Botanical Gardens and Plant Conservation

Botanical Gardens and Plant ConservationApproaching the contributions of a world-wide sector of scientific institutions to addressing the extinction crisis, Botanical Gardens and their Role in Plant Conservation brings together a diversity of perspectives. There are over 3,600 botanical gardens world-wide, where trees, shrubs, herbs, and other plants are studied and managed in collections. They are foremost among efforts to conserve the diversity of living plant species and ensure that crucial biodiversity is available for the future of humanity.This book is a showcase for plant conservation, restoration, biodiversity, and related scientific and educational work of botanical gardens around the world, featuring both thematic overview chapters and numerous case studies that illustrate the critical role these institutions play in fighting extinction and ensuring plant diversity is available for sustainable use.Features:A wide range of case studies derived from practical experience in a diversity of institutional, national, and biogeographical settingsReviews of topics such as networking amongst institutions, the importance of global policy agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant ConservationProfiles of botanical gardens contributions at the national level to conservation prioritiesReal-world examples of programs in plant conservation for both critically endangered wild plant diversity and unique horticultural or cultural germplasm