A Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) was first proposed at the XVI International Botanical Congress in St Louis in 1999. It was subsequently developed and adopted through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2002, to guide policy and set priorities for implementation by each country worldwide. The GSPC highlights the importance of plants and the ecosystem services they provide for all life on earth, and aims to ensure their conservation.

The GSPC has 16 outcome-oriented targets under 5 main objectives:

• Objective I: Plant diversity is well understood, documented and recognized.
• Objective II: Plant diversity is urgently and effectively conserved.
• Objective III: Plant diversity is used in a sustainable and equitable manner.
• Objective IV: Education and awareness about plant diversity, its role in sustainable livelihoods and importance to all life on Earth is promoted.
• Objective V: The capacities and public engagement necessary to implement the Strategy have been developed.

The 16 targets adopted in 2002 were set for achievement by 2010. These targets were revised and updated by the CBD at its 10th Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan, setting new plant conservation goals for 2020.

The Global Partnership for Plant Conservation brings together a wide range of international, regional and national organizations in order to contribute to the implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) worldwide. To help nations meet the targets of the GSPC, this consortium of international and national plant and conservation agencies was formed in 2004. The Partnership is working to support national implementation and the GSPC, and to provide tools and resources on how each country can plan and act to meet the targets. The GSPC was included by the Convention on Biological Diversity as part of the flexible coordination mechanism of the GSPC and plays a significant role in helping to monitor and promote GSPC implementation. A Secretariat for the Partnership is hosted by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). The Missouri Botanical Garden is a member of the GPPC. www.plants2020.net

With scientists working in 38 countries on six continents around the globe, the Missouri Botanical Garden has one of the largest plant science programs in the world. Its mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” The Garden focuses its work on areas that are rich in biodiversity yet threatened by habitat destruction, and operates the world’s most active research and training programs in tropical botany. Garden scientists collaborate with local institutions, schools and indigenous peoples to understand plants, create awareness, offer alternatives and craft conservation strategies. The Missouri Botanical Garden is striving for a world that can sustain us without sacrificing prosperity for future generations, a world where people share a commitment to managing biological diversity for the common benefit. Today, 156 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display. Opportunities for conference participants to visit facilities at the Missouri Botanical Garden will be provided, including the Herbarium, Library and living collections.