Rare plant conservation in local authority parks and recreation departments

Abstract

Giyen the current world-wide interest in the conservation of threatened species this writer believes that, in New Zealand, Local Authority Parks and Recreation Departments (hereafter referred to as P.R.D.) have a conservation role to play. In particular this is so of those departments which have a botanic garden, a native plant reserve or a native plant domain under their jurisdiction. In fact, P.R.D.s are well placed to undertake the cultivation and propagation of threatened plants. For instance, they have generally speaking, propagation facilities, growing on facilities and skilled horticultural staff. In addition they often have a wide range of habitats within the bounds of their city in which to cultivate a diverse range of plant species. As yet, however, little systematic knowledge has been gathered on the work of New Zealand P.R.D. s in the conservation of threatened species, so that the material discussed in this dissertation is timely and also represents an original documentation of the present situation. At the time of writing however, there does not appear to be any well researched study on the conservation role of organisations like the P.R.D.s operated by the larger local authorities in this country. It is this topic then which is explored in the present dissertation, and is developed in terms of three principal objectives. These are - i) to define the role of P.R.D.s in rare plant conservation, ii) to identify factors which limit the contribution of P.R.D.s to a programme of rare plant conservation, and iii) to identify which P.R.D.s are best equipped to make a positive contribution to rare plant conservation.