Description

In situ conservation actions in existing plant populations of the Mediterranean region are essential to conserve plant diversity in general, and to enhance the conservation status of threatened and endemic plants in particular.

One of the most relevant approaches is plant translocations (including reintroduction and/or reinforcement), also in conjunction with complementary active management measures such as passive defense measures (e.g. fencing the area where the threatened species/populations occur), eradicating or controlling pest plants, or restoring the natural vegetation within or around the area, thus reconnecting isolated remnants. 

It is essential to share experiences across the region to co-develop technical aspects, to refine methodologies and to implement successful in situ conservation actions. Mid- and/or long-term monitoring is also fundamental as it ensures the sustainability of in situ conservation actions and helps to safeguard threatened Mediterranean flora.

This session will explore existing experiences and knowledge developed in the Mediterranean territories, with a peculiar focus on the insular context. Participants will be invited to share their experiences.

Topics to address

• Successful and unsuccessful in situ species conservation actions in the Mediterranean area
• Technical and methodological approaches to in situ species conservation actions in the Mediterranean area
• Good practices in the Mediterranean area
• Medium- and/or long-term sustainability of in situ conservation actions: monitoring activities (technical and methodological aspects)
• CARE-MEDIFLORA in situ project actions and goals (technical aspects) / results / lessons learned / good practices

Chair of the session

Kyratzis Angelos (Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus).

Co-Chair of the session

Donatella Cogoni (Centro Conservazione Biodiversità, University of Cagliari Sardinia, Italy)

Keynote

The challenges of in situ plant conservation in the Mediterranean. Author: Vernon Heywood

He presented the publication: BGCI and IABG’s Species Recovery Manual

Keynote 2

The role of translocations in conservation of wetland-dependent plant species. Authors:  Orsenigo Simone, Graziano Rossi, Thomas Abeli

Short presentations

Contribution of translocations to enhance the conservation status of the threatened Mediterranean island flora: the CARE-MEDIFLORA project. Author:  Fenu Giuseppe (on behalf of all CARE-MEDIFLORA project)

Invasive alien species in the Mediterranean islands: the CARE-MEDIFLORA project. Author: Gian Pietro Giusso del Galdo (on behalf of all CARE-MEDIFLORA project).

Continuous monitoring of the threatened flora of Menorca as a source for the creation of long-term management tools. Authors:  Pere Fraga I Arguimbau.

In situ conservation of a rare plant (Dictamnus albus L.) and its pollinator community. Authors:  Alessandro Fisogni , Gherardo Bogo, Laura Bortolotti, François Massol, Mathilde Dufay, Marta Galloni.

The importance of monitoring translocations in a long-time period. The case of a hybridization of a narrow endemic species from Balearic Islands, Helosciadium bermejoi. Authors:  Juan Rita, Miquel Capó, Joana Cursach

An update on translocation activities of the climate relict tree Zelkova sicula (Sicily, Southern Italy). Authors: Giuseppe Garfì, Loredana Abbate, Stéphane Buord, Francesco Carimi, Angela Carra, Caterina Catalano, Laurence Fazan, Catherine Gautier, Alessando Silvestre Gristina, Gregor Kozlowski, Salvatore Livreri Console, Antonio Motisi, Salvatore Pasta, Giancarlo Perrotta

Assisted reproduction’ as a tool in restoration of threatened plant populations. Author: Gargano Domenico

Overgrazing by ungulates affects Euphorbia dendroides L. population stability in Mallorca landscape (Balearic Islands, Spain). Authors: Miquel Capó, Chiara Engelbrecht, Marta Ramoneda, Carles Cardona, Juan Rita, Elena Baraza.

Description

The lack of institutional and political frameworks under which adequate land management choices can be developed and efficiently implemented may hamper the achievement of ex situ and in situ conservation targets. Successful plant conservation depends on effective strategies and collaborations among countries, regions, local administrations, the scientific community, NGOs, and other stakeholders. 

In particular, robust national-level programmes that focus on the relationship between ex situ and in situ plant conservation activities are urgently needed. In addition, plant conservation in the Mediterranean would be significantly enhanced through effective dissemination of plant conservation research outcomes, development of local conservation networks to foster long-term co-operation, strengthening of regional networks among Mediterranean countries, and sharing of experiences and lessons learned in different projects.

Topics to address

• CARE-MEDIFLORA collaborations, strategies, communication / results / lessons learned / good practices
• Examples of other collaborations, strategies, communications in the Mediterranean

Chair of the session

Giusso Del Galdo Gianpietro (Dept. of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Sicily, Italy).

Co-Chair of the session

Hugot Laetitia (Conservatoire Botanique National de Corse – Office de l’Environnement de la Corse, France).

Keynote:

Conservation biogeography, a relevant challenge for plant conservation in the Mediterranean Basin hotspot. Frédéric Médail

Short presentations:

CARE-MEDIFLORA project, experiences with stakeholders and collaborations with administrations and private proprietaries. Authors: Magdalena Vicens and Carole Piazza (CARE-MEDIFLORA project)

New tools for plant diversity conservation planning. Authors: Joana Magos Brehm, Shelagh Kell, Imke Thormann, Hannes Gaisberger, Ehsan Dulloo and Nigel Maxted

Hierarchisation of species and prioritisation of conservation actions: towards a conservation strategy for flora, from biogeographical to regional level. Authors: M. LE BERRE, K. DIADEMA, V. NOBLE, M. PIRES, G. CASAZZA, L. MINUTO, M. MARIOTTI, S. ABDULHAK, N. FORT & F. MÉDAIL

Plant genetic resources in the Euro-Mediterranean region: building a new collaborative conservation network. Authors: Shelagh Kell, Nigel Maxted and Joana Magos Brehm

Collaboration between public administrations and research centers: a key element for guarantee the success of translocation actions. Authors: Pinna M.S., Cogoni D., Fenu G., Bacchetta G.

Integrated Conservation Approach in the Moroccan High Atlas. Authors: Hassan Rankou, Rachid Ait Babahmad, Soufiane M’Sou, Ugo D’Ambrosio, Emily Caruso & Gary Martin.

LIFEorchids (LIFE17NAT/IT/000596): a 5- years project for the conservation of orchids and their habitats. Authors: Samuele Voyron, Alessandro Portigliatti, Jacopo Calevo, Fernando Monroy, Annalisa Giovannini, Laura Cornara, Paolo Giordani, Alberto Girani, Dario Zocco, Luca Cristaldi, Paola Palazzolo, Simona Colombo, Marzio Marzorati, Jan Moravec, Silvia Perotto, Mariangela Girlanda

An update on the in situ conservation of Zelkova abelicea in Crete. Authors: L. Fazan, D. Ghosn, I. Remoundou, P. Gotsiou, P. Sklavaki, H. Kargiolaki, E. Flouris, E. Siligardos, P. Petrakis, C. Thanos, G. Garfì, G. Kozlowski, S. Pasta.

Description

This session will explore how to translate plant information (species, populations, habitats, threats…) into concrete plant conservation actions, or plant conservation planning.

Plant information at site level is often dispersed, unavailable, or out-of-date. In addition, translating existing wild plant information into decision-making is not a straightforward process. This session will gather examples from around the Mediterranean where the results of field survey studies or other plant data may successfully translate into site-based conservation actions.

The session will explore in more detail how mapping tools can provide managers with the means to transform plant data into useful formats

It will explore possible avenues for collaboration between scientists and decision-makers at site level, with a view to developing conservation policies and site-based actions involving local populations.

Stories and case studies of coordination between managers, scientists, and communities or local users will be presented, and different types of tools developed around the region will be explored.

Topics to address

Chair of the session

Marcos Valderrabano (IUCN Centre of Mediterranean Cooperation)

Keynote

Towards a process-based conservation strategy for Mediterranean plant diversity. John Thompson.

Short presentations

Introduction to terra lemnia Project. George Dimitropoulos

Humans, landscapes and plant diversity – first results from the Terra Lemnia project on Lemnos island (North Aegean, Greece). Maria Panitsa, Erwin Bergmeier, Stefan Meyer, Penelope Bebeli, Danae Sfakianou, Nicos Georgiadis, George Dimitropoulos.

Vegetal plant diversity on Lemnos Island (Greece) – status quo and implications for conservation efforts within the TerraLemnia-project. Stefan Meyer, Erwin Bergmeier, Maria Panitsa, Danae Sfakianou, Nicos Georgiadis, George Dimitropoulos.

Classifying the changes in vegetated Mediterranean coastland of South-eastern Europe using new approach of remote sensing analysis for modelling vegetated land change dynamics: A case study of Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. Kuenda Laze.

Conservation of Lebanese Coastal Plants: Mission Impossible? Mohammad S. Al-Zein, Hicham Elzein, Jean Stephan, Magda Bou Dagher-Kharrat, Carla Khater

Diachronic cartography within an Important Plant Area : case study of Mount Chenoua (Tipasa, Algeria). Methodological approach and preliminary results. Nassima Souyad, Roger Manière et Nassima Yahi.

Assessing the conservation status of Monocots in the Mediterranean region: reflections from a recent IUCN Red List evaluation. Errol Véla, David Allen, Violeta Barrios, Richard Lansdown, and Catherine.

Geospatial analysis to assess distribution patterns of the critically endangered species Euphorbia fontqueriana Greuter. Joana Cursach, Antoni Josep Far, Maurici Ruiz.

Implementing GIS tools to analyse geospatial distribution factors to the reproductive success of sexual deceptive orchids: Ophrys balearica P. Delforge as an example. Joshua Borràs, Joana Cursach.

Description

This session will facilitate transdisciplinary reflection and dialogue on the relationships between people and plants in the context of Mediterranean Cultural Landscapes. Lying at the intersection of vastly different cultures and biomes, the Mediterranean has long been a space characterised by movement and change. Here, people-plant relationships – and the landscapes in which they are embedded – are continuously being transformed by migrations, natural and cultural cross-pollinations, human and natural disasters and the innovations that blossom in this fertile ground. As these transformations accelerate in a context of rapid socioecological change, we are pressed to find new ways of coping with our precarious and indeterminate environmental futures.   

The session brings the conservation sciences into dialogue with emerging social scientific concepts that ‘disrupt’ our binary perspective of nature as separate from culture. In doing so, it hopes to find new spaces for creative and joint reflection on how to conserve Mediterranean plants in rapidly changing landscapes. In particular, it will explore how we can harness the dynamic, active and reciprocal relationships that exist between people and plants in the Mediterranean to sustain existing community conservation initiatives and to build innovative plant conservation actions across the region.

The session will be composed of 10 Pecha Kucha talks followed by an interactive dialogue session.

Topics to address

• Changing relationships between people and plants
• Transformation, loss and maintenance of traditional plant knowledge
• Agrobiodiversity and seed conservation
• Community-based conservation initiatives and their diversity
• Innovative approaches to plant conservation, particularly in the context of rapid environmental change

Chair of the session

Emily Caruso (Global Diversity Foundation).

Co-Chair of the session

Ugo D’Ambrosio (GDF Mediterranean Ethnobiology Programme Director).

Keynote.

Zaatar and zaitra: a parable of disruption and rewilding in Moroccan cultural landscapes Gary Martin
What’s the point of talking about flowers?. Hub Members: Attard Everaldo, Gerada Mario, Pisani Maria, Radmilli Rachel. Hub Researchers: Cutajar Simone, Lippi Simiona. Hub Collaborations: Caruana Censu, Caruana Joseph, Farrugia Pyt.

Short presentations.

Local knowledge on uses and the ecological sustainability of wild medicinal plant harvesting: a case study on Lemnos island, Greece. Papageorgiou Dimitrios, Schunko Christoph.

Ethnobotanical knowledge in the High Atlas: potential for plant biodiversity conservation. Ugo D’Ambrosio, Irene Teixidor-Toneu, Hajar Salamat , Soufiane M’Sou, Hamid Ait Baskad, Fadma Ait Illigh, Touda Atyah, Giada Bellia, Abdeddaim El Hajjam, Hafida Mouhdach, Hassan Rankou, Emily Caruso & Gary J.Martin.

Conserving and managing local seed crops biodiversity in Sicily: towards functional community seed banks. Cristina Salmeri

Functional seed traits of wild edible East Mediterranean plants. Pablo Gómez-Barreiro, Efisio Mattana, Khaled Abulaila, Joelle Breidy, Nizar Hani , Michiel van Slageren, Elinor Breman, Udayangani Liu, Tiziana Cossu, Santiago Vilanova Navarro, Tiziana Ulian.

Conservation of traditional knowledge on wild plants, despite the vanishing of their natural habitats: the case of central spanish wetlands. Segundo RÍOS, Alonso VERDE, José FAJARDO, Vicente CONSUEGRA, Diego RIVERA, Concepción OBÓN4, Francisco ALCARAZ, Vanessa MARTÍNEZ-FRANCÉS, Arturo VALDÉS, José REYES, Estela BARROSO, Luis SAN JOAQUÍN2, José GARCÍA, P. Pablo FERRER- GALLEGO & Emilio LAGUNA.

Plant species translocation in Mediterranean: lessons from the Antiquity on the meaning and value of the alien species. Pietro Minissale.

A quantitative tool to assess local preference for the conservation of Important Plant Areas (IPA): a case study of Sannine-Kneysseh IPA in Lebanon. Salman, M.M., S.N. Talhouk, S. Kharroubi, and M. Itani.

Reconnecting people with plants: implementation of guidelines for ancillary botanical gardens (ABG). Melhem, G. M., Y. Abunnasr, and S.N. Talhouk.

Description

This session will explore tools for conservation at site level. In the context of this session, a “site” is defined according to its management scale: it includes not only Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for plants, but also Protected Areas, community managed areas, or other management units.

The emphasis of the session will be given to management figures specifically designed for plant conservation like plant micro-reserves, or certain community managed areas, as well as the identification of sites important to plant diversity like the KBAs identified for plants. 

This session will finally explore the type of actions that site management allows, including habitat restoration. Species actions conducted at site level will be explored separately in Session 2. This session will focus on showcasing examples from around the Mediterranean and show concrete site- level examples that have permitted site conservation of species.

Chair of the session

Emilio Laguna (Generalitat valenciana).

Facilitator of the session

Marcos Valderrabano (IUCN Centre of Mediterranean Cooperation).

Keynote 1

Overview of Micro-reserves and site based approaches. E. Laguna

Short presentations 1

Identification of micro-reserves in a context of urban sprawl for the preservation of the endangered endemic Acis nicaeensis (Amaryllidaceae) in the Maritime Alps: the use of conservation units and population vulnerability. K. Diadema

Endemic, rare and threatened coastal species of Ionian Islands: threats and protection. S. Samaropoulou

Coastal cliffs: Protecting through plant micro-reserves an outstanding habitat, threatened by urbanistic development in the Mediterranean Basin. S. Fos (E. Laguna)

Keynote 2

Overview of habitat restoration and habitat approaches. M. Bou Dagher-Kharrat

Short presentations 2

Employing species and life-form data to guide planting design and vegetation management in a Mediterranean city for plant species conservation. M. Itani

Lythrum thesioides: how to conserve a species with unknow ecology: research and conservation partnership. A. Gazaix

Structural basis of a habitat: A model to choose species to be used in habitat restorations. E. Laguna.

The field trip is intended to give an idea of the geology and vegetation of the Maltese Islands. We intend to start from Sliema leaving at 9:15, visit a couple of locations on the North East coast and proceed to the Northwest side of the Island to see a range of geological features, topography and associated vegetation. The field trip will include a visit to the high cliffs of Dingli and the archaeological site of Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim.

• Pembroke rifle range – Sarcopoterium & maritime coast vegetation
• Għajn Tuffieħa – Ras il-Karraba
• Dingli Cliffs – Ġebel Sciantar
• Mnajdra, Hagar Qim
• Wied Babu (if time permits)

Description

During the side event the publication “Conserving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region” will be released. The aim of this publication is to provide a snapshot of existing knowledge of plant diversity in the South and East Mediterranean, and to propose which strategies and actions can be taken to enhance plant conservation in the region.  

Thanks to a joint effort of more than 40 authors and dozens of contributors,  it brings together in a single document an overview of existing knowledge on plant diversity, and provides concrete strategies, with local examples, for plant conservation that are applicable in the south and east Mediterranean region. It is aimed at helping conservation policy makers and a wide range of practitioners (land managers, Non-Governmental Organizations, local communities, conservation agencies) to implement plant conservation programmes and initiatives in the south and east Mediterranean region. The publication may also help botanist, academia, and amateurs in getting a rapid overview of plant knowledge in the area, existing key resources and where to find them.

Presentation of web platform “Trees and shrubs of North Africa”

During the side event, the platform “Trees and shrubs of North Africa” will also be launched and presented.
Collaboration between IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, and extensive network of botanist and foresters has allowed to update information contained in publication “Guía de los Árboles y Arbustos del Norte de África” (Charco, 2001), and let basis for the creation of this web page.
This site compiles all the native species of trees, shrubs and climbing woody plants of northern Africa. Altogether 872 species (sometimes includes very small but woody plants), from 290 genera and 76 families.
The side event will explain functioning of the site, and how to collaborate to improve data and provide updates.

Description

This session deals with the conservation of Mediterranean Basin islands wetlands and highlight the MedIsWet project. MedIsWet contributes to the implementation of a network of nine countries involved in the completion of the inventories of all the Mediterranean islands wetlands, dissemination of knowledge and promotion of certain conservation measures at local, national and Mediterranean scale.

One of the aim of the project is to find further financing resources to develop urgent and effective restoration activities. Accordingly, this session will present several restoration activities of small wetlands taking place in small islands. In addition, governance system, funding and type of restoration will be discussed between participants. These outputs will be the occasion to identify and prioritize the issues related to islands wetlands specificities and will provide the basis to set up a roadmap for islands wetlands of the Mediterranean.

Topics to address

• Presentation of the MedIsWet project “Conservation of Mediterranean Islands wetlands”
• First results of the project, with a special focus on the inventories of Sardinia (1) , Malta (2) and Turkey (3)
• Examples of restauration activities in small wetlands (Sicily, Greece, France)
• Presentation of the legal framework for wetland protection

Chair of the session

Mathieu Thévenet (PIM Initiative)

Co-Chair of the session

Krista Falzon (Nature Trust Malta)

Eylül Dizdaroglu (WWF Turkey)

Mauro Fois (CCB/University of Cagliari)

Pietro Minissale (University of Catania)

Thanos Giannakakis (WWF Greece)

Boris Lauš (Hyla)

Pantelina Emmanouilidou (Limoges University)

The MedIsWet Project: Conservation of Mediterranean Island Wetlands

Total Duration side-event: 1h30 

General Introduction. 

Chairman: Mathieu Thévenet. (10min)

Part 1 – Presentation of the first results of national inventories and possible restoration activities. (60 min) 

1. Intro (Mathieu Thévenet/Thanos Giannakakis) + presentation of the first results of the inventories and possible restoration activities (20 min) 

• Mauro Fois (CCB/University of Cagliari): first results in Sardinia 
• Eylül Dizdaroglu (WWF Turkey) : first results in Turkey + presentation of 3 sites on Gökçeada and Ayvalik islands among the visited wetlands might be suitable for small/wide scale restoration 
• Krista Farrugia (NTM-FEE Malta): first results in Malta + case of the restoration of a prime artificial wetland currently protected known as Il-Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk identified for restoration opportunities

2. Examples of restoration of Mediterranean island wetlands (20 min)  

• Thanos Giannakakis (WWF Greece): example of the case of the estuary of Moronis River in Crete  main achievements, setbacks and failures, lessons learnt (5 min)
• Pietro Minissale (University of Catania): Example of the restoration of the Saline di Priolo (Natural Reserve)  Invasive species eradication + restoration with native species (5 min)
• Boris Lauš (Hyla)  : Example of the small pond restoration pilot-project on Istria peninsula + possibilities of replication on several Adriatic islands (5 min)
• Eva Tankovic (PIM Initiative) : Tunisian opportunities (Kuriat & Kerkennah) (5 min)

3. Advocacy strategy for the protection of islands wetlands in France & Italy  (10 mn)

• Lina Emmanouilidou (Limoges University) : Presentation of the legal framework study + legal tools for restoration

Part 2 – Discussions with the participants to highlight priorities for restoration activities on Mediterranean islands wetlands (small wetlands) – 30 min.

Description

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, active in the Mediterranean Basin since 2012, has started a new phase of investment for the Mediterranean Basin last year. The new strategy (outlined in the Ecosystem Profile), to which more than 500 experts and organizations of the region contributed, includes for the first time a specific strategic direction on plants.

During this session, representatives from CEPF will introduce to the audience the strategic direction on plants and investment priorities, followed by a series of short presentations from CEPF’s newest grantees to understand the work they will be undertaking throughout the Mediterranean. The session will finish with a plenary discussion about the role of civil society in plant conservation; the benefits of having civil society organisations working in this field, the obstacles to their engagement, and how to get more involved.

The session will be followed by a cocktail event.

General Presentation of CEPF Funding structure and functioning, and strategic direction for Plant Conservation. Pierre Carret and Liz Smith.

Presentations – Montenegro

Conservation of endemic, rare and threatened plant species on Mt. Orjen. Mihailo Jovicevic

Presentation – Albania

Conservation and propagation of the Albanian tulip. Endri Haxhiraj

Presentation – Cape Verde

Melhorar o Conhecimento e Distribuição das Espécies da Flora Ameaçadas de Extinção na Ilha do Fogo e Brava. Herculano Andrade Dinis

Presentation – Jordan

Mainstreaming Important Plant Areas into the national Conservation Planning Framework. Khaled Abulaila

Presentation – Tunisia

Conserver les plantes patrimoniales de Garâa Sejenane et Dar Fatma-Tunisie. Imtinen ben haj jilani

Presentation – Macedonia

Working together for conservation of national endemic plants in Macedonia. Natalija Melovska.