, loss of local economic revenue, cultural, and traditional knowledge. As well as increasing heath and safety and biosecurity risks.

However, many people remain largely unaware that there even is illegal trade in plants and consumers don’t realise their purchases could be contributing to the poaching of plants and undermining legitimate livelihoods. The focus of policy, governments, and conservation organisations, primarily on the illegal wildlife trade of iconic animals means that very few resources are available to consumers, horticulturalists, conservationists, and many more to help combat illegal plant trading.

And the situation is getting worse. The internet has accelerated trade in plants and enabled sellers and buyers to trade with relative ease. This further facilitates the illegal trade and is creating huge demand on small, wild populations of species. As a result, plants being poached from the wild are at risk of local, and even in some cases global extinctions.

The time is now to take action to tackle the illegal trade in plants as a botanic garden community.

Creating a Global Movement

BGCI has created a partnership with the Commission on Education and Communication of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN CEC) to develop a global outreach campaign that will tackle the illegal plant trade. Whilst BGCI, with its many global partners and technical allies, brings the expertise and on-the-ground experience with working with plants, IUCN’s CEC is providing the process support in designing an effective behavioural change campaign.

We aspire to create an “evergreen” campaign that will inspire a renewed focus on reducing the illegal trade in plants. Building on the robust network associated with BGCI, the initiative is actively seeking partners from all sectors to support this important work. With an aim to support and empower BGCI members and the wider conservation community, BGCI will utilise this campaign to leverage our collective knowledge and expertise to reverse the threat of extinction facing plants.

And you can be involved too!

Take Action

Take our survey – We invite your participation in a crucial survey conducted by BGCI. It is a key component of our initiative aimed at combating the illegal trade of plant species worldwide. You can find out more and get involved, here.

Become a campaign partner – We are looking to recruit expert partners from across botanic, horticulture, policy, and enforcement sectors; as well as many more experts to share their expertise and experience with the campaign. Becoming a partner will have many benefits including access to the resources created in the campaign, leading subgroups, and being part of a global movement.

You can sign up to become a partner by filling out the interest form. 

There are three levels of partnership:

Keystone Partners – have involvement in design, implementation, and leadership of the campaign alongside other keystone partners. Staff will be able to deliver expertise through subgroups and institutional logos will be included on all branded content. A financial contribution will be needed to be a Keystone Partner.

Action Partners – Will need to make an ‘action pledge’ for the activities they will undertake towards the campaign. You will have access to all campaign material (see proposed products below) and support from Keystone Partners to deliver these resources. Your institution will be a listed partner on our website. There will be options to join subgroups upon approval.

Outreach Partners – Join our campaign as an individual or institution, have access to the campaign materials to share on social media. Receive early information about access to events, resources, and training. We encourage all BGCI members to become Outreach Partners.

Not ready to become a partner? 

Take an action pledge – Are you, your garden, or institution keen to take action towards the tackling the illegal plant trade? Make an action pledge for what you want to deliver from our global campaign.

Please share your email address above if you are interested in making an action pledge (but not a partner) and we will share more information soon.

Further Information and News

Read Paul Smith’s blog “Exchanging and duplicating plant material responsibly”, where he looks at improving the ways in which we duplicate and exchange plant material in our professional community.

You can also read this blog from Sandy Masuo at The Huntington, which outlines the challenges faced within the botanic community and how they are trying to combat concerns around the illegal trading of plants – including their work with BGCI.

This issue is the focus of BGCI’s 2024 Technical Review. This review is titled The importance of botanic gardens in tackling the illegal plant trade. Published in August 2024, this review showcases the importance of this campaign and the steps we are taking to help tackle this growing issue.

We invite you to watch again the first webinars discussing BGCI’s exciting new campaign tackling the illegal trade of plants. One major output of this campaign in 2024, has been BGCI’s latest technical review ‘The importance of Botanic Gardens in Tackling the Illegal Plant Trade’. These webinar presented on the major findings of the report and also highlight some of the 16 case studies from BGCI’s botanic garden network that are included in the report. More information on the campaign goals, strategy and methods of joining were also be presented.

Campaign Products

To implement this behaviour change campaign, we will produce the products below with the goal to raise awareness of the illegal plant trade across multiple sectors, provide knowledge and expertise, and change purchasing habits.

• A suite of communications materials (social media cards, posters, etc.), that can be adapted for local issues, into other languages and cultural contexts
• A suite of outreach and education tools to use within botanic gardens to engage with visitors
• Purchase guidelines and resources to promote ethical and sustainable buying for consumers
• Guidelines for assisting enforcement officials and provision of plant identification skills
• Working with communities impacted by illegal plant trade to share knowledge on propagation and sustainable management techniques
• An app to support consumers on online market places selling plants

Campaign Aims

Harness the power of botanic gardens to:

• Change the perception of where purchased plants originate from
• Provide consumers, industry, horticulturalists, collectors, and gardens with knowledge
• Safeguard indigenous cultures
• Facilitate communication and guidance across industries and stakeholders
• Develop resources