The project ‘Conserving wild plants and habitats for people in the South and East Mediterranean', which was launched in October 2014, is moving ahead. The Scientific Institute of Mohamed V University in Rabat (Morocco) has recently hosted the first workshop for experts who are going to document the conservation status and distribution of selected rare and threatened plant species in Important Plant Areas (IPAs), especially in those countries where information is insufficient (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine).

The main objectives of this workshop were to establish and strengthen the network of botanists in the South and East Mediterranean and to define and harmonize the method for collecting species data, as well as to validate the lists of species to inventory in the field.

The participants, who were mostly from scientific research institutions in their respective countries, also collaborated in the drafting of the Communication Strategy and its Action Plan for this project.
During the workshop the experts tested the agreed inventory methodology in the field in the Maamora Forest IPA.

The project focuses on IPAs, which are sites of international importance for plants and a subset of Key Biodiversity Areas. The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and Plantlife are working together with members of the IUCN commissions, especially the IUCN Mediterranean Plant Specialist group, and numerous in-country partner organizations.

After this first phase of data collection, the next step will be to decide on the conservation measures to be adopted in the field. These IPA conservation projects aim at demonstrating what may be possible across the region when authorities and citizens are empowered to work together for plant and habitat conservation.
This three-year project is funded by the MAVA Foundation, with components supported by EuropeAid and the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust.

For further information: Marcos Valderrábano

Photo credit: Ranunculus coronaria. Palestine. © B. Al-Sheik