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Convention on Biological DiversityPlant Conservation Report Page 20TARGET 5:PROTECTION OF 50 % OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AREASFOR PLANT DIVERSITY ASSUREDIntroductionThis target aims to improve site-basedprotection of the most important plants andplant habitats around the world. ‘Protection’encompasses both legal protection mechanismsand other on-the-ground conservation activitiesas they are both required to effectively safeguardimportant sites for plant diversity.measure of either the effectiveness of the protectionor the quality of conservation. The ImportantPlant Areas (IPAs) programme methodology,an approach widely used to address this target,aims to conserve the best areas for plants aroundthe world. Sites are identiied using standardcriteria and their conservation is promotedthrough various mechanisms, not just formalprotection. Community-based conservation, withan emphasis on delivering sustainable livelihoodsfrom plant resources, is recognized as one of themost effective approaches to plant conservationin IPAs.The importance of maintaining prime biodiversitysites has long been recognized. Intact natural areasprovide a range of valuable ecosystem services,and reducing habitat fragmentation allows plantpopulations to build resilience by facilitatingexchange of pollen/seed, thus maintaining diversegene pools and diverse plant resources for thefuture. These lagship sites also have intrinsicvalue, often with deep cultural resonance forcitizens at national and local scales. Despite allthe uncertainties for biodiversity inherent withinclimate change scenarios, it is certain that existingareas of high plant diversity are, and will remain,important as both refuges and resources, andthese areas will be the building blocks for futuremitigation measures against biodiversity loss.ProgressSigniicant progress has been made with Target 5.Over 10% of the Earth’s surface is now oficiallyclassed as protected areas. This, however, is not aTo date sixty-nine countries from all continents,have participated in Important Plant Area (IPA)initiatives 26 that contribute to Target 5. Morethan 50% of these countries have taken stepsto identify important plant sites and at least24% (17 countries) have ongoing programmesthat are addressing conservation issues as wellas documenting sites. For example China hasdesignated 14 IPAs, and established 418 naturereserves accounting for 24.19% of the area ofIPAs Many national projects have been initiatedas a result of regional workshops: in Central andEast Europe, the Mediterranean, the Himalayas,the Caribbean, the Arab region, south-east Asia,southern Africa and the UK overseas territories.Some IPAs are within oficially protected areas(in Europe this is approximately 66%) though thepercentage of IPAs protected does not necessarilymean the site is maintained in good condition.What is urgently needed in many countries, are theresources to develop conservation methodologieson the ground, which will provide successful plantconservation tools and protocols.It is essential that these actions to conserveplants on the ground (a 3-5 year timeframe)are undertaken alongside the actions aimed atintegrating the conservation of plants into policy,legislative and institutional frameworks (a 10-20year timeframe), to ensure sustained results forthis target.FutureThe conservation of important areas for plantdiversity remains a core element of plantconservation activities in all countries as abasis for the provision of ecosystem services26 http://www.plantlife-ipa.org/reports.asp
and maintaining the diversity that supportssustainable livelihoods. Formal protection ofthese sites alone, though critically important,will not result in safeguarding the diversity onimportant areas for plants. Affecting change inpolicy, legislation and institutional frameworks(required by this target) is a long-term process,but to be successful in conserving plant diversity,this target must be driven by on-the-groundconservation. Community-based conservationthat works to improve livelihoods, healthcare andquality of life, is proving the most effective wayof implementing this target in many areas of theworld.Climate change considerations imply that thereare many uncertainties in future patterns ofplant diversity. Whether mitigation measures tomaintain biodiversity focus on building resiliencewithin plant populations (by illing gaps near/within existing areas) or increasing landscapepermeability (creation of wildlife corridors),existing important areas for plant diversitywill remain a cornerstone of conservation inany climate change scenario. The Gran CanariaDeclaration II on Climate Change and PlantConservation (April 2006) recognized that thedevelopment of national networks of areas thatare important for plants provide the basis forin situ conservation matrices. These matrices,that incorporate sites and corridors in the widerlandscape, will provide a mechanism to helpprotect plant diversity from the effects of climatechange.The conservation of the IPAs for medicinalplants in the HimalayasIn 2006, fifty-three IPAs for medicinalplants (sites of international significance forconservation recognized at national level) wereidentified across the Himalayas by organizationsin Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan ina regional project with Plantlife International.Larger IPAs were identified according to criteriawith a significant number of smaller sites atlocal level, often nested within them. IPAswere found to be useful for landscape planningand conservation monitoring, based on thegross geography of the Himalayan IPA network.Protected area networks in the region shouldbe reviewed to ensure they have good coverageon the east-west and altitudinal axes. Involvinglocal communities was found to be fundamentalto conserving medicinal plants at the local leveland projects continue to be developed on thesesites involving all stakeholders (traditionaldoctors, cultural leaders and industry) tofacilitate IPA conservation.Working with local communities to prioritizeImportant Plant Areas (IPAs) for medicinal plantsin the Himalayas (Photo: Plant Life International).Medicinal plant cultivation in the Himalayas(Photo: Plant Life International).Plant Conservation ReportPage 21 Convention on Biological Diversity
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