[PCA] "Herbaria are like time capsules that hold a vast amount of plant data"

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

"Herbaria are like time capsules that hold a vast amount of plant data." 
Hear, hear!

Excerpt from an article in the latest International Union for the 
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Specilaist Group (SSC) Species 
e-Bulletin October 2012, pasted below.  The project includes the use of 
current technologies to modernize access to the data. 

Our own Smithsonian Institution has undertaken similar efforts to ensure 
that informatino housed within our herbaria remains relevant in addressing 
21st Century conservation issues.  For a recent example, specifically in 
pursuit of Target 2 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), 
see: 
http://si-pddr.si.edu/jspui/bitstream/10088/7570/1/bot_Krupnick_et_al_2009-Traget2.pdf

More on the GSPC Targets: http://www.plants2020.net/target-2/

Check it out!


Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife 
Service-International Affairs
Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants. 

<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

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Raising the IUCN Red List profile for plants

http://portals.iucn.org/blog/2012/10/29/raising-the-iucn-red-list-profile-for-plants/

By Steve Bachman, Plant Conservation Analyst, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Back in 2005 Dr Neil Brummitt and I, along with two very enthusiastic 
volunteers embarked on a little known project that had a big goal; to find 
out how close to extinction the world?s plants are. Jump forward to 2010 
and we were presenting the results of the Sampled Red List Index for 
Plants project to the foremost global meeting on biodiversity and 
conservation ? the Convention on Biological Diversity, in Nagoya, Japan. 
 
The journey wasn?t plain sailing. We know very little about the 
conservation status of many plants. In fact, for some we know nothing at 
all apart from a single dried specimen that is housed in one of the 
world?s herbaria ? a bit like a museum for plants.

Herbaria are like time capsules that hold a vast amount of plant data. 
Unlocking this data was the key to understanding plants more and, by 
combining this with contemporary data and techniques, we were able to 
evaluate the threat status of these plants. And so began a monumental 
piece of data gathering that culminated in a database of over 60,000 
specimens spanning hundreds of years of botanical collections from every 
corner of the globe. 

Of course, we couldn?t do this for all plants. In the timeframe it would 
have been impossible to assess the estimated 380,000 species ? hence the 
?sampled? bit. By taking a random sample of plants and carrying out IUCN 
Red List assessments for each, we were able to provide a representative 
view of plant threat status overall. The results were sobering; at least 
one in five plants were classified as ?threatened? according to the IUCN 
criteria. 

The good news is that the project goes on. A pilot study is underway to 
scope out the next phase of the project. The intention is that the sample 
of species is reassessed time and time again to help us understand how the 
threat status of plants is changing over time. We hope we can engage with 
the global plant community to help us achieve this goal.

We were extremely proud to receive an award for the Sampled Red List Index 
for Plants project ? the IUCN Species Survival Commission Chair?s Citation 
of Excellence. It is a wonderful mark of recognition for the truly 
inspiring efforts of a team of more than 50 staff and volunteers at the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Natural History Museum, London. Without 
the efforts of the volunteers this project would not have been possible 
and this award is dedicated to them.

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