The Top 50 Mediterranean island plants : wild plants at the brink of extinction, and what is needed to save them (Greek version)

The objective of this study is to develop a vision for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Aoos River Basin, including improving the effectiveness of management and coordination of local protected areas, and develop a roadmap for the final designation of a protected area in accordance with IUCN standards for protected area classification. Key components of the study include analyses of threats to identified environmental values in the Aoos River Basin and supporting activities for expansion or establishment of a protected area in currently unprotected portions of the Aoos River Basin.

A regional workshop was held to develop a shared understanding of the IUCN global Red List criteria, threat categories and the process of listing species according to the threat of extinction with an emphasis on lessons learned, key constraints and priority needs. The report presents country status reports from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, plus conclusions and recommendations.

The eastern African coastal strip contains a tiny chain of patches of lowland tropical dry forest. They were previously considered to be of low conservation priority in terms of endemism and species diverstiy, but research since the mid-1980s has shown that their biological richness is comparable to other important tropical forest types in Africa. This book defines these “Coastal Forests”, describes the physical environment which influences their formation, and summarises the latest available information on their species diversity and levels of endemism. Human impact on these forests is considered against current conservation efforts and needs. Finally, new proposals are put forward to ensure that the future of these forests is safe

These species, a group of about 150 ground-dwelling gamebird, are found on every continent apart from Antarctica. They live in a wide variety of habitats from tropical forests, high-altitude alpine zones, temperate forests, open country, to desert environment. Although widespread, little is known of the species occuring outside Europe and North America, but several species are considered at grave risk of extinction. Since publication of the first action plan in 1995 a large increase in the amount and quality of conservation work has taken place. This document provides an update on the current situation, identifies the most threatened species with this group, prioritises conservation action needed, and outlines project briefs for the most urgent cases

Bryophytes are of great importance in their ecosystems and for human well-being. They stabilise soil crust through colonisation of bare grounds and rocks; they are essential in nutrient recycling, biomass production, and carbon fixing; they control water through an effective retention mechanism; and they have economic value as peat for fuel, horticulture, oil absorption, and as sources of a wide variety of chemical compounds. Bryophytes have long been used for medicinal purposes and provide a food-source for reindeer, geese, ducks, sheep, musk-ox, lemmings, and other rodents. Threats include deforestation, cultivation of forests, reclamation of land, urbanisation, roads, dam-building, mining, drainage of wetlands and over-grazing. This plan reviews the situation world-wide and proposes a variety of initiatives. It is aimed at those who work with and care about nature conservation, including governmental and non-governmental organisations as well as politicians and the general interested public.