As part of IUCN-Med's Conserving wild plants and habitats for people in the South and East Mediterranean (IPAMed) project, Dr. Karim Omar, environmental researcher and IUCN Red List Global Assessor, with the support of his team, has investigated environmental threats to the natural resources in two Egyptian Important Plant Areas (IPAs) and has provided some recommendations to address these ongoing issues.

This project's report provides valuable information on the status and distribution of Egyptian target plant species in the pilot St. Katherine and the Elomayed IPAs. The report includes information of selected site restricted endemics and restricted range endemics to be used as tool for conservation and management. Moreover, it also provides conservation suggestions to improve the IPA profile in Egypt and action plans for the pilot IPAs to address and/or mitigate ongoing threats to the natural resources, such as grazing, tourism, water diversion and climate change. Finally an update of the boundaries of St. Katherine is presented.

These plant conservation suggestions and action plans have been identified using data obtained from intensive field work performed in the St. Katherine and the Elomayed IPAs and include the empowerment and involvement of the local community, the development of sustainable and cost-effective management practices, law enforcement, habitat restoration, monitoring, education and awareness. The next step is to implement those actions plans with the active involvement of different stakeholders from government to local communities associations and with the advice of scientist and plant conservation experts.

About the IPAMed
Conserving wild plants and habitats for people in the south and east Mediterranean is an ambitious initiative to develop plant conservation actions in the South and East Mediterranean combining the experience and expertise of Plantlife International and IUCN.

For more information: Teresa Gil

Photo: St. Katherine IPA landscape ©Omar Karim