[MPWG] IUCN workshop results

[Patricia_Ford at fws.gov]

Below are 2 Web site links and summary of a report from a IUCN (The World
Conservation Union) workshop in 2001 on sustainable NFTP and other plants
wild-collected for international trade.  It is an interesting look at the
"big picture," and understanding the broader issues and constraints/
opportunities of native plants and the people involved. The workshop
included both plants and animals.

A report (274 KB pdf file) of the workshop which contains sections from
the plant, aquaculture and animal groups along with conclusions and
specific activities identified as the next steps, can be found at:
http://www.iucn.org/webfiles/doc/SSC/CCP_/CCP_report_jul_2003_secure.pdf


Selected background papers (427.5 KB pdf file) can be found at:
http://www.iucn.org/webfiles/doc/SSC/CCP_/selected_briefing_papers_fin_secure.pdf



Workshop summary
Commercial Captive Propagation and Wild Species Conservation Workshop

Demand for the use of wild species is increasing as human populations
grow and the poverty gap widens. As many wild species are already
over-used, a number of agencies are recommending that wild species be
brought into captive production or cultivation systems (CCP). However,
the conservation impacts of such production systems are poorly
understood. On one hand such production may reduce the direct harvest of
wild populations, but on the other it can lead to environmental
degradation, pollution and loss of genetic diversity as well as loss of
incentives to conserve the wild population. To identify the conservation
impacts of commercial captive breeding and begin to develop guidance to
deal with these impacts, IUCN SSC convened a small workshop with three
working groups. The groups dealt respectively with cultivation of plants
for the medicinal and horticultural trade, aquaculture and the captive
production of terrestrial fauna.
The results obtained from the three groups were remarkably
complimentary as they tackled different aspects of the issue. The
over-riding result, was agreement on the need to undertake risk
assessments when considering the impacts of captive breeding or
cultivation operations. The plant group in particular felt that it will
be necessary to look at the characteristics on which such systems can be
grouped if generalisations about the costs and benefits of such systems
are to be drawn out. Participants spent time exploring a range of tools
to be used in undertaking these risk assessments and ensuring that
conservation and socio-economic interests are represented. Clearly an
important step will be to conduct a stakeholder analysis. In addition,
analysis of the various characteristics associated with beneficial CCP
systems will help to determine those systems that could be encouraged in
different situations. The audience for these activities will include the
commercial chain (industry and consumers); policy makers and regulatory
agencies; local communities; the general public; and NGOs/scientists.