United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies Third National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

9. 
   ◊ Has your country developed a plan to implement the suggested actions as annexed to decision IV/1? (decision IV/1)
   

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but a plan is under development
   

3. 
   Yes, a plan is in place (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, reports on implementation available (please provide details below)
   

9. 
   ◊ Is your country investing on a long-term basis in the development of appropriate infrastructure for your national taxonomic collections? (decision IV/1)
   

9. 
   ◊ Does your country provide training programmes in taxonomy and work to increase its capacity of taxonomic research? (decision IV/1)
   

Work is also being undertaken to increase capacity for delivery of national species action plans. For example, using funding provided by the Welsh Assembly Government, taxonomic training to support the BAP is being provided by the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.

9. 
   ◊ Has your country taken steps to ensure that institutions responsible for biological diversity inventories and taxonomic activities are financially and administratively stable? (decision IV/1)
   

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   No, but collaborative programmes are under development
   

3. 
   Yes, some collaborative programmes are being implemented (please provide details about collaborative programmes, including results of regional needs assessments)
   

4. 
   Yes, comprehensive collaborative programmes are being implemented (please provide details about collaborative programmes, including results of regional needs assessment and priority identification)
   

The International Conifer Conservation programme of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh integrates in situ with ex situ conservation, through horticulture, scientific research, and training in the UK and abroad. This involves research on species and genetic diversity (Araucaria spp. in New Caledonia www.rbge.org.uk/rbge/web/science/research/biodiversity/arauc.jsp), conservation of forest in Vietnam through training and capacity building including the production of identification guides (www.rbge.org.uk/rbge/web/science/research/biodiversity/vietnamconifers.jsp), and forest conservation in Chile.

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, basic assessment made (please provide below a list of needs and capacities identified)
   

3. 
   Yes, thorough assessment made (please provide below a list of needs and capacities identified)
   

30. 
     Is your country working on regional or global capacity building to support access to, and generation of, taxonomic information in collaboration with other Parties? (annex to decision VI/8)
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, relevant programmes are under development
   

3. 
   Yes, some activities are being undertaken for this purpose (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, many activities are being undertaken for this purpose (please provide details below)
   

Scientists from the National Museums of Liverpool have been instrumental in providing the first-ever comprehensive review and guide to the identification of Ethiopian lizards and an exhaustive review of all the relevant literature for this country. The ultimate aim of this project is to fully assess the status of the lizard fauna, identifying areas in need of further study, species that are most at risk and the requirements for their future conservation.

Scientists from the National Museums of Liverpool have also contributed to the compilation and collation of taxonomic, distributional and ecological data for input to the Global Amphibian Assessment (Africa) Project, sponsored by IUCN, and have also carried out work in collaboration with a visiting researcher (Dr K.T. Mathew) from the University of Kuwait, with the long-term aim of data-sharing with Indian taxonomists and others researching the flora of the Himalayas and southern India.

UK museums and herbaria at all levels are actively involved in the exchange of specimens and information with other taxonomic institutions from across the globe. In the calendar year 2004 to date, The National Museums of Liverpool made 32 loans of natural history material for research purposes involving a total of 8,232 specimens. In the financial year 2002 – 2003 the Natural History Museum, London, loaned out 56,523 specimens for exhibitions and researchers internationally.

30. 
     Has your country developed taxonomic support for the implementation of the programmes of work under the Convention as called upon in decision VI/8? (annex to decision VI/8)
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, for forest biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

3. 
   Yes, for marine and coastal biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, for dry and sub-humid lands (please provide details below)
   

5. 
   Yes, for inland waters biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

6. 
   Yes, for mountain biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

7. 
   Yes, for protected areas (please provide details below)
   

8. 
   Yes, for agricultural biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

9. 
   Yes, for island biodiversity (please provide details below)
   

Botanical staff from the National Museum of Liverpool undertook fieldwork in southern Ireland in the late summer of 2004 in connection with the Flora of West Cork and helped continue long-term monitoring of the flora of several offshore islands. The work is being undertaken in partnership with the Sherkin Island Marine Station.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has recently published The Ethnoflora of the Soqotra Archipelago, by AG Miller & Miranda Morris, 2004, that provides an introduction to all aspects of the Soqotran environment – geography, floristics, vegetation, people’s use of plants and conservation issues - an illustrated key, plant portraits and an encyclopaedia with full plant descriptions, taxonomy, distributions and ethnobotany. This book developed from two programmes of research: a GEF/UNDP/UNOPS programme ‘Conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity of the Soqotra archipelego’ and the UK government’s Darwin Initiative programme ‘Biodiversity inventory of the Soqotra Archipelago’.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has worked with the Macaulay Institute, Scottish Crops Research Institute and University of Edinburgh on a joint project on the biodiversity of montane willows, that explores genetic and species diversity in the willows, and diversity in their associated mycorrhiza and rusts. (http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/willow)

As part of the joint Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh/Scottish Natural Heritage project on Scottish Rare Plants, a survey of Fumaria species is underway; a series of workshops for amateur recorders to provide assistance in determining the identification of Fumaria species, and raise their profile, has helped extend the survey work.

30. 
     Has your country developed taxonomic support for the implementation of the cross-cutting issues under the Convention as called upon in decision VI/8?
    

1. 
   No
   

2. 
   Yes, for access and benefit-sharing (please provide details below)
   

3. 
   Yes, for Article 8(j) (please provide details below)
   

4. 
   Yes, for the ecosystem approach (please provide details below)
   

5. 
   Yes, for impact assessment, monitoring and indicators (please provide details below)
   

6. 
   Yes, for invasive alien species (please provide details below)
   

7. 
   Yes, for others (please provide details below)
   

30. 
    ◊ On Article 8(i), has your country endeavored to provide the conditions needed for compatibility between present uses and the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of its components?
    

30. 
    ◊ On Article 8(k), has your country developed or maintained the necessary legislation and/or other regulatory provisions for the protection of threatened species and populations?
    

30. 
    ◊ On Article 8(l), does your country regulate or manage processes and categories of activities identified under Article 7 as having significant adverse effects on biological diversity?
    

1. 
   outcomes and impacts of actions taken;
   
2. 
   contribution to the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan of the Convention;
   
3. 
   contribution to progress towards the 2010 target;
   
4. 
   progress in implementing national biodiversity strategies and action plans;
   
5. 
   contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;
   
6. 
   constraints encountered in implementation