XVI International Botanical Congess

A pillar of IUCN, the SSC is a network of scientists and conservationists providing technical advice for IUCN policy, recommendations (e.g., Action Plans), Guidelines, and Red Lists. Over 50 years the Commission has developed from a handful of people to over 7000 members. This paper examines strengths and weaknesses of this network in relation to the IUCN/WWF Centres of Plant Diversity (CPD) project, which identified 234 sites of global plant importance. With these sites identified, conservation action must now be prioritized and promoted. Networks are of use only when the collective knowledge of many people results in a stronger product than any one person could accomplish alone. However, not even one network can conserve the plants and sites listed in the CPD project, thus strategic alliances and partnerships, along with priorities for strengthening the SSC network, are discussed. The need for strengthening networks in the Indian Ocean (a highly threatened Centre of Plant Diversity) to achieve maximum conservation action is given as a model for other parts of the world.