ID: 613 / 186

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: PROMOTING ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY IN THE ASIAN BORDER REGIONS FOR GBF TARGET 3

Abstract: The Tian Shan mountain range spans across Central Asia and China and is home to an incredible 4,500 species, making it one of the most significant biological hotspots on the planet. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea is a unique ecosystem that has been untouched for decades, and there is a need for conservation actions to protect this distinctive environment. The focus of this symposium is the conservation strategy in border regions, with the Korea National Arboretum (an affiliate of the Korea Forest Service) exploring the biodiversity conservation of areas where two or more countries meet, specifically in the DMZ, Europe, and Central Asia. The discussion will also encompass the designation of protected areas from biological, ecological, and policy perspectives. The objective of the symposium is to bring together botanists from around the world to collaborate on better and more efficient ways to protect the biodiversity of the DMZ and border areas. With the academic results from the Korea National Arboretum on the importance of protecting these regions, the symposium provides a platform for developing innovative conservation strategies.

Speaker 1: Name: Dr. An, Jongbin Institutional affiliation: DMZ Forest Biological Resources Conservation Division, Korea National Arboretum E-mail: ajb8825@korea.kr Tentative Talk Title: Conserving Biodiversity in the DMZ and its Surrounding Areas

Speaker 2: Name: Dr. Gil, Heeyoung Institutional affiliation: Forest Species Diversity Research Division, Korea National Arboretum E-mail: warmishe@korea.kr Tentative Talk Title: The State of Key Plant Protected Areas in the Border Regions of Central Asia

Speaker 3: Name: Prof. Komiljon Sh. Tojibaev Institutional affiliation: Institute of Botany, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences · Flora of Uzbekistan and National Herbarium of Uzbekistan (TASH) E-mail: ktojibaev@mail.ru Tentative Talk Title: Conserving Biodiversity in the Border Regions of Europe and Asia

Topics (Up to three): Conservation Biology

Topic 2: Ecology and Plant Communities

Topic 3: Restoration Ecology

Justification: The Tian Shan mountain range boasts a diverse array of flora and vegetation, but its grasslands and forests have been severely impacted by the droughts caused by climate change and deforestation. Meanwhile, the DMZ has remained undisturbed for 70 years since the end of the Korean War, creating a unique ecosystem due to its highly restricted access. There are many other border regions around the world with similarly distinctive environments that require urgent conservation efforts.