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<p class=MsoNormal>Dear Plant Collection Colleagues,<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>As many of you know, we have a unique and important
opportunity to document all living plant collections in North America as part
of a regional and global assessment currently underway. Thanks to those
of you who have already contributed your collection's taxa list to the
PlantSearch database!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>If you haven’t yet participated, I am writing to urge you to
do so before August 1, 2010 to ensure your collections are included and
recognized in the Assessment. <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>And we
can help you through the process</span></strong> - if there are questions,
please contact us and we can discuss how your garden can contribute.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><br>
It is quick, easy, and free.<br>
It gives your institution valuable information about your collections. <br>
AND, it will fill a huge gap in our knowledge of plant diversity and threatened
plants in cultivation.<br>
<br>
The project website is <a
href="http://www.bgci.org/usa/MakeYourCollectionsCount" target="_blank"><span
style='color:purple'>www.bgci.org/usa/MakeYourCollectionsCount</span></a>.
Please read on and <b>ensure your collections manager receives a copy</b> -
apologies if you receive this notice more than once.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Abby Hird<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>BGCI-US<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> __________________________________________________<br>
<br>
<b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>How much</span></b><b><span lang=RU
style='font-size:10.0pt'> of North America 's plant diversity is safeguarded in
living collections?</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=RU style='font-size:10.0pt'>The short answer is <i>we
don't know, </i>but in 2010, BGCI-US is </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>partnering with the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard
University and the United States Botanic Garden </span><span lang=RU
style='font-size:10.0pt'>to answer this question by engaging the living
collections of North America, large and small, in a global initiative</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>. </span><span lang=RU style='font-size:10.0pt'>We are
asking the nearly 900 gardens in every region and ecosystem in Canada, Mexico,
and the United States to join us in </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>the </span><i><span
lang=RU style='font-size:10.0pt'>North American Collections Assessment</span></i><span
lang=RU style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>by</span></b><b><span
lang=RU style='font-size:10.0pt'> August 1, 2010</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>, to demonstrate the invaluable contributions botanic
gardens make towards the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Every</span></i></b><b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'> garden can easily make an important contribution to
plant conservation – and gain valuable benefits for their living collections by
participating. </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>All you need is a
simple spreadsheet of plant names held at your institution. There are easy
instructions at our website, and please feel free to contact Abby or Andrea
with questions. We are here to help.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>And we need your help.</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'> If you manage collections at your institution, find
out how to take action NOW by visiting our website: </span><a
href="http://www.bgci.org/usa/MakeYourCollectionsCount" target="_blank"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:purple'>www.bgci.org/usa/MakeYourCollectionsCount</span></a><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>. If you don’t manage collections at your institution,
please forward this message to someone who does, and urge them to <b>make your
collections count by August 1!</b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Thanks for your support
for this exciting project.</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> We
look forward to hearing from you!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div align=center>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=5 cellpadding=0 width=562
style='width:421.5pt'>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Abby
Hird</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><br>
GSPC Research Associate<br>
Botanic Gardens Conservation International US<br>
Tel. 617.384.5774 <br>
E-mail: </span></i><a href="mailto:abby_hird@harvard.edu" target="_blank"><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>abby_hird@harvard.edu</span></i></a><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td valign=top style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Andrea
Kramer</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#333333'>, Ph.D.<br>
Executive Director</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Botanic
Gardens Conservation International US<br>
Tel: 847.835.6971 </span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>E-mail: </span></i><a
href="mailto:andrea.kramer@bgci.org" target="_blank"><i><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>andrea.kramer@bgci.org</span></i></a><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
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</div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>The <i>North American Collections Assessment </i>is led
by BGCI-US in partnership with the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard
University and the United States Botanic Garden, with additional funding from </span><span
lang=RU style='font-size:9.0pt'>the Wallace Genetic Foundation</span><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'>.<br>
A special thanks to the </span><a
href="http://www.bgci.org/usa/nacacollaborators/" target="_blank"><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;color:purple'>Collaborators</span></a><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'> of the North American Collections Assessment!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 width=130 height=43 id="Picture_x0020_1"
src="cid:image001.jpg@01CB21DB.686699A0" alt="AASmLogoBLk_600 - small (2)"></span><span
style='font-size:9.0pt'> <img border=0 width=63 height=77
id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CB21DB.686699A0" alt=bgciblack> <img
border=0 width=178 height=43 id="Picture_x0020_3"
src="cid:image003.jpg@01CB21DB.686699A0" alt=USBG-Logo-Black><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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