Agadir, Morocco March 20 th – 24 th , 2017 Think globally, act locally Successful examples of projects supporting restoration outside the Mediterranean Region Dr Tiziana Ulian Natural Capital & Plant Health Department, RBG Kew
Conserving, using sustainably and restoring plant diversity Outline • Background • Case study 1: • MGU – Useful Plants Project • Case study 2 : • ‘Great Green Wall’ Cross Border Pilot Project • Case study 3 • Global Tree Seed Bank Project • Case study 4 • Toward conserving the Jordanian Flora • Conclusions
Background The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a global resource for plant and fungal knowledge. One of the largest and most diverse collections of plant and fungal specimens (living and preserved) in the world: – >7 million herbarium vouchers – 35,000 species conserved ex situ as seeds – >30,000 taxa in the living collection – Library, art, archive 1,000 collaborators in > 100 countries provides the focus for developing plant-based solutions to global challenges such as biodiversity loss, food and water security, poverty, disease and climate change.
The MGU – Useful Plants Project To enhance the capacity of local communities in Africa and Latin America to conserve and use sustainably indigenous plants Kenya, Botswana, Mali, South Africa and Mexico Improve food security Improve human health Improve livelihoods Contribute to climate change mitigation
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Targeting and prioritizing 1480 useful plants ( taxa ) Literature review, ethnobotanical surveys and community workshops
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Seed collecting and conservation Seed storage of 704 useful plants in country with duplicates in Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), UK Acacia senegal Kigelia africana Trichilia emetica Bursera aptera
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Propagation protocols 371 useful plants propagated Dioscorea strydomiana
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Propagation in the communities 371 useful plants propagated Improving propagation facilities (nurseries, tools) and training in local communities (seed collecting, propagating, etc.)
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Planting in local communities (useful plants gardens) 263 plant species (52,305 seedlings) planted 25 rural communities and 36 schools involved
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Supporting in situ conservation Sacred forests - Mali • Five sacred forests (75 ha) • Enrichment planting with 15 useful trees Afzelia africana (three years) Antochleista kerstingii ( five years)
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Sustainable use and income generation 34 plant species generating income for local communities
The MGU – Useful Plants Project Research 289 plant species studied and 20 students supervised
‘Great Green Wall’ Cross Border Pilot Project Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger To contribute fighting desert progress in the Sahel by restoring ecosystems , valorising and managing sustainably natural resources Improve habitats Improve food security Improve livelihoods Contribute to climate change mitigation
• consu sult with communities and assess their commi mmitmen tment and mo moti tivati tion Communities • understand local needs needs and req requireme rements ts for restoration • gathe ther r informati rmation on species and their uses GGW restoration model: the approach • be authenticated and be able to surv rvive long-term term • knowledge , expert rtise and quality ma materi terial available Research • be locally adapted and economi micall y useful to communities • bio-divers rse (trees/shrubs/grasses) • collecting quality seeds , seedling prod roducti tion and Procedures soil prep reparati ration • restoration – planting trees, direct seeding and assisting natural regeneration at the onset of and during the rainy seasons. Monitoring Monitor and evaluate field performance: • of planted seedlings, including collecting data on their ma mainten tenance and ma manageme ment • of committed acti tiviti ties with and by commu mmuniti ties Training in: • the development of plant t prod roducts ts , ma marke rketi ting and Cap. Building local business management • seed collecting and nursery tec techniques • planting, maintenance and management of plantations
‘Great Green Wall’ Cross Border Pilot Project Example Mali Propagation and planting of useful species in the communities • Production & planting: ca. 60,000 plants of 45 species per year • Training of 9 private nursery holders in seedling production and supply of nursery materials • Training of 2 local associations for environment protection in seed harvesting • Training of local women association in compost production and market garden good practices Soil improvement
‘Great Green Wall’ Cross Border Pilot Project Example Mali Support to in situ conservation • Assisting natural regeneration in 5 sites of 20 ha (2015) and in 3 sites of 13 ha (2016) • Restoring 25 ha in state forest (district of Bankass) by sowing herbaceous useful species (ground cover) • Restoring vegetation by sowing herbaceous useful species on fallow land at two sites (1 ha and 3 ha )
Global Tree Seed Bank Project
Global Tree Seed Bank Project Main Objectives • Establish the Global Tree Seed Bank – Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), U.K. • Collect & Bank 3,000 tree species o Threatened, endemic, useful o Increase genetic diversity • Conduct tree conservation research o 4 Research Fellowships at Kew o Collaborative research • Facilitate reintroduction programmes
Global Tree Seed Bank Project Countries Main Objectives Cameroon, Guinea, Sierra Leone, • Establish the Global Tree Seed Nigeria & Madagascar Bank – Kew’s Millennium Seed Bhutan, Indonesia, Thailand Bank (MSB), U.K. • Collect & Bank 3,000 tree species UKOTs (British Virgin Islands, o Threatened, endemic, useful Cayman Islands, Monserrat) o Increase genetic diversity Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia • Conduct tree conservation Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic research & Mexico o 4 Research Fellowships at Kew o Collaborative research Europe: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus , • Facilitate reintroduction Finland, Italy , Poland, Spain programmes USA Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand
“Science -based conservation of tree species in Mexico” Aim: To implement an integrated conservation programme to protect endemic, protected and useful trees Outputs • Targeting & prioritising : list of trees of Mexico (3,831 species) with information on conservation status, distribution and uses • Tree seed conservation in country and duplicated at Kew’s MSB. • Research : protocol for screening Amphipterygium adstringens (Schltdl.) Standl (Photo: O. seed storage behaviour; seed Tellez, Fes-I UNAM) viability and germination requirements
Zonas más ricas en especies endémicas de árboles
Zonas con mayor riqueza de especies amenazadas de árboles
“Saving threatened forests of Hispaniola (DR )” Aim To protect the forestry diversity in Hispaniola Outputs • Tree seed conservation : target list of ca. 200 tree species; seeds to be conserved in country and duplicated at Kew MSB • Research : protocol for screening the seed storage behaviour and Melicoccus jimenezi (Alain) germination tests • Propagation for native trees and Acevedo-Rodr. (Photo: F. Jiménez, JBN) planting activities to support reforestation in degraded areas and Santo Domingo
Toward conserving the Jordanian Flora
Toward conserving Jordanian Flora Background • Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSB) • National Centre for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE)/Directorate of Biodiversity • 2001 Agreement between NCARE and RBG Kew
Toward conserving the Jordanian Flora Purpose and main outputs To promote the conservation and sustainability of the traditional Mediterranean diet in Jordan 1. Establishing knowledge of rural communities on Mediterranean wild edible plants 2. Seed conservation and restoration of Mediterranean wild edible plants 3. Research to support the conservation and sustainable use of Mediterranean diet plants
Toward conserving the Jordanian Flora Some examples Gundelia Akub heads with lamb Akub floral buds sold Akub fried with tournefortii cooked in yoghurt at market eggs Stuffed and cooked C. Salvia hierosolymitana and stuffed Cyclamen persicum persicum and cooked leaves
Conclusions • Indigenous useful plants prioritized according to communities’ needs to support human health, food security, livelihoods • Importance to protect, store and value Traditional Knowledge • Integrate conservation and restoration of useful plants with local communities • Income generation through the sustainable use of cultivated species • Complementary research and multidisciplinary approach • Capacity building for local communities and partners • Participative approach by working in partnership • Documenting and disseminating information at all levels • Project findings to be showcased to influence decision makers
Thank you! For more information: t.ulian@kew.org
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