Mediterranean Plants Conservation Week
Monday 7 – Friday 11 April 2025
Limassol, Cyprus
Bursary report by Katarzyna Litwa
My fascination with Mediterranean flora started many years ago when I first travelled around Spain and Portugal. Since I have started my Diploma at RBG Kew I have been trying to learn as much as possible about plants from the Mediterranean collections and related conservation issues. I chose to attend the Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week to expand my knowledge of the conservation horticulture and Mediterranean flora.
My main objectives were to learn about the in-situ and ex-situ plant conservation; to understand more about the restoration and management of Mediterranean habitats and ecosystems; to improve my broad plant conservation and horticulture knowledge, but also to visit natural habitats around Limassol, Cyprus.
As a mature student, I have limited opportunities for obtaining bursaries that would help me expand my experience outside my current diploma studies. I would like to say thank you to Mediterranean Plants and Gardens for partially funding my travel. I am very grateful for the financial help which enabled me to attend the Congress.
The Congress was held at Limassol, Cyprus; the sessions were split into 10 thematic areas:
I. In situ, ex situ and integrated plant diversity conservation
II. Agriculture, pastoralism, and forest management in plant conservation
III. Restoration and management of Mediterranean habitats and ecosystems
IV. Climatic crisis and plant diversity
V. Plant conservation priorities within protected areas and IPAs in the Mediterranean
VI. Genetic tools and bioinformatics for plant conservation
VII. Plant conservation in Environmental Education and enhancement of environmental awareness
VIII. Participation of civil society in conservation projects
IX. Plant conservation and cultural heritage – networking with civilization, history, and archaeology
X. Approaches and techniques for combating alien and invasive plant species
Day 1
After arriving in Limassol and settling in at the accommodation, I went on to explore the Municipal Garden and the variety of eucalyptuses, pines and cypresses growing in a lush green setting of the public park.
Limassol Municipal Garden
The Congress started in the late afternoon with a formal opening ceremony and registration. It was followed by a couple of plenary talks; ‘The Flora of Cyprus’ by Charalambos Christodoulou and ‘Small reserves: A new breath of life for wild plants’ by Emilio Laguna.
Opening panel
Charalambos Christodoulou is a graduate of the Cyprus Forestry (1988) and the National School of Forestry, University of Central Lancashire (2003). In 2015, he obtained a PhD in Systematic Conservation Planning, at the University of Reading, focusing on the design of reserve areas using threatened species. In his professional career he has been intensively involved with the study of the flora and vegetation of the island, the establishment and organisation of the Department of Forests’ Herbarium, the in- and ex-situ conservation of threatened and/or endemic plant species, as well as the restoration of important habitats and the management of protected areas.
Emilio Laguna (Valencia, Spain, 1961) is a PhD biologist specialising in plant conservation. Since 1986, he has worked with the regional government of the Valencian Community (Generalitat Valenciana). He currently serves as the technical director of the Centre for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF) and was previously head of the Plant Conservation Section within the Regional Wildlife Service. Dr. Laguna is widely recognized as a pioneer in conceptualising and implementing the technical and legal framework for “Plant Micro-Reserves” (PMRs). He initiated the first PMR network in the Valencian region, which now comprises over 300 legally protected sites.
Day 2
Tuesday started with Session I (In situ, ex situ and integrated plant diversity conservation) which included 12 short talks by a variety of speakers. Some of the most interesting presentations were ‘Integrated Conservation approach for endemic species in Lebanon’; ‘Floral Biodiversity and conservation of wetlands in the Jordan Valley’; ‘Ex situ seed conservation of the native flora of Greece’ and ‘How can we help a threatened plant species to survive a case study of Cardamine serbica’.
Cardamine serbica (picture provided by RBG, Kew)
Talks
Session II (Agriculture, pastoralism, and forest management in plant conservation) included eight talks with the most interesting being ‘Threats and conservation strategies for wild flora in Trentino related to land management’.
In the afternoon, during Session III (Restoration and management of Mediterranean habitats and ecosystems) 10 presentations were delivered by different speakers. A variety of topics was covered, including ‘Ecological restoration in the Mediterranean region: Living the tipping point’; ‘Enhancement and creation of suitable habitats for pollinators through the selection of seeds of native Mediterranean species’; and ‘Old-growth forests and flora conservation in Menorca’.
Throughout the day, over 40 posters were available to view, each related to a different topic, project or region.
Day 3
On Wednesday, there was time to either take a break or attend an optional field trip. This field trip offered a chance to explore the habitats and endemic species of the Troodos National Forest Park. The itinerary included three stops, followed by a choice of hiking trails.
The first stop was a brief visit to the Moufflon Enclosure at Platania, which is a fenced area that houses a small herd of Cyprus moufflons (Ovis gmelini ophion), which is a type of wild sheep that is endemic to the island. The enclosure was created by the Department of Forests, along with other governmental departments, to provide a safe and natural habitat for the animals and to allow visitors to observe them in their ‘natural’ environment.
Cyprus moufflon (Ovis gmelini ophion)
After the Moufflon Enclosure the group moved to the Troodos Botanical Garden. ‘A.G. Leventis’ is in Troodos National Forest Park, within the boundaries of the old Amiantos asbestos mine, at an altitude of 1400 m. It is one of the three botanic gardens established by the Department of Forests. The Garden aims towards the conservation and promotion of the Island’s botanical heritage, focusing on Troodos’ native flora. The Garden includes a visitors’ centre, a herbarium and a seed bank.
Botanical Garden ‘AG Leventis’
The next stop: Almyrolivado: Exploring the Troodos Peat Grasslands. A visit at Almyrolivado provides an up-close look at the unique habitat type of ‘Peat Grasslands of Troodos’ (6460), a rare and endemic habitat type teeming with specialized flora and fauna. This habitat type is in two adjacent areas in Troodos Natural Forest Park (Almyrolivado and Livadi tou Pashia), where depressions are formed, the substrate keeps its moisture all over the year and is characterised by endangered endemic and other important plant species.
Following the main stops, participants could choose between two hiking trails: Caledonia Falls Trail and Artemis Trail.
Caledonia Falls Trail descends from Troodos Square to ‘Psilo Dentro’ (1600 m to 1200 m elevation) and follows the ‘Kryos Potamos’ River, where water flows all year round. The path winds through dense forests of black pine and transitions to Calabrian pine at lower altitudes.
The route is constantly downhill or uphill depending on where you start. The greatest part of the trail passes through a dense forest and follows a route along the Kryos Potamos River, where water flows permanently. The entire route is in Troodos National Forest Park, which is a Natura 2000 area. The vegetation is entirely natural, rich and very dense. Hygrophilous vegetation, comprised of planes, alders and ivy, dominates along the riverbed. Black pines (Pinus nigra) cover the mountain slopes at higher altitudes and are gradually replaced by the Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) at lower altitudes. Other common species found on the mountain slopes are the strawberry tree (Arbutus andrachne), barberry (Berberis cretica), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and the endemic golden oak (Quercus alnifolia). There are many endemic plants along the route, including Cyprus rock-cress (Arabis purpurea), Troodos sage (Salvia willeana) and Aphrodite’s spurge (Euphorbia veneris).
Pinus nigra
Quercus alnifolia
Arabis purpurea
Day 4
Thursday was time to go back inside for more talks. The morning session concentrated on climatic crisis and plant diversity. A variety of issues were presented during eight short talks including for example ‘The climatic crisis and its impact on plant diversity in the Mediterranean basin’; ‘Brewing crisis: forecasting the future of endemic mountain tea’ or ‘How climate relict trees cope with the Mediterranean climate’.
After a coffee break, Session V (Plant conservation priorities within protected areas and IPAs in the Mediterranean) brought presentation on ‘Harnessing Plant Diversity to Advance Key Biodiversity Areas in the Mediterranean’; ‘Assessment of the effectiveness of Natural Protected Areas for the conservation’ and ‘Plant conservation in the Mediterranean’.
The afternoon sessions VI and VIII concentrated on the genetic tools and bioinformatics for plant conservation (VI) and participation of civil society in conservation projects (VIII).
Talks
In the evening, a second poster session took place with another great collection of projects. Some examples of posters were: Abies cephalonica: a 10-year monitoring study of cone production in Parnitha National Park (Attica, Greece); Enhancing Resilience of the Akrotiri Salt lake ecosystem – The ARISE project; Conservation and Evaluation of Fruit and Forestry Tree Genetic Resources in Sardinia; Rare and threatened plants of arable land: results from a recent study in the plains of Thiva; Biological control of Opuntia ficus-indica by means of the dispersion of Dactylopius opuntiae in the Cap de Creus Natural Park – LIFE medCLIFFS project; Impact of pine forest soil and herbivory on Quercus ilex L. acorns: a case study from Giglio Island (Tuscany, Italy).
Posters
Day 5
Session VII was held in the morning and focused on plant conservation in environmental education and enhancement of environmental awareness. After a short coffee break, Session IX (Plant conservation and cultural heritage – networking with civilization, history, and archaeology) presented very interesting talks, including: ‘Entangled Destiny: Trees & People of the Mediterranean’; ‘The role of archaeological sites in plant conservation: a first look at the Mediterranean panorama’; ‘Ethnobotanical Heritage and Flora Conservation in the Barroso Ecoregion’ and ‘Conservation actions for rare and threatened plants found in archaeological sites – Examples of actions on the island of Crete – Greece’. After another coffee break, the last Session (X) discussed approaches and techniques for combating alien and invasive plant species. The Congress ended with awards and a closing ceremony.
Summary
The Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week aims to bring together specialists and enthusiasts in the research and management of nature, focusing on the conservation of wild plants and their habitats around the Mediterranean. It served as a forum for sharing experiences from different regions around the Mediterranean. The variety of research was presented through oral presentations and posters, covering topics such as ecological science, citizen science, local involvement, and sustainable management of plant resources.
Troodos Mountains