Indian Botanic Garden Website:

A prototype of website was demonstrated by Dr. S. Kumar and the participants unanimously supported its further development of website under IIN-India programme.

Fig.4. Dr. S. Kumar demonstrating the database work done at Bioinformatics lab to the participants.

After the deliberations, suggestions for information on the website included.

• Mission statement of IBGN, goals, passport data & list of botanic gardens of India.
• No. of species threatened in an area
• Red listed medicinal plants
• Education packages in different sources
• Availability of threatened plants & photographs
• Species conserved
• Original field data on plants undercultivation
• Status of species diversity & present status of conservation
• Role of botanic garden in education & research
• Reference listing about education & research
• Holding economically important plants & common names
• What are the planting materials
• List of species in CITES
• Status in other countries
• Profile of each garden activity
• Information on endemic species
• Links for professionals including research activities,
• Links for general users such as School
• Education material
• Forums for questions/ FAQ, Discussions groups and Working groups

National Plant Conservation Programme

Fig.5. Dr. K. N. Nair giving her presentation during the first NCBGI.

Dr. K. N. Nair, Conservation Programme Coordinator, IINIndia coordinated the session. The major points of discussion at this session were centered on the need for and the key elements of a national plant conservation programme for the botanic garden community in India, and also on the key strategies, methods and synergic actions required for effective implementation of the proposed conservation programme. The deliberation and discussion culminated in framing the following recommendations:

• A national level programme for conservation of threatened plants in botanic gardens needs to be developed, which would provide a framework for (a) promoting conservation activities at localand regional levels (b) setting up conservation priorities (c) deciding upon conservation targets and appropriate strategies (d) facilitating effective collaboration and coordination of botanic gardens through a national botanic gardens conservation network and (e) harmonizing the existing international and national programmes, policies and action plans related to plant conservation
• Botanic gardens assume a greater role and responsibility in ex-situ conservation, which would be complimented or supplemented by in situ conservation to achieve integrated conservation and species recovery programs.
• Ex situ conservation needs to be pursued actively with a holistic approach for ensuring enhancement of conservation collections representing the maximum genetic diversity available within a target species and by utilizing the best suitable combinations of conservation methods required by the target species included under the conservation programme.