|
|
Toward a Canadian Botanical Garden Biodiversity Action Plan: A discussion paper for Environment Canada and The Canadian Botanical Conservation NetworkPrepared for the Biodiversity Convention Office of Environment Canada Funding for this report was provided by Environment Canada under Contract No. K1850-8-8036 1999 Work Plan item EC-98/99-2-ii Executive Summary
Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to stimulate discussions and plans among the botanical gardens and arboreta of Canada and related members of the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network, on plant conservation goals and priorities for our community of institutions over the next 3 to 5 years. Identification of priorities, opportunities and encouragement for early participation in recovery planning and recovery efforts for Canadian plant species at risk nationally are of considerable importance in realizing the potential of this sector to contribute to biodiversity conservation. The Canadian Botanical Conservation Network believes that encouraging botanical gardens to be central players in plant conservation efforts in Canada is an effective way to bring plant conservation to greater public attention and also engages existing institutional capacities in horticulture and related disciplines. Assembling information resources to facilitate this enhanced role is the primary objective of the network. The development of a Biodiversity Action Plan for Botanical Gardens in Canada is seen as the logical expression of a pan-Canadian approach to the conservation of native plant species at risk nationally. This report reviews the contributions to plant conservation that can be achieved through a Biodiversity Action Plan, sketches the outline of the plan itself, and outlines the steps necessary to complete its development and effect its implementation. Audience This report is intended for members of the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network and other plant conservation specialists. It also serve as a report to the Biodiversity Convention Office of Environment Canada on work plan items 2.i and 2.ii of the contract between Environment Canada and Royal Botanical Gardens, (EC Contact no. K1850-8-8036). As this is a discussion paper that has yet to be subject to review and comment, this version of this document is not intended for wide publication. Comments and suggestions regarding the ideas in this report and actions proposed herein are invited. Please forward any suggestions or additional material to David Galbraith at the address on the cover page.
Overall Process The Canadian Botanical Conservation Network is committed to the development of a Biodiversity Action Plan for Botanical Gardens in Canada. The network is a non-profit organization operating as a project of the Science Department of Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario. The present contract between Environment Canada and Royal Botanical Gardens is a vital contribution in support of the development of the action plan. The network is premised on the assertion that the best way to forward the goal of plant conservation in Canada is to develop cooperative partnerships among government and non-governmental agencies, the general public and private enterprise. The development of a sectoral action plan for plant conservation is therefore:
The process by which the Biodiversity Action Plan is being developed and implemented includes a research period, writing of the draft plan, circulation and consultation with the botanical gardens, biodiversity and plant conservation communities, and then adoption and funding development. Creation of the Action Plan will take place in three main stages: building consensus, launching of the plan, and consolidation of gains and movement toward self-sufficiency.
Goals, Priorities and Next Steps The goal of the proposed Biodiversity Action Plan is to strengthen Canada's delivery of identified strategic directions of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. The Canadian approach to achieving the goals of the CBS rests on the development of partnerships. Through the development and delivery of cooperative biodiversity programs within the Canadian botanical garden and arboreta sector, coordinated by Royal Botanical Gardens and the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network, this important non-governmental sector will make significant contributions to the national priorities of the CBS. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy identifies roles for private sector innovation in conservation and in this case for botanical gardens and arboreta in the conservation of our native biological diversity and in the delivery of Canada's commitment to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity. Canada's botanical gardens and arboreta are a diverse community of provincial, municipal, educational and privately run institutions. Many of their traditional activities already support the aims of the biodiversity convention and the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. However, many of these institutions are under considerable pressure through restriction of customary sources of public funding. Partnerships are necessary to assist the botanical garden community in organizing and enhancing its response to the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. This response will be accomplished through a focused program of activities developed and delivered by the existing Canadian Botanical Conservation Network led by Royal Botanical Gardens in cooperation with regional, national and international bodies. In support of numerous strategic directions in the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy which are identified below, Canada's botanical garden community is ideally positioned, with the enhanced capacity that this contract provides, to develop and deliver an action plan that contributes to the following key plant diversity and conservation goals: Enhanced education and awareness Programs built on the existing interpretive programs of botanical gardens, enhance awareness and education about the diversity, ecological role, historical importance, conservation challenges and sustainable use of our native plant resources (Canadian Biodiversity Strategy - Strategic Direction [SD] 3.1), and the impacts of harmful alien organisms (SD 1.78) Assisting the recovery of plants at risk nationally Information exchange, communication, promotion of ex situ genetic conservation, plant reintroductions and other activities, botanical gardens should support and facilitate recovery planning and recovery efforts for species at risk nationally and the rehabilitation of critical habitats. This includes enhancing the role of ex situ institutions in the recovery of species-at-risk & ecosystem management (SD 1.21), promoting the role of non-governmental ex situ institutions for in situ conservation (SD 1.9), improve ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation approaches through development of plant propagation and population supplementation programs (SD 1.27), and focusing research on understanding of ecosystems and management through improving both in situ and ex situ conservation methods (SD 2.2). Responding to harmful alien species Minimizing the risks posed by invasive alien plant species by preventing the introduction of harmful alien organisms through horticultural and related avenues, using effective means to identify and monitor alien organisms, eliminating common sources of unintentional introductions, and building databases to anticipate the introduction of harmful alien organisms (SD 1.78). Improving private sector policies and practices Enhancing the capacity of the botanical community to deliver biodiversity services through implementing measures to monitor ex situ collections of biological resources (SD 2.29), inventory genetic diversity for conservation and economic use of genetic resources (SD 2.9), and strengthening co-ordination among botanical gardens and other organizations (SD 3.1) are goals of the present program. Promoting acceptance of the Convention on Biological Diversity within this sector, promoting codes of ethics and provision of relevant information (SD 1.87), participation in international activities for conservation and sustainable use of biological resources (SD 5.0), encouraging this sector to share benefits of using genetic resources of other countries (SD 5.3), encourage the participation of these critical biodiversity stakeholders in international efforts to implement the CBD (SD 5.4) are also significant goals. These four goals will be achieved through the development and implementation of a voluntary sectoral biodiversity action plan from within the botanical garden community itself. In order to effect the development and delivery of the action, Royal Botanical Gardens and the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network has agreed to carry out a three year work program under a contract with Environment Canada. This program is taking place over three years, with each year envisioned as stages in the development of the plan: building consensus within the botanical gardens community on the activities to be undertaken (year one), launching the action plan (year two), and consolidating accomplishments and achieving a self-sufficient program of ongoing work (year three). The objectives of the first year are to build a consensus among botanical gardens and arboreta on implementing the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. This will be achieved by the development of the action plan itself, and will be highlighted at the July, 1999 meeting of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta in Vancouver. At this meeting, a special workshop will be presented on the development and adoption of the action plan and its elements. The development of the action plan includes a review of the capacity of Canadian botanical gardens and arboreta to participate in in situ programs for the recovery of plant species-at-risk and habitat through ex situ activities. The assessment includes the conservation of native plant germ plasm through seed banks and living plant collections and the propagation of plants for reintroduction, rehabilitation and recovery programs. A proposal for a national ex situ collection of rare and endangered plants, including a seed gene bank program and a living plant program for at-risk native plant taxa is also under development, and is described in more detail further below. The national collection program will compliment existing programs in botanical gardens and other sectors, in support of integrating the appropriate use of ex situ facilities and their knowledge-base and skills for plant conservation and recovery programs, and in communicating the principles and priorities of the conservation of native plant biodiversity to the general public. Dissemination of the action plan will include publication following peer review, including release of the full document on the Internet and submission to the Clearing House Mechanism of the CBD. The third year of the program will be devoted to the continuing implementation of the biodiversity action plan with emphasis on strengthening participation by the botanical gardens community in the recovery of plant species at risk nationally and implementation of the biodiversity convention provisions concerning access to genetic resources. The other major focus for year three will be on achieving self-sufficiency for both CBCN and the associated programs. With this emphasis in mind, the further development of the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network as a self-sufficient national network of member institutions co-operating to improve their capacities to participate in biodiversity programs is also an important goal for the three-year program. New partnerships and funding sources to assist in the delivery of programs and activities being undertaken by the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network will continue to be sought. Background The conservation of the native plant biodiversity of Canada is problematic. While Canada is one of the wealthiest nations on earth per capita, it has achieved much of this wealth through the conversion of many natural habitats to farmland, urban settlement, industry, transportation systems, and other uses largely incompatible with natural plant and animal communities. Many sectors of the Canadian economy are still dependent on natural communities of plants and animals, and many non-economic human values depend upon the existence and enjoyment of those communities. Unfortunately, this dependence upon nature has not resulted in widespread appreciation for many of the beautiful, interesting (and in some cases, potentially useful) plant species that are native to Canada, nor a general awareness of the need to conserve the natural diversity of our rare or endangered native plants. Many habitats have been subjected to greater or lesser degrees of degradation through the effects of introduced, invasive alien species, damage from human uses, pollution, and other changes brought about by human activities. Of the 1009 species considered as >rare= by Argus and Pryer (1990), more than three quarters are native to just two provinces: British Columbia (426) and Ontario (355). Furthermore, many of these rare plants are native to transitional habitats that have also been the most attractive for conversion to human uses, rather than to remote or inaccessible habitats. Secondly, effective conservation is, by definition, a process of adaptation and change. As we do not have sufficient biological knowledge to predict the results of management interventions with certainty, adaptive management (in which the results in one year are used to guide the activities of the next) must be the underlying philosophy of conservation. This philosophy, in turn, requires that research into the causes of conservation problems be an integral element of designing their solution. Thirdly, contemporary examples from the international botanical garden community indicate that the conservation of endangered plants as a goal best reached through integrated conservation. Integrated conservation recognizes that conservation problems should be approached through assessment of the causes of the problems and application of the most appropriate solutions. This often involves both in situ and ex situ approaches. To this point in time, the conservation of endangered plants has not received much attention in Canada. At this time, COSEWIC (the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) has designated 31 species of vascular plants native to Canada as being Endangered, 36 as Threatened and 35 as Vulnerable. The committee also maintains a tracking list including nearly 400 more plants considered rare. Of the 102 listed species, recovery teams organized in cooperation with RENEW (Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife) are currently working on recovery plans to protect only four species. Two of these species are listed as Endangered (Wood poppies: Stylophorum diphyllum [ON], Long=s braya: Braya longii [NF]) and two are Threatened ( Fernald=s braya: Braya fernaldii [NF]; and Red Mulberry: Morus rubra [ON]). In 1995, Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario, created a Botanical Conservation Office (RBG-BCO) within its Science Department, largely in recognition of the important role that the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity was anticipated to play within the environment of similar institutions in Canada. The RBG-BCO was initially developed through an agreement between Environment Canada and Royal Botanical Gardens, for the development of a national network among the botanical gardens, arboreta and related organizations of Canada. The purpose of the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network (CBCN) is to assist the botanical gardens, arboreta and other organizations interested in enhancing their capacity to participate in in situ and ex situ plant conservation efforts and biodiversity programs. The objective of the Network is in support of biodiversity initiatives of the federal government for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. In 1998, the Network was formally incorporated under the name "Canadian Botanical Conservation Network - Le réseau canadien pour la conservation de la flore" and registered as a Charitable Organization by Revenue Canada (Charitable Business Number 87277 5697). National networks of botanical gardens are emerging as important facilitators of biodiversity programs. CBCN has developed networking tools such as a Web site (http://www.rbg.ca/cbcn, viewed by more than 10,000 visitors since May of 1996) and a quarterly newsletter (mailed to over 350 addresses in Canada and abroad). Institutional members of CBCN include:
In total, Canada has about sixty botanical gardens, arboreta and related collections of living plants. Annually more than 4.5 million visitors attend just the seven largest botanical institutions in the country. However, most of the sixty Canadian institutions are public gardens for recreation and civic improvement, of modest sizes, and have limited staff resources and capacities for in-house conservation programs. Fewer than a dozen Canadian botanical institutions maintain large scientific collections. Efforts to bring a national focus to the work of botanical gardens in Canada have had a long history. The need for a national botanical garden has been actively discussed since 1926. The concept of a single national garden was replaced in the early 1970s by a network of botanical gardens across the country, a natural outgrowth of the diverse regions making up Canada. A network could make efficient use of existing resources and facilities rather than investing heavily in the creation of a single large national facility. Since the 1992 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity came into force it has presented both opportunities and challenges to botanical institutions. Botanical gardens are concerned with many key biodiversity issues such as the introduction of damaging invasive plants, the propagation of endangered and rare plants, and the ethical issues surrounding the ownership and use of genetic resources from specimens in their collections. The Canadian Botanical Conservation Network is working with international partners like Botanic Gardens Conservation International to help Canadian institutions deal with emerging biodiversity challenges. Internationally, botanical gardens have been involved in conservation activities for much of their history. National networks of botanical gardens involved in conservation are now emerging as vital facilities for the recovery of endangered plants and habitats. Botanical gardens are among the best-placed institutions to assist in the conservation of biological diversity through the protection and recovery of critically-endangered plant species. Endangered Species Programs in Canada Programs for the listing and recovery of endangered species in Canada are delivered through a mosaic of federal, provincial and non-governmental participants. Environment Canada has identified two broad classes of approach to the conservation of endangered species. "Fine Filter" approaches identify conservation priorities at the population or species level, while "Coarse Filter" approaches seek to protect habitats and communities on a larger scale. The development of fine-filter and coarse-filter approaches to determining conservation priorities by Environment Canada is a strong compliment to the strategic recommendations of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. Coarse-filter conservation is seen in the further development of Canada’s system of parks and protected habitats, whereas fine-filter conservation is in evidence through the activities of COSEWIC and RENEW. Ideally, the better our coarse-filters are, the less there should be for the fine filters to do. Two critical issues are at the heart of the capacity of the coarse-filter approach to protect biological diversity in Canada. First, many parks and protected areas are already too small or too disturbed to provide effective long-term protection for their native species. For example, a negative correlation between area of reserve and loss of species diversity has been demonstrated among vertebrates in parks in Ontario has been demonstrated by the work of Dr Ron Brooks and Dr Tom Nudds at University of Guelph. A similar relationship for plant biodiversity is likely but has not been demonstrated to the knowledge of this researcher. Secondly, by definition protected habitats, parks and nature sanctuaries constitute a small proportion of the land base. Most of the land area in Canada that is the basis for biologically-diverse plant communities is either owned privately or is Crown land subject to extractive natural-resource-based industries such as logging or mining. Both of these issues highlight the need to develop co-operative programs for the stewardship of important habitats that are in private hands or are under the management of the private sector. To a great extent, the recovery of endangered species in Canada is dependent upon such cooperation. Sadly, the shear number of plant species currently listed by COSEWIC suggests that at the species diversity level, our present coarse filters are letting too many taxa slip through. Both the coarse- and fine-filters have merit at the practical and scientific levels. The actual process of endangered species protection in Canada at this time is almost wholly a fine-filter approach, as it is concerned with the identification and listing of species, subspecies or populations at risk. The fine-filter process by which native plant species are formally recognized as being "at risk" in Canada is complex. Individual species or populations may be listed as being "at risk" either provincially or nationally, or both, depending upon the degree of cooperation between the respective provincial governments and the federal government. The status of rare plants species in Canada are currently designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Protection for plant species is provided by the Canada Wildlife Act, which has been established in order to coordinate, encourage, develop, and implement wildlife education, research, and conservation programs and policies. Under the Canada Wildlife Act, wildlife is defined as wild animals, plants, or other organisms. It is anticipated that plant species designated as at-risk by COSEWIC will receive some form of protected under the planned Endangered Species Act. The importance of the provinces in the protection and recovery of endangered species cannot be overstated. Each province maintains its own laws regarding the protection of natural resources, and implements its own policies and programs for endangered species recovery. These programs are most effective when they are carried out in cooperation with other partners. The degree to which individual provinces have created formal legislation to protect endangered plants varies. For example, in British Columbia, no specific legislation exists relating to the protection of rare plants, unless they exist in a designated protected area such as a provincial park or ecological reserve. (legislation was being considered by the provincial legislature, but it has not been passed as of August, 1997). In Manitoba, protection is provided under the Manitoba Endangered Species Act (1990). The act prohibits human activities that would kill, disturb, or interfere with any species listed in the Act. The Act also prevents human activities that damage, destroy, or remove habitats and natural resources which protected species are dependent upon for life and propagation. There are currently three plant species designated as Endangered under the Manitoba Endangered Species Act. In Ontario, rare plant species are protected by Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. Species are evaluated and designated based on recommendations of an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources technical committee called the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) which works in close partnership with COSEWIC. The Public Lands Act and The Planning Act also require that areas that contain endangered species are not disturbed. In Quebec, protection for rare and endangered plant species is provided under the Loi sur les especes menacées ou vulnerables. The Loi sur la conservation et la mise en valeur de la faune can sometimes be used to protect rare plant species if the habitat in which they exist is essential to wildlife protection. The Loi sur les reserves ecologiques and the Loi sur les parcs provide some protection in designated areas. The Loi sur les terres du domain public prevents the eradication and destruction of rare and endangered species on public lands. The recovery of endangered species in Canada is largely a self-organizing process, relying on cooperation among government and non-government partners alike. Under the Endangered Species Recovery Fund process administered by World Wildlife Fund Canada, recovery teams are invited to form themselves and apply for funding support. This approach has been quite effective as it supports the development of local action in response to local problems. However, there are challenges and opportunities that can best be met by proactively developing a program of information resources and tools available nationally that supports local responses to local conditions and avoids unnecessary duplication of efforts to develop protocols, techniques, educational materials and other sharable products. The Plant Conservation Challenge: Assessment, Designation and Recovery of Plant Species At Risk in Canada The recovery of endangered species in Canada is undergoing change. The process of coming to terms with endangered species and making progress in their protection and recovery is undergoing a constructive revision. The Fall 1998 Recovery newsletter published by the Canadian Wildlife Service includes thought-provoking articles on the recommendations by the independent "Species at Risk Working Group" and also on steps already being taken by CWS to change the ways in which endangered species recovery is approached. It is anticipated that the issues raised by these articles, and other recent related developments, are going to come to a climax this year, as the Federal government is expected to announce that it is ready to renew its own efforts to create a federal endangered species act for Canada. As the recovery processes that will be codified by the new endangered species act are developed, and as existing programs are being updated or enhanced, we still face a difficult problem in Canada related to endangered plants. Two key practical issues affect the recovery of endangered plants in Canada. First, there is little public appreciation or interest in endangered plants. Plants are commonly viewed as either fodder or backdrop for animals, but rarely as vital elements of biological diversity. Secondly, many COSEWIC-listed vascular plants are not endemic to Canada. Instead, we have many peripheral, northern populations of species that may not be at risk globally. To a great extent, endangered plant species recovery in Canada is not an effort to prevent outright extinction, but is instead an effort to forestall extirpation. Endangered plant conservation in Canada therefore needs to focus on two priorities. First, we must continue to make efforts to improve public awareness of the need to conserve the ecological integrity and ecological diversity of natural habitats (especially the transitional habitats of Ontario and British Columbia so at risk from development). Secondly, the conservation of genetic diversity present in our natural populations is a significant component of the conservation of plant diversity in Canada. Genetic diversity is thought to be important because it is assumed that our populations are genetically differentiated and adapted to our own climate and soil conditions, although this assumption has rarely been tested. There is no question that conservation of habitats is and must remain the primary objective of endangered plant species recovery efforts. However, conservation and protection of habitats, and viable populations within those habitats, is time consuming and often expensive. Even as we increase our efforts at endangered species recovery planning, as evidenced by the call for proposals for new recovery plans through the Endangered Species Recovery Fund last fall, the genetic diversity represented by our populations remains at risk.. One element of recovery planning for endangered species and the rehabilitation of critical habitat that is admirably suited to a national response is the development of institutional capacities to provide ex situ support for in situ conservation. It is almost an axiom that the financial resources available for plant conservation are very limited. Engaging the creativity and enthusiasm of individuals in various parts of the country is very important. Three principles arise out of the necessities of the present situation: 1. Leading by Example 2. Distributing Effort 3. Encouraging Local Action Although the desire to implement national programs is understandable, in the reality of an enormous country like Canada and in the face of very limited resources, national programs which attempt to solve all problems through centralized facilities will not succeed. Instead, national programs consisting of local action aided by common resources such as information and educational materials have the best chance of success. The underlying strategy of endangered plant species recovery rests on the conservation of genetic diversity, rather than species diversity at the global level. Only a minority of our plant taxa at risk is threatened globally. The conservation of endangered endemic taxa deserves highest priority, but this is not, and should not, be our only concern. The most effective conservation programs engage people and institutions at the local and regional level, aided by nationally coordinated approaches to information and research resources. The scarcity of financial support for conservation precludes a monolithic, centralized approach to any conservation program. The most effective means to achieving our conservation goals is the protection of sufficient intact habitat relative to each goal. However, conflict over land use and damage already done to habitats and populations preclude habitat protection as the only approach to conservation. Appropriate compliments to habitat protection include rehabilitation or restoration of damaged habitats and the integrated use of gene banks and propagation facilities to afford added degrees of protection and flexibility, and to provide genetically appropriate plant stock for recovery efforts and research purposes. Progress to Date The Biodiversity Action Plan is being drafted by the Botanical Conservation Office of Royal Botanical Gardens and will be available for peer review and circulation by mid-1999. While the draft Biodiversity Action Plan is being assembled, two key projects under the Action Plan are already being developed. First, the development of a national network for endangered plant species recovery at botanical gardens, will engaging the institutional capacities of botanical gardens as partners within endangered species recovery plans. Second, a pilot project on access to genetic resources within botanical gardens (so-called "Biodiversity Convention Article 15" issues) is helping to define the future role of botanical gardens collections as sources of genetic resources. Each of these important components are described immediately below. National Network for Endangered Plant Species Recovery at Botanical Gardens Historically, conservation activities have been differentiated by whether or not they deal with conservation through in situ or ex situ ways. Each of these approaches has advantages and drawbacks. In situ conservation has the advantages of protecting large numbers of individuals, species and intact communities through the protection, rehabilitation or restoration of habitat. Ex situ methods have the advantage of moving the organisms into a sheltered environment where more intensive research and propagation are possible, and where numbers may be increased quickly to solve demographic threats to survival. Neither in situ nor ex situ approaches are able to solve all conservation problems, and each approach has tended to become institutionalized over time. Government wildlife conservation agencies, conservation or watershed authorities and NGOs protecting intact habitats have been quick to recognize the advantages of in situ conservation, and have very appropriately identified that conservation of intact ecological communities should be their ultimate objective. In Canada, this has resulted in relatively little interest by government conservation agencies in ex situ institutions. At present, Canada does not have a national program for the documentation and preservation of native plants that integrates the capacities of botanical gardens and other ex situ facilities with the needs of endangered species recovery and habitat conservation programs in situ. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy identified the need to strengthen the role of living plant collections in the recovery of species-at-risk and rehabilitation of critical habitats, stating that the role of non-governmental ex situ institutions (such as botanical gardens) should be enhanced. Attaining the goal of conserving plant biodiversity in Canada as outlined in the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy requires a coordinated effort among botanical gardens, as these institutions are very well-placed to engage their institutional capacities for plant science and for public education and contact. Internationally there are excellent models of plant conservation and endangered species recovery in botanical gardens, making use of gene banks as tools for protection and recovery. One of the best is the work of the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC), based at Missouri Botanical Gardens, in St. Louis, Missouri. The Center administers the National Collection of Endangered Plants, through a network of about 25 independent regional botanical gardens across the USA. Among the participating institutions, over 450 endangered native plants are protected through conventional ex situ means: as living gene banks or as seed gene banks. Furthermore, the Center for Plant Conservation has become a focal point for research and practical on the ground conservation action in support of endangered plant species recovery in the USA. From habitat protection to the recent publication of "Restoring Diversity: Strategies for Reintroduction of Endangered Plants," the proceedings of a CPC conference, the Center for Plant Conservation has emerged as a leading factor in endangered species conservation and recovery in the USA. Another significant example of seed gene banks being applied to plant conservation is the new Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place in southern England, a project of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This massive project will see the preservation of viable seed samples from all of the native vascular plants of Great Britain as well as 10% of the vascular plants of the world - approximately 25,000 species. Kew has operated a highly successful seed bank program for many years, with a traditional focus on plants from arid regions of the world. The scale of this project makes it the largest of its kind in the world, with a total project budget of ,80 million (approximately $201 million 1999 Canadian dollars). Canadian seed gene banks currently in operation are dedicated for the most part to agricultural plants and to the needs of the lumber and paper industries. Agriculture Canada and provincial agriculture ministries operate several seed storage facilities and banks for genetic material that cannot be stored as seed (such as varieties of fruit trees). The principal seed gene bank is the Plant Genetic Resources Canada seed gene bank at the University of Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, SK. This seed gene bank specializes in cereals, oil seeds and forages and houses approximately 110,000 seed samples in total. The Director of the seed bank, Dr Ken Richards, has indicated an interest to develop a program for native plants but no action has been taken to date on. The Forest Biodiversity Network of the Canadian Forest Service has a tree seed gene bank in Fredericton, NS, and is contemplating a program for the use of their facilities for conservation of non-economic forest plants, but this program is still at the proposal stage. Small seed gene banks abound, and are usually created as tools for specific projects. For example, Royal Botanical Gardens maintains a seed gene bank for aquatic native plants that are used in wetland plantings for habitat rehabilitation in Cootes Paradise and other local sites. Rather than focusing on the conservation of rare species, this seed bank is an aid to the production of local native plants that are relatively common but for which seeds cannot be found through other sources, such as from commercial seed companies. Very few commercial seed providers are reliable sources of native plants of known origin. For the purposes of habitat rehabilitation, using native plants that have genetic characteristics best suited to local conditions means a higher chance of success in planting and reintroduction. A single national facility cannot function effectively to mount a national response to a distributed, highly local problem like plant conservation. Therefore, a national seed gene bank and living plant gene bank program has been developed. The national program will consist of five regional centres based at botanical gardens, plus other participating institutions in a variety of sectors. The national program has the following goals:
The working title of the national program is the Natural Heritage Gene Bank. Agreements to participate in the development of the national programs have been achieved with University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens and Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Gardens. Participation by other institutions such as Montreal Botanical Gardens and Devonian Botanical Garden (Alberta) is not yet confirmed. An important criterion for inclusion in this program is that each regional institution must be a botanical garden with a similar commitment to access by the general public. Funding support for this program is being sought in conjunction with a national program for green space revitalization in urban landscapes entitled Greening Canada. Greening Canada is a partnership including Evergreen Foundation, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, CBCN, RBG, Canada Lands Corporation and other organizations. Among the funding proposals for Greening Canada is an application to the Millennium Foundation. A prototype seed gene bank at Royal Botanical Gardens will serve as the pathfinder facility for the national program, beginning in 1999. The presentation of living plants within the collections of botanical gardens and arboreta increases public awareness of native plants, and further protects our native genetic stocks against extinction. The participating institutions within the program will develop a distributed national collection system consisting of collections of national significance and species of national significance. In addition, facilities such as the national seed gene bank of Plant Genetic Resources Canada in Saskatoon and the tree seed gene bank of the Forest Biodiversity Network of the Canadian Wildlife Service in Fredericton, New Brunswick, are natural partners in such a program. Both of these institutions have been contacted regarding their willingness to participate in the proposed national program. Several elements are planned for the national program, including a living plant gene bank, a seed gene bank and a DNA bank. The living plant gene bank will be in the form of a national botanical gardens collection program, in which institutions with significant collections of native plants will be recognized for the importance of their collection as an element of the whole. The presentation of living plants within the collections of botanical gardens and arboreta increases public awareness of native plants, and further protects our native genetic stocks against extinction. The participating institutions within the program will develop a distributed national collection system consisting of collections of national significance and species of national significance. Similarly, the national seed gene bank is envisioned as a network of participating projects of various sizes, ranging from local chest freezers to larger facilities such as the Canadian seed gene bank operated by Agriculture Canada in Saskatoon. The DNA bank is perhaps the least familiar idea. It would operate as a repository of tissue specimens that can be collected by field workers at the same time as herbarium specimens are taken. These collections will then be used to test the basic untested assumption underlying most conservation problems we face in Canada: are our northern populations genetically distinct from populations further south? This proposed pan-Canadian approach makes the conservation of our unique and threatened native flora relevant and accessible to all Canadians through interpreted activities and the conservation gardens constituting the national live collection of rare and threatened flora - the living gene bank. Furthermore, through out-reach materials integrated with the national network of projects and partners, this program will bring heightened appreciation of the beauty and importance of our native flora to people across Canada. Botanical Gardens, Plant Collections and Access to Genetic Resources The Convention on Biological Diversity provides new challenges for botanical gardens in the area of collections policies, in addition to calling upon their capacities in the service of biodiversity and endangered species recovery. For botanical gardens to maintain and improve their collections (as they must if the collections are to be of value to science and conservation) it is essential that these non-profit institutions are able to gain appropriate access to plant, fungal, microbial and other biological resources. The exchange of these resources between botanical gardens is equally important to ensure that the collections are adequate for conservation purposes. Historically, botanical gardens have act as an important 'clearing-houses' for useful plant species. They have collected plants world-wide and supplied them not only to other botanical gardens, government departments, universities, and research institutions, but also to seed companies and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries for the development of new medicines, crops and other products. This historic role is being called into question as attention is focused on the issues of ownership of, and access to, the genetic resources represented by these collections. Articles 15,16, and 19 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, among others, highlight the importance of access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of those resources. The impact of these Articles on institutions maintaining collections of living plants is poorly understood within the botanical garden community. Furthermore, a large proportion of the genetic resources represented by collections held in botanical gardens is not technically subject to the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the CBD. As many collections were made prior to the entry into force of the Convention by its terms they are not subject to its provisions on access and benefit-sharing. Also, many important collections are found in countries that have not yet ratified the CBD (principally those in the USA), or were collected from such countries. Finally, many collections are private, and are thus not necessarily bound by the obligations of 'Contracting Parties' to the CBD. Botanical gardens in Canada operate in a policy vacuum regarding genetic resources. The question of pre-CBD collections of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) is being addressed in the context of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources, where the voluntary International Undertaking on PGRFA is currently being revised in harmony with the CBD. However, plant genetic resources for food and agriculture form only a small subset of botanical gardens' collections. In order to address these issues, CBCN and RBG are participating in two important international projects on the relationship between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the botanical garden sector. A pilot project lead by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the united Kingdom, is focusing on the implementation of the Convention's requirements of prior informed consent, mutual agreement of terms, and benefit-sharing in the context of access to genetic resources. This pilot project, which will conclude in 1999, has brought together a working group of fifteen botanical gardens from around the world to develop a model institutional policy and supporting documents on access to genetic resources within collections. Secondly, RBG and CBCN are aiding Botanic Gardens Conservation International in the preparation of an international guide to the role of botanical gardens in the implementation of the whole of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and a revision of the important 1989 "Botanic Gardens Conservation Strategy." Although many of the botanical gardens around the world that are participating in these initiatives are institutions of their respective national governments, the Canadian approach must focus on a voluntary approach to appropriate solutions: A voluntary, proactive approach would allow botanical gardens, arboreta and herbaria to find a clear and practical sectoral response to the technical issues raised by the CBD and reflected in the CBS. Canadian botanical gardens cannot single-handedly solve the problems of access to genetic resources and others raised by the CBD, but they may well feel repercussions in the future if they do not respond to these concerns. Literature Cited Argus, K. W., and K. M. Pryer. 1990. Rare Vascular Plants in Canada: our natural heritage. Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario. Environment Canada, 1995. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy: Canada's Response to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Minister of Public Works and Government Services. Ottawa. Falk, D. I., Millar, C. I., and M. Olwell, 1996. Restoring Diversity: Strategies for Reintroduction of Endangered Plants. Island Press, Washington. |
|
