ID: 613 / 37

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: INTEGRATING CONSERVATION BIOLOGY AND SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT TO ENHANCE PROTECTION OF AT RISK FLORA

Abstract: Altered, fragmented or degraded ecosystems endure increasingly extreme environmental conditions, which are exacerbated by current climatic and anthropic pressures. This jeopardizes the biodiversity that inhabits these ecosystems, and consequently, their human-nature relationship. The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) held in December 2022 recognized that only a fraction of vulnerable ecosystems and species could be protected by 2030. This implies that priorities should focus on biodiverse and fragile ecosystems and species at risk. Holistic and collaborative efforts are required for successful conservation actions. Society engagement through outreach activities, education programs and the involvement of local communities become crucial for the long-term preservation of ecosystems and species at-risk within local and global scales. Therefore, to attain success in conservation efforts, it is crucial to have a sound scientific knowledge and at the same time, deploy effective strategies ensuring deep involvement of local communities and stakeholders. Our session will focus on research that assess plant species or communities at risk while integrating local communities as a pivotal factor for short- and long-term plant conservation. Isolated species or species with limited distribution (e.g,. rare, endemic species), species on the rear-edge position in climate change hotspots, and species with higher physiological stress connected to exceptional size and age (i.e. large, old trees) are clear examples of study models that we aim to cover in this session. Unique but fragile ecosystems under strong anthropic pressures are the focus that we intend, all within a framework of involving society for the interest of society, increasing the human-nature relationship and effective plant conservation actions.

Speaker 1: Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat European Forest Institute Magda.Boudagher@efi.int Rare and endemic plant conservation: insights from the East Mediterranean experience

Speaker 2: Martí March Salas Goethe University Frankfurt martimarchsalas@gmail.com Ecology and conservation of cliff-plant communities under increasing climatic and human pressures

Speaker 3: Alfredo Di Filippo Università della Tuscia difilippo@unitus.it Conservation strategies for large old trees to promote natural forest restoration and climate-change mitigation

Topics (Up to three): Conservation Biology

Topic 2: Education and Outreach

Topic 3: None

Justification: Three speakers confirmed for this session include a range of career stages, gender and geography. Marti is from Madrid but currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Germany focused on plant evolutionary ecology and the ecology and conservation of endemic cliff-dwelling plant species. Magda is from Lebanon where her Iris genetic and conservation work is focused but has taken a recent appointment that brings her to Barcelona as a senior researcher on Mediterranean forests. Alfredo as a mid-career faculty researcher in Italy focused on policy related work with old growth trees. All bring differing perspectives united under the proposed topic.