European Plant Conservation Strategy

In June 2001, the Planta Europa network mobilised all its plant conservation expertise to develop a master plan with concrete and achievable targets to halt the loss of plant diversity in Europe by 2007 (Pruhonice, Czech Republic, June 2001). As a result of this, Planta Europa and the Council of Europe developed the European Plant Conservation Strategy (EPCS) to provide a framework for wild-plant conservation in Europe.

At the heart of this document are 42 targets for plant conservation in Europe, to be achieved by 2007. The targets are clear, realistic and measurable, and in each case an organisation has pledged to take the lead on their implementation, whilst other partners are welcome to join the lead organisations to assist in achieving these challenging targets.

The 42 targets are arranged under five objectives: understanding and documenting plant diversity; conserving plant diversity; using plant diversity sustainably; promoting education and awareness about plant diversity; building capacity for the conservation of plant diversity.

The EPCS also contains long-term policy objectives complementing the Planta Europa targets. Whereas many of the targets are oriented for action by NGOs and technical agencies, the long-term policy objectives are mainly directed at European governments.

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In April 2002, the EPCS was recognised as a contribution to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity. The decision to endorse the GSPC was in itself a momentous decision; the EPCS significantly helps to raise the profile of conservationist’s efforts to protect plants in Europe.

In 2004, conservationists from across Europe undertook an extensive mid-term review of the EPCS. Results are encouraging: more than 50% of the initial 42 targets of the EPCS are progressing well and two have already been achieved.

Download the Mid-term Review of the EPCS (pdf 493kb).

The 250 plant experts involved in the review at the fourth Planta Europa conference in Valencia in 2004 identified constraints in the implementation of nine targets of the EPCS.

In recognition that the targets are still highly relevant, new, more realistic milestones were given to these nine and will help facilitating their achievement. The conference recommended to add two new targets and a further four were substantially amended to reflect new developments in plant conservation since 2001.

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