RHODODENDRON EXPERTS MEET TO DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN FOR THREATENED SPECIES

The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE), the Rhododendron Species Conservation Group and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) jointly hosted a two-day conference with the aim to develop a coordinated action plan to save threatened Rhododendron species from extinction in the wild.

The Red List of Rhododendrons published in 2011, showed that a quarter of the more than 1,000 known species of Rhododendron are under threat in their native habitats. Time is of the essence for these species, and the concerns raised by the BGCI publication are beyond the sphere of control of taxonomists and scientists alone to resolve.

In seeking a way forward, the conference aimed to assess and recommend what opportunities exist for implementing a practical approach through the involvement of garden curators, head gardeners, horticulturalists, nurserymen and enthusiasts from around the world, who have the knowledge, expertise and ability to work together and make a difference.

The presentations from the conference are now available on the BGCI website at the following link: Rhododendron 2013 conference presentations.

Read more about the conference on BGCI's website...

Did you know: One particular species (Rhododendron kanehirae) would be extinct but for collections in botanic gardens such as RBGE.

Rhododendron kanehirae