North America
North America is one of the top mega-diverse regions of the world that sustains more than two-thirds of Earth’s biodiversity.
From arctic and alpine regions, to desert and tropical regions, the vast plant diversity of North America is globally unique and irreplaceable. Threats to this diversity are growing as a result of climate change, habitat destruction, invasive species, and land conversion. Of the 20,000 plant taxa native to North America, roughly 1 in 5 are of conservation concern and threatened in the wild.
More than 1,000 botanic gardens throughout North America drive important conservation, education, horticulture, and research programs focused on native plants. Cutting edge plant conservation programs and methodologies are produced in this part of the world.
Related News from the Region
Native Plant Trust Launches Additional Online Courses
Call for Arnoldia Submissions: Caring for Public Gardens During the Pandemic
Podcast on Native Plants and Climate Change: Now Airing!
BGCI-US, based at The Huntington Botanical Gardens in southern California, USA, works to connect gardens in North America to conservationists worldwide, and reflect BGCI’s mission to mobilize botanic gardens and secure plant diversity.
To guide North American progress toward the targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, BGCI-US coordinated the last update of the North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation in 2016. We are now working to track progress and inform North American botanic gardens on contributions toward targets.
BGCI Projects and Case Studies in the Region
