Dr. Ángel Bañares Baudet has been a botanist for over 25 years, working on diverse flora issues, particularly Crassulaceae taxonomy, mycology and conservation biology. His priority is the recovery of threatened flora on the Canary Islands and Ángel’s research has focussed on the ecology of these species to contribute to necessary management measures. Ángel recently assumed the chair of the Macronesian Island Plant Specialist Group, which consists of members from the four archipelagos of the Macronesian Region. The goal of the Group is to conserve the diverse flora of the region, and facilitate the development of programs to better understand and manage this flora.

Towards achieving this goal, the Group has established a number of objectives: Develop a practical guide including strategies for the conservation and management of flora resources, particularly threatened species Prepare the Macronesian Region Red List Develop the Top 50 Macaronesian Island species list Identify Important Plant Areas in the region Develop a list of flora introduced on the Macronesian islands Promote cooperation between the various states in the region (Portugal, Spain and Cabo Verde) 20