Abstract:

Early news reports questioned the feasibility of the national botanical garden system’s ambition to “gradually achieve the ex situ protection of more than 85% of China’s wild native plants and all key protected wild plant species.” However, the National Botanical Garden System Layout Plan of China outlines more realistic objectives. By 2025, the plan aims to establish approximately five national botanical gardens, ensuring over 70% of national key protected wild plants are subject to ex situ protection. Further, by 2035, the goal is to set up around ten national botanical gardens, effectively protecting over 80% of the national key protected wild plants ex situ. To enhance ex situ conservation, the botanical garden system should establish precise grading standards, providing clear flexibility. Even if ex situ cultivation falls short of meeting the highest conservation standards, it may still be considered a lower level of ex situ conservation. Integration of ex situ conservation efforts with the Chinese botanical garden system, encompassing national botanical gardens, outstanding regional botanical gardens, and local botanical gardens, is crucial. The potential for national network sharing of plant introduction data opens avenues for intermediate and grassroots botanical gardens to participate in ex situ conservation and share responsibilities. The relationship between ex situ conservation and in situ conservation, as well as introduction and domestication, is not one of antagonism. While in situ conservation is preferable, the two approaches are complementary. Ex situ conservation and introduction and domestication are not mutually exclusive; they can concurrently achieve goals of protection and development. Overall, a crucial focus for the future of ex situ conservation work is the establishment of precise grading standards and robust data networks to clarify the relationship between ex situ conservation and other conservation forms and ensure clear flexibility.

Key words: national botanical garden system, ex situ conservation, flexibility