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Executive
Summary -
Conservation of Mediterranean Island Plants: Strategy
for Action
Compiled by O. Delanoe, B. de Montmollin, and L. Olivier.
106 pp. GBP 13.50, $20.00. Available from the IUCN Publications
Services Unit, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL,
United Kingdom, or in the United States and Canada from
Island Press, Box 7, Covelo, California 95428, U.S.A.
With almost 5000 islands and islets, the Mediterranean
comprises one of the largest group of islands in the
world. The region is of high value to global biodiversity
due to its wealth of species, relatively high rate of
endemism, long history, and tolerance of all kinds of
disruptions, as well as its role as a natural laboratory
for evolutionary studies.
The continuous environmental pressure maintained by
humans in the Mediterranean throughout history is now
an inescapable component of all Mediterranean ecosystems.
However, over the last few decades, major socio-economic
changes have increased the negative impact of such human
activity, mainly along the coasts. In this respect,
the islands are extremely vulnerable, as their small
size increases the effects of disruptions.
The lack of information on species distribution impedes
any objective assessment of the current situation on
the islands or islets. It is also difficult to plan
conservation actions for species and habitats, as only
very limited information on ecology, species biology
or habitats exists. In addition, cryptograms and marine
flora are still insufficiently documented, making it
difficult to assess their conservation status.
Legal protective measures are few, and poorly enforced.
In particular, protected areas are insufficient in number,
and are often not, or only poorly, managed. It is therefore
essential to implement an action program for the Mediterranean
islands to protect their flora, habitats and landscapes
within the framework of an overall strategy linking
environmental protection, sustainable development, and
benefits to local people.
The Mediterranean Island Plant Specialist Group (MIPSG)
has defined an action program based on the following
guidelines:
- to assess the conservation status of both the flora
and vegetation of the Mediterranean islands;
- to improve and integrate current knowledge on the
flora, habitats, threats, protected areas and people
involved in conservation;
- to identify conservation priorities and develop
appropriate strategies and tools, including Action
Plans;
- to define, promote and support implementation of
conservation Action Plans for species, habitats, sites
or entire islands, or monitor results;
- to make tools specific to plant and habitat conservation
on islands available to managers;
- to maintain a biodiversity monitoring network;
- to emphasize the importance of island ecosystems
in development;
- to improve, synthesis and disseminate knowledge
and information;
- to enhance awareness of decision-makers and the
public.
The MIPSG also recommends that:
- Mediterranean island conservation be included in
priority global biodiversity conservation programs;
sustainable development be taken into account, specifically
in the fields of tourism and agriculture;
- biodiversity protection be included in local and
regional land development policies;
- a network of protected areas be created, to optimize
long-term conservation of biodiversity in Mediterranean
islands.
This conservation strategy for island plants and habitats
is intended to provide one of the basic components of
an overall biodiversity conservation program covering
the entire Mediterranean Basin, in order to guarantee
sustainable development and to help combat existing
or potential threats such as climate change and desertification.
It is expected to assist nature conservation managers
and decision-makers in building and implementing their
conservation programs.
Reprinted from Conservation of Mediterranean Island
Plants: Strategy for Action.
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