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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>February 25, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) is working with partners in the United States and abroad to assess the potential for an international Sentinel Plant Network that globally connects plant collections and expertise to form an early warning system that helps predict and prevent the incursion of new pests (insects, pathogens, or plants).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>We need your help. If you work at a botanic garden or arboretum that maintains living collections, please take 5 minutes to complete this short 12-question survey, designed to identify resources, expertise, and programs already in place at botanical institutions around the world: </span></b><a href="http://www.bgci.org/usa/sentinel"><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>www.bgci.org/usa/sentinel</span></b></a>. <span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <b><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The survey will be available electronically through <b>March 31, 2011</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Results will be summarized and used to help guide development of a global Sentinel Plant Network, and will be made available on the BGCI website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Thank you for participating! For additional information, visit our website (</span><a href="http://www.bgci.org/usa/sentinel"><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>www.bgci.org/usa/sentinel</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>) or contact us at </span><a href="mailto:andrea.kramer@bgci.org"><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>andrea.kramer@bgci.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Andrea Kramer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>BGCI U.S. Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Abby Hird<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>BGCI U.S. Research Associate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='vertical-align:top'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><img border=0 width=80 height=98 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CBD4D9.526CB9C0" alt="bgciblacklogo - 72dpi.jpg"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>