China builds national plant “Noah’s ark”
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Scientists in China published the country’s first strategic study of national botanical gardens, outlining a plan to create a network for protecting endangered plants.
Researchers led by Liao Jingping, Zhou Zhihua, and others, detailed how these gardens should move beyond simply collecting many plant species. They emphasize the importance of maintaining complete genetic lineages, sufficient wild seed sources, and representative genetic diversity within collections.
The study examined botanical gardens around the world, noting that while approximately 80 are designated “national” or “royal,” they lack a uniform management model. The authors highlight the UK’s Kew Gardens as a historical example, evolving from economic plant exploration to a focus on conservation, and its “Millennium Seed Bank” as a leading example of ex situ conservation. They found that successful gardens prioritize protecting native and rare plants, creating a national network.
The new strategy for Chinese botanical gardens prioritizes quality over quantity, shifting the focus from the number of species to their conservation value. The study proposes five evaluation areas, conservation value, standardized digital records (potentially using blockchain technology), garden design, public education, and sustainable development, to assess a garden’s effectiveness. Ultimately, the goal is to create a system that safeguards China’s plant biodiversity and contributes to global conservation efforts.
