The project aims to establish two conservation arboretums: one in Saint-Pierre in partnership with Armeflhor (the Réunion Association for the Modernisation of the Fruit, Vegetable and Horticultural Sectors), and the other at La Plaine des Palmistes in partnership with Réunion National Park. These new arboretums will enable the inclusion in the collection of specimens of threatened species from populations not currently represented in the collection.
The new Red List of Réunion’s vascular flora reveals that 41 per cent of the 962 native species assessed are threatened. In light of this, the Mascarin National Botanical Conservatory (CBNM) has developed an ex situ conservation strategy, one of the objectives of which is to establish a network of conservation arboreta across the island in order to build up a stock of traceable seed sources for ecological restoration and the reinforcement of populations of threatened species. To this end, 23 ecological conservation zones have been defined by cross-referencing catchment areas and vegetation zones. Each zone must host at least one arboretum to accommodate representatives of the wild seed sources of the zone’s threatened species.
This project will therefore contribute to the implementation of the ex situ conservation strategy by establishing two new conservation arboretums. To this end, a campaign will be launched to collect diaspores from wild seed trees at risk of extinction. The collected diaspores will then be grown, and the resulting seedlings will be planted in the two arboretums. Strict traceability from collection to planting will be ensured in accordance with the CBNM protocol. A precise map of the plants will be drawn up to ensure their traceability over time, as well as their monitoring and maintenance. Upon completion of this work, a guide to the establishment and monitoring of a conservation arboretum will be produced so that the method can be replicated in future arboretums to be established.
Duration: 36 months
