Plant conservation and protection Organisations world wide

This page contains links to a few of the many local, national and international conservation and biodiversity organisations and societies around the world. While the primary focus of some of the organisations listed here focus on the conservation of individual species, others focus on the conservation of biodiversity and whole ecosystems. Many websites on this page have links to other related websites so there is a wealth of information at your fingertips. No endorsement of products or information at these sites is implied. Please read disclaimer for more information.

Web links checked 22 November 2009 using W3C Link Checker.

African Blackwood Conservation Project (ABCP)
The African Blackwood Conservation Project (ABCP) aims to replenish Dalbergia melanoxylonthe, the Blackwood tree - important to the ecology of the East African savannah and used for concert-quality woodwind instruments as well as intricate and highly detailed carvings - in Tanzania. This site documents the conservation project and provides information about the tree, its ecology and its uses. Activities of the ABCP include replanting of Blackwood trees, conservation education and participating in the reforestation of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

African Conservation Foundation (ACF)
This very comprehensive website provides a portal to other Web resources concerning the conservation of Africa's flora and fauna. It explains the conservation programs in each country and provides a link to the program's sponsoring organisation. You can browse or search the site by conservation groups, protected areas or conservation projects. There are various online forums you can participate in if you register with the website.

Australian network for plant conservation : working to save Australia's native plants
This website of the of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation provides information about the organisation, its publications, membership, training courses and workshops, and networking activities. Information about Australia's threatened plants, an Internet directory of plant conservation resources and details of how to get involved in conservation can also be found on the site.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)
BGCI is a network that now includes over 450 member institutions in 100 countries, all working together to implement a worldwide Botanic Gardens Conservation Strategy for plant conservation. Several of BGCI publications are available on-line, including their recent "International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation".

Canadian Botanical Conservation Network (CBCN)
The CBCN provides information on plant conservation issues. A list of endangered Canadian plants by geographic region; another of invasive plants; contact details for seedbanks worldwide; plant conservation, biodiversity and genetic sharing can all be found under plant conservation. Information is also provided on their projects, programmes and educational activities. All issues of the CBCN's newsletter are available online. [English and French].

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Center for Plant Conservation : recovering America's vanishing flora
Home page of the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC), a US organisation that co-ordinates the efforts of its member botanical gardens and arboreta to conserve and restore the rare native plants of the United States. This site provides information about the conservation efforts of the group, its mission, publications, events and member institutions. The National Collection of Endangered Plants contains plant material for more than 700 of the country's most imperiled native plants. Profiles of these plants can be browsed by scientific name, common name, plant family, state range, CPC participating institution or through a search form.

CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
CITES' website provides the names of all species that have been listed as endangered by the Convention. These are contained in two, freely accessible searchable databases - one for flora and one for fauna - and include date of listing and distribution area. CITES was created in 1975 to ban international commercial trade in endangered species and to regulate trade in others that may become endangered. The convention has been signed by 150 countries. [English, Spanish, French].

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The CBD website contains a huge amount of information, most of it downloadable in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Information on the site includes the full text of the convention in six languages, the list of all country members with names of their focal points, the full text of their National Reports to the CBD and National Biodiversity links.

Eden Project : Gardens and Biomes in Cornwall, UK
This global garden features 5,000 species from around the world and the world's largest greenhouse. This website for the Eden Project provides information about the project, visiting the site and what can be found in the different Biomes created here.

Fauna and Flora International (FFI)
This site provides news and information about current projects supported by Fauna and Flora International (FFI), the world's oldest international conservation body. Past successes include setting up the Serengeti and Kruger National Parks in Africa and Operation Oryx, which saved the Oryx from extinction and re-introduced it to its native Saudi Arabia. On-going projects are spread across the globe and include the preservation of threatened habitats in Belize and the Flower Valley, South Africa. There is also information on supporting the FFI or becoming a member. This site is updated regularly with news items.

Geobotanical Institute
These are the English language pages on the website of the Geobotanical Institute in Zurich, part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The Institute is involved in researching various topics including plant ecology, evolution and conservation. The website hosts general information about research and educational activities, the libraries and herbarium. The site also lists the Institute's publications; refereed and unrefereed publications, theses, books and periodicals.

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Global Change Master Directory (NASA)
A comprehensive directory of information about Earth science data, including a broad coverage of global warming, the oceans, atmosphere and human dimensions of global change.

Global Trees Campaign
The Global Trees Campaign works towards the conservation of the world's most threatened tree species. The site offers background information on the campaign, overviews of projects and activities around the world, press releases and FAQ's. There is a series of illustrated tree profiles with photos and information on the importance of the tree, where it is found, why it is threatened and action needed for its conservation. The resources area provides educational materials, access to the UNEP-WCMC Tree Conservation Database, suggested reading and links to related websites.

IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
Authoritative listings of threatened and endangered plant and animal species.

Fundación Jatun Sacha/Jatun Sacha Foundation (Ecuador)
Informative web site for the NGO founded in 1989 to promote the protection of Ecuador's natural resources. The Foundation - one of the two largest non-profit conservation organizations in Ecuador - consists of 5 internationally known forest stations dedicated to research on conservation issues. Featured here is information about the Foundation, its stations, projects and volunteer programs. [Spanish, English, German, French, Italian].

The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is the world's largest private conservation group and international in scope. This is a very well laid out and illustrated site, informing about the Nature Conservancy and its activities and giving access to scientific information. A scientific resources section includes information on selected rare plants of Latin America and the Caribbean, and on vertebrates and selected invertebrates of Canada and the United States. The site also includes news stories, progress reports, many project overviews and membership details. Through sound science, the Nature Conservancy is working to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth. It manages the largest private network of sanctuaries in the world, with programmes in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Planta Europa : Saving the Plants of Europe
Planta Europa is a network of non-governmental and government organisations whose mission is to conserve the wild plants, both higher and lower, of Europe and their habitats. This site provides information about its membership, projects, conferences and plant conservation strategy.

PROSEA - Plant Resources of South-East Asia
PROSEA is an international programme focused on plant resources of South-East Asia. Its objectives are to collect, evaluate and summarize existing knowledge on about 5,000 useful plants of the region. It is an interdisciplinary project covering the fields of agriculture, horticulture, forestry and botany. Detailed information is given on the 19 volumes so far published, including pulses, rattans, bamboos, medicinal and poisonous plants, timber trees ...etc

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South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
This is the Home page of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), formerly known as the South African National Botanical Institute (NBI). It is an autonomous, statutory organisation dedicated to the sustainable use, conservation, appreciation and enjoyment of plant life in South Africa. The website offers information on staff, publications, projects, collections and collection policies. Highlights include, plant of the week, an introduction to the work of the eight national botanical gardens and a link to PlantZAfrica.com, a site which offers information about native plants.

Trinidad and Tobago Orchid Society
Geared towards education, cultivation and conservation, this site provides general background information on the group and its activities. A key feature is the online inventory of the native orchids of Trinidad and Tobago. To locate a species use the search box or browse the list of Latin names. Each record includes an image, general description and notes on flowering and habitat.

Wollemi pines (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)
Plant profile for the Wollemi pines thought to be extinct for two million years until its discovery in Australia.

World Resources Institute (WRI)
This very comprehensive site provides access to information on environmental issues. Access to reports, country and region profiles, interactive maps, articles and other documents help provide information as well as ideas and solutions to global environmental problems including deforestation, climate change, biodiversity loss and the sustainable management of natural resources.

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Classification: Botany - Rare & endangered plants; Conservation & protection - Organisations; Conservation & protection - Regional treatment; Conservation & protection - Rare & endangered species - Plants ; Plant conservation

Document reviewed 2009 November 22

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