IUCN Secretariat contributions to externally published literature

Sir Martin Holdgate, former IUCN Director General, was a principal author of both the "World conservation strategy" and "Caring for the earth". In this book, he brings his unrivalled experience to the task of reviewing progress to date and examining what now needs to be done. He argues that we must work for change at every level, from our understanding of our place in relation to nature and the values we put on it, up to a reformed economic structure and new social institutions.

Paradise on Earth is the result of a collaboration between IUCN and Harper-MacRae Publishing (now World Heritage Publishing Pty. Ltd.) with support from UNESCO and WCMC. The book includes more than 350 colour photographs which accompany detailed descriptions of each natural site inscribed on the World Heritage List.

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. It is therefore essential that guidance is available on collecting plant germplasm.

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. It covers reasons for conserving plant diversity, how plants become threatened or extinct, principles of plant population management, on-site and off-site conservation practices, conservation techniques in modified landscapes, proper methods for documentation of plant information, processes for education and public awareness of conservation issues, conservation legislation, and the economics of plant conservation, with detailed case studies.