Format: ORAL

Tiziana Ulian 1,2?, Michael Way1, Maraeva Gianella1, Silvia Bacci1, Elizabeth Bell1, Elena Castillo-Lorenzo1, EfisioMattana1, Cesar M. Flores Ortiz3, Daniel Cabrera Santos3, Isela Rodrguez Arevalo3, Oswaldo Tellez, Rafael Lira3,Gabina Sol Quintas4,?Jazmin Cobos Silva4, Estrella Chevez4, Elisa Peresbarbosa Rojas4, Maria Toledo5, Tarin Toledo5, Mauricio Diazgranados1,6 and Patricia Davila Aranda3

1. Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, Wellcome Trust Millennium Building, Wakehurst, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK 2. University of Turin, Viale Pier Andrea Mattioli 25, 10125, Turin, Italy 3. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. De los Barrios 1, Tlalnepantla 54090, Estado de Mexico, Mexico 4. Pronatura Veracruz A.C., Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico 5. Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL), Veracruz, Mexico 6. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY 10458, USA

Mexico is a megadiverse country, hosting 23,314 species of vascular plants, 40% of which are endemic. Its ecosystems range from arid to wet and tropical to temperate. It is rich in cultural diversity and is home to one of the most important biocultural legacies of the world, resulting in more than 9,000 plants with known uses. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) has been collaborating in Mexico with the Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Iztacala of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Fes-I UNAM) for over 20 years to conserve the rich flora of Mexico through seed banking, research, and training. Seeds are preserved at Fes-I UNAM, with duplicates stored at Kews Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, in the UK, under an Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement.? Since 2015, RBG Kew and Fes-I UNAM have developed a programme to protect, conserve and enhance the natural capital of the Mexican forests, built around a detailed understanding of native tree seeds and their regeneration under future climatic change scenarios. We have published the first checklist of native trees of Mexico, with information on the distribution, uses and conservation status of 2,885 species. This information is used to prioritise taxa for seed collecting and conservation: seeds are either conserved ex-situ through conventional seed banking or propagated for in situ conservation. When propagated, trees are donated to local communities to support their livelihoods or used for reforestation in urban and peri-urban areas and degraded forests. This programme has been delivered through several projects funded by different sources and in collaboration with the NGO Pronatura Veracruz and the Instituto de Ecologa A.C. Local communities are involved in the programme activities through a participatory approach and by applying gender equality and social inclusion principles.