The role of the International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP)

The International Conifer Conservation Programme was established at the RBGE in 1991. It combines taxonomic, conservation, genetic and horticultural research with international capacity building to further conifer conservation.

Over the last 27 years we have worked in more than 50 countries around the world, focussing on Chile, New Caledonia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, China and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Our activities cover all aspects of conservation including basic inventory work in poorly known or remote areas, the establishment of new protected areas, restoration of degraded forests and depleted populations, programmes for sustainable utilisation, ex-situ conservation, propagation and basic taxonomic research describing new species and revising poorly known groups such as the Podocarpaceae using both traditional and modern taxonomic methods. We also coordinate the work of the IUCN's Conifer Specialist Group and the Conifer Redlist Authority.

We use taxonomic, conservation, genetic and horticultural research coupled with capacity building to promote conifer conservation globally.

Key contact: Hannah Wilson