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UdeC Nature Campus Presents Its Ex Situ Collection in London and Strengthens Conservation Alliances

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Representatives from the Universidad de Concepción's Nature Campus participated as keynote speakers at the International Seminar of the Global Consortium for the Conservation of Nothofagus (GCCN), held at the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) office in Kew Gardens, London. The event brought together representatives from Wakehurst Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and other leading plant conservation institutions.

During the session—which included scientific presentations and a guided tour of the living collection of Chilean Nothofagus at Kew Gardens—the Director of UdeC Nature Campus, Dr. Cristian Echeverría Leal, presented the ex situ collection developed in Chile, featuring specimens of ruil (Nothofagus alessandrii), hualo (Nothofagus glauca), and Santiago's oak (Nothofagus macrocarpa), all endemic and threatened species.

"One of the main challenges for botanical gardens worldwide is that very few efforts consider the genetic variability of species in their collections. What we have done at UdeC Nature Campus made a positive impact on attendees, as we are filling a gap in current conservation strategies by representing the genetic diversity of populations within the project's grounds," said Echeverría.

Strategic Alliances for Conservation

This participation aligns with the project's internationalization efforts, which seek to establish partnerships with research centers and botanical gardens across different regions of the world.

"These alliances connect us with global research and teaching networks, integrating us with excellence-driven groups addressing the biodiversity and climate change crisis. The seminar coordinated by Wakehurst Kew and BGCI has allowed us to showcase UdeC Nature Campus's mission on a global scale and create bridges for faculty and student mobility," added the academic.

Echeverría also emphasized the value of technical exchange with top-tier institutions: "We had the privilege of sharing experiences with conservation centers that house the largest number of species in the world and have historically shown interest in Chilean species. The work we do at UdeC Nature Campus holds international relevance."

"Finally, we see an increasingly favorable scenario for strengthening ties with international conservation centers conducting high-level research and running educational programs deeply connected with their local and regional communities."

The Vice-Rector's Office for Institutional Relations and Community Engagement at the Universidad de Concepción highlighted the strategic importance of this milestone. Dr. Ximena Gauché Marchetti, Vice-Rector of the unit, stated: "We especially value the visit made by Director Cristian Echeverría Leal to globally renowned scientific institutions in the UK, which helps promote various internationalization strategies for all our work—extending in this case to our Nature Campus, a project that, as has been stated in different contexts, aspires to become a biocultural legacy for future generations."

"We welcome all exchange experiences and appreciate the strategic advances in internationalization and institutional positioning achieved by UdeC Nature Campus through the presentation of its ex situ Nothofagus collection to Wakehurst, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and BGCI in the UK. This also allows us to learn from other experiences to further enrich this university project."

International Value of Chilean Work

From BGCI, the Plant Conservation Project Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, Noelia Álvarez de Román, acknowledged the unique value of the Chilean proposal. She stated that participating in the project's planning, as well as in the strategy and development of the ex situ collection of threatened Nothofagus, has been enriching.

"The Nothofagus conservation project, carried out by the Nature Campus team, has created exceptionally high-quality ex situ collections, which will contribute not only to ex situ conservation but also to ecological restoration, education, and the dissemination of scientific knowledge about the ecosystemic importance of these species," she said.

"Various lines of work have been addressed to achieve the Nature Campus ex situ collection, from identifying populations and mother plants, characterizing genetic diversity, seed storage, to propagation protocols and the establishment of metacollections in several Chilean and international institutions."

"This rigorous work in research, horticulture, duplication, and outreach meets all the expectations of what invaluable ex situ collections should be. Additionally, all the lessons learned by the team are valuable experiences that should be shared with botanical gardens and other organizations dedicated to the conservation of threatened plants."

Regarding the future of this collaboration, Álvarez noted: "At BGCI, we are very pleased to contribute to the development of Nature Campus. There are many experiences from our global network of botanical gardens that can be shared with Nature Campus and vice versa. We look forward to a highly fruitful collaboration in the coming years."

Collaboration with the Isle of Man

One of the partnerships strengthened during the visit was with The Shuttleworth Botanic Garden, located on the Isle of Man, with which there is a scientific collaboration agreement.

"The presentation of UdeC Nature Campus's work on reference ecosystems and their application in restoration processes demonstrates a highly valuable tool," said Monique McQuillan, Curator of Shuttleworth Botanic Garden.

"The mapping of populations and collaboration with key stakeholders in the conservation of endangered species have already influenced the priorities of the Global Consortium for the Conservation of Nothofagus, which has emphasized genetic studies and the preservation of fragmented populations by representing plants with genetic diversity in ex situ collections," she affirmed.

Regarding future prospects between both institutions, McQuillan added: "Shuttleworth Botanic Garden and UdeC currently have a signed agreement for a collaborative project monitoring the adaptation and responses of Chilean reference ecosystems to the climate on the Isle of Man. This agreement supports scientific research, staff and student exchange opportunities, and the development of the Nature Campus botanical garden."

Source:UdeC News