China Seen as Increasingly Important in Biodiversity Conservation
China has made significant progress in plant conservation, the development of botanic gardens, the enhancement of scientific capacity, and international cooperation, offering a useful reference for the broader botanic garden community.
London (ANTARA) – Carly Cowell, Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), assessed that China’s rich plant diversity and the country’s expanding network of botanic gardens give it an increasingly important role in global biodiversity conservation.
Cowell made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua in London ahead of International Day for Biological Diversity on Friday (22 May).
‘A China has made significant progress in plant conservation, botanic garden development, enhancement of scientific capacity, and international cooperation,’ Cowell said.
She noted that China’s experience offers a useful reference for the wider botanic garden community.
In an era of biodiversity loss, she said, botanic gardens are among the best-positioned institutions to identify threatened species, understand where they occur, conserve them, and help restore their populations.
‘Home to around 10 percent of the world’s higher plant species, China supports botanic gardens to conserve, study, and better understand its flora, including around 15 percent of native species deemed threatened, while supporting countries facing similar conservation challenges,’ Cowell said.
‘The work being done in China, and the work undertaken by Chinese botanic gardens, is highly significant in the global community for plant conservation,’ she added.
Reflecting on her visit to China, Cowell said the vast ecological and geographical diversity of the country was the most impressionable. She said that this diversity is reflected in China’s botanic gardens, each with expertise shaped by local environments and research strengths.
She observed a strong sense of pride among Chinese scientists, horticulturists, and conservation practitioners in the country’s natural heritage.
‘Whether it is germplasm researchers, someone conducting DNA sequencing, or horticulturists testing propagation protocols, I see the same love and pride for Chinese plants, and the same passion to see them grow and flourish,’ she said.
She added that with strong government support for science and plant conservation, botanic gardens in China have carried out significant work in restoration, mapping critically endangered tree species, working with local communities, cultivating endangered species, and reintroducing them to botanic gardens and natural habitats.
‘The progress in China is very substantial,’ Cowell said, citing advances in data, artificial intelligence (AI), and related technologies that help streamline conservation work, which she believes can be learned by BGCI’s broader network.
Cowell assessed that seed banks and germplasm conservation are other areas where China plays an important role. She said China manages its own seed bank for its plant materials and also helps other countries to build seed banks and share seeds for long-term conservation.
‘What is remarkable is not only the sharing of material, but also the sharing of expertise, such as how to collect seeds, clean them, store them, and germinate them. Without China’s participation, it would not be as effective. It would not be global,’ she said.
Looking ahead, Cowell said botanic gardens in China and elsewhere could raise awareness of conservation horticulture, genetic diversity, urban greening, and pest and disease monitoring.
‘China’s biodiversity conservation is making progress. There is support at many levels for biodiversity conservation in China,’ Cowell added.
Mentioning that BGCI has offices in China, Cowell stated, ‘we are enthusiastic to continue collaborating with botanic gardens in China in the future.’
*) Xinhua authors Zhao Jiasong, Yu Aicen