To deliver Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, we have secured 86% of Scotland's threatened plant species in ex situ collections.

We maintain a living collection of rare and threatened plant species, sampled from meticolously documented wild populations. Each species is represented by a spectrum of genetic diversity from its remaining wild relatives, which can be bulked-up to form the raw material for ecosystem restoration. Additionally, we carry out experimental work to understand the fitness of these plants, performing experiments to ensure that translocated populations will be resilient and have the best chance of coping with future environmental change. To find out more, see our Conservation Genetics pages.