The selection of the small grant finalists was based on the following criteria including:

• Relative merit of the proposal;
• Relevance of the over all aims and objectives of the project to the national plant conservation priorities as well as the implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC);
• Representation of different eco-geographic zones and different potential players in plant conservation in the country;
• Capability of the project leader(s) and the project implementing institution;
• Significance of the priority taxa and uniqueness of the ecosystems identified for the conservation/education programmes;
• Practical methods and approaches proposed for conservation of rare and threatened plants;
• Expected flow of benefits to local and indigenous communities, and
• Contributions to education and community empowerment programmes.

Summary of each of the eleven selected projects is as follows:

Conservation of some selected critically endangered endemic angiosperms of Kashmir Himalayas

Kashmir University Botanical Garden (KUBG), Srinagar 190006 Jammu & Kashmir-(Project Leaders: Prof.G.H.Dar, Dr. I.A.Nawchoo, Prof. B.A.Wafai)
Email: ghdar@kashmiruniversity.net

The Project aims to conserve and propagate 10 critically endangered and socio-economically important narrow endemics viz. Aconitum kashmiricum Stapf ex Coventry, Aquilegia nivalis Falc. ex Baker, Artemisia amygdalina Decne, Gentiana cashmirica Decne, Hedysarum cachemirianum Benth. ex Baker Lagotis cashmeriana (Royle) Rupr., Meconopsis latifolia Prain, Megacarpaea bifida Benth., M. polyandra Benth., Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. by maintaining their populations ex situ in KUBG so as to support their recovery and restoration and to provide long-term back-up collections for sustained use by the local populace.

Expected outcome includes: 1. ex situ conservation and management of the ten target species through vegetative and seed propagation, and also through micro-propagation techniques, and 2. recovery and reintroduction of a few critically endangered species in to protected areas in Jammu & Kashmir Himalayas.