Global & European Strategies for Plant Conservation
ESPC Target 15
The number of trained people working
with appropriate facilities in plant conservation increased,
according to national need, to meet the targets of this strategy
TARGET 15. INCREASING CAPACITY TO CONSERVE PLANTS
Information: Specialists in all aspects of plant conservation are needed now and for the future to implement the targets of the GSPC and the ESPC. In addition to training programmes this target will require long term commitment to maintaining infrastructure. Although there are relatively large numbers of plant and fungus experts working in Europe compared with other regions of the world, there are still significant gaps in the training systems and many concerns about the training of the next generation of taxonomists and plant conservation experts. There are national training and higher education institutions in many European countries for taxonomy and various plant sciences, although the extent and the range of that training varies considerably from country to country, as does governmental commitment to continuing to fund these institutions. Information for the national level can be found below. As well as the need for sound scientific training of specialists there is also a need to train those who can present effectively the scientific results and messages to different audiences, including the public, policy makers, land owners, businesses etc.
Targets: (for details of lead partners download pdf of ESPC)
GSPC target 15
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The number of trained people working with appropriate facilities in plant conservation increased, according to national need, to meet the targets of this strategy. |
ESPC 15.1 |
A measurable increase in government resourcing of skill training for plant conservation at national and regional level. Priority skills must include taxonomy, ecology, policy and advocacy, all-age education, marketing and volunteer development. |
ESPC 15.2 |
Identify and engage key partners to resource production of priority tools for building the capacity to deliver plant conservation at a national level. Priority tools are field guides in national languages, national Red Books or Red Lists, habitat and vegetation type maps. |
Actions to mitigate the effects of climate change: Present a clear message to politicians and decision makers on the importance of training appropriate specialists in plant conservation to allow Europe to adapt to the changing climate and the effects of Europe’s landscape and resource supply. |
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European Projects/Databases/Organisations:
Organisation
Project/Database (DB)/Aims
Online DB
EDIT
European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy – this is an EU funded network of excellence formed from 27 institutions in Europe, North America and Russia to coordinate Europe’s efforts to overcome the taxonomic impediments – it has 8 working groups – Management, Expertise, Infrastructure, Research, Cybertaxonomy, Revisions, Inventories, Training.
DAISIE
Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe – includes an expertise register for invasive species experts in Europe
Link to case-studies/tool kits: (.pdf)
- EDIT
- IPANET (see target 16)
- Dutch Volunteer System
- Lichen apprenticeships Scotland
- Skillshare Programme Planta Europa - Plantlife International
- Field Studies Council
International Projects:
- Global Taxonomic Initiative of the CBD (http://www.cbd.int/gti/)