More than 80 participants from 18 countries met from 24 to 29 October for the 1st Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week in Ulcinj (Montenegro), with the objective of building a network to conserve plants and cultural diversity across the Mediterranean region.

This first regional meeting brought together plant scientists, site managers, local populations and civil society organizations who shared successful examples of plant conservation with local communities, and explore actions to promote and encourage plant conservation all around the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean flora is threatened and the region is recognized as one of the four most significantly altered biodiversity hotspots on the planet. This event, organised by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Global Diversity Foundation and Plantlife Green Home, helped set a framework for dialogue among stakeholders and raise awareness about the valuable role that plants play in supporting biodiversity and the livelihoods of many people, by providing them with essential ecosystem services (i.e. water sources, flood control, carbon capture, prevention of desertification and a reservoir of useful genetic diversity).

"This event aims at becoming a gathering point for botanists; civil society institutions working in the plant conservation field; community members; and for those interested in including plant conservation programmes into conservation or sustainable development projects", says Antonio Troya, director of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation.

"This highly interactive meeting provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the essential role of local people in conserving the Mediterranean flora and to explore cooperation across the region on supporting cultural practices of conservation and community conserved areas", says Gary Martin, director of the Global Diversity Foundation.

This encounter was also an opportunity for enhancing capacity building and networking among all organisations working on plant conservation in the Mediterranean, and for showcasing different plant conservation projects such as GDF's "Integrated Approach to Plant Conservation in the Moroccan High Atlas", the CAREMEDIFLORA project on "Conservation Actions for Rare and Endangered Island Mediterranean Flora", "Supporting cultural practices that benefit nature in the Mediterranean project", and the IPAMed project to "Conserve wild plants and habitats for people across the Mediterranean", all of them funded by the MAVA Foundation.

For more information on 1st Mediterranean Plants Conservation week clink on this link: http://www.medplantsweek.uicnmed.org/

For further information: Julien Cambou 

Photo: Skadar Lake IPA Ⓒ IUCN/Pilar Valbuena