Workshop
LIFE+ SEEDFORCE: Networking for Plant conservation and translocation
Networking for Plant conservation and translocation
Jun 22, 2022
Developing successful plant conservation projects is a challenging task and requires an inclusive and multi-disciplinary approach, putting together diverse expertise to address all critical issues for a successful outcome.
An integrated in-situ and ex-situ approach can yield numerous benefits and offer opportunities to showcase to the public the actual plants that conservationists aim to protect, in order to build participation and support from the local community.
As a case study the recently approved Life+ SEEDFORCE project will be illustrated. This project includes preparatory actions to assess the genetic make-up of the target species and populations, to analyse the current species climatic envelope and to project possible future scenarios, taking into account trophic dependencies in target species. The outcome of such preparatory actions will be used to prepare the propagation mix best adapted for each site to be use for plant translocation, either reintroduction or population reinforcement. Once identified, key threats will be removed or mitigated, the target populations will be reinforced or re-established in extinct sites.
A series of engagement activities have been devised to gain public support and to involve farmers that in most cases can influence the long-term conservation of many plant species in secondary habitats. The workshop aims at sharing experiences, best practice and lessons learnt of successful plant translocation projects, providing a forum to discuss and develop new project ideas in an international perspective.
The participants will discuss in small groups the benefits of networking for successful plant translocation, debating thought-provoking questions and reporting to the plenary on how prioritise urgent translocation actions, how further develop and make widely available the database of current plant translocation initiatives, how develop a framework for active collaboration on plant translocations between key plant conservation organisations, how to develop new collaborative project ideas for future projects.
