Biological diversity

Limits to expansion of protected area systems underline the importance of seeking new ways to conserve biodiversity. There are many examples where traditional rural communities have shown their capacity to maintain high biological and cultural diversity.

Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development, and cultures from ancient times to the present day have exploited biodiversity. With the advent of scientific breeding, new plant varieties have been developed. Plant breeders are dependent upon the availability of a large pool of diverse genetic material represented by local races and wild relatives. Without the ability to draw from a diverse genetic reservoir, further improvement may not be possible.

The Regional conference on biodiversity was unique in that it dealt with the issue of biodivestiy conservation in Asia and the Pacific from the social, political, legal, financial and technological aspects. This publication brings together the presentations made by the most outstanding experts in these various fields.

This is the first systematic treatment of conservation principles and practices for rare, threatened, or disappearing plant species.

This report reviews current knowledge of global biodiversity, discusses priorities, assesses policies required, and suggests where efforts of the Convention and its financial mechanisms should be focused.

Prepared as an input to the discussions on the establishment, under the auspices of the Convention, of a clearing house to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation in the field of conservation and sustainabile use of biological diversity.

The rationale for this three-volume work covering nearly 250 major sites for conservation of plant diversity worldwide is concern about rapid global loss and degradation of natural ecosystems. By highlighting areas of prime botanical importance, it is hoped that their conservation will be ensured by an adequate commitment of resources. Selection of the sites is based both on floristic statistics and on detailed first-hand knowledge of numerous botanists.