Plant Conservation in Colombia: interdisciplinary approaches for the protection of useful plant species
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
Plants underpin all terrestrial ecosystems on earth, yet two in five species globally are at risk of extinction. While Colombia is the world's second most biodiverse country, large knowledge gaps remain in understanding its biodiversity, with new conservation opportunities and challenges rapidly emerging following the 2016 Peace Agreement (Morales, 2017). This thesis aims to apply mixed methods to investigate the conservation of useful plants in Colombia - species with reported human uses.
First, an evaluation of the conservation-through-use concept is undertaken, highlighting key themes in the sustainable use of wild plants in the region (Kor et al., 2021). The second part of the thesis uses biogeographical methods to highlight conservation gaps (Kor et al., 2022) and identify potential Important Plant Areas (IPA) for useful plants - the first time this global programme is applied at a national level in Colombia. A case-study approach is then taken to evaluate how data generated from scientific knowledge compares to local knowledge on useful plants in Otanche, Bahia Solano and Becerril. Finally, a global review of IPAs is conducted, identifying lessons learnt and providing recommendations for conservation. Results of this interdisciplinary research are significant both in Colombia as the country pursues bioeconomic growth, and globally, complementing strategies which increasingly recognise biodiversity's importance for "planet and people" (CBD, 2021).
First, an evaluation of the conservation-through-use concept is undertaken, highlighting key themes in the sustainable use of wild plants in the region (Kor et al., 2021). The second part of the thesis uses biogeographical methods to highlight conservation gaps (Kor et al., 2022) and identify potential Important Plant Areas (IPA) for useful plants - the first time this global programme is applied at a national level in Colombia. A case-study approach is then taken to evaluate how data generated from scientific knowledge compares to local knowledge on useful plants in Otanche, Bahia Solano and Becerril. Finally, a global review of IPAs is conducted, identifying lessons learnt and providing recommendations for conservation. Results of this interdisciplinary research are significant both in Colombia as the country pursues bioeconomic growth, and globally, complementing strategies which increasingly recognise biodiversity's importance for "planet and people" (CBD, 2021).
People |
ORCID iD |
Terence Dawson (Primary Supervisor) | |
Laura Kor (Student) |
Publications
Diazgranados, M
(2022)
Catalogue of Useful Plants of Colombia
Kor L
(2021)
Sustainability of wild plant use in the Andean Community of South America.
in Ambio
Kor, L.
(2022)
Useful Plants of Colombia
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NE/S007229/1 | 30/09/2019 | 29/09/2028 | |||
2235788 | Studentship | NE/S007229/1 | 30/09/2019 | 30/12/2023 | Laura Kor |
Description | SSPP Small Grants |
Amount | £250 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2021 |
End | 06/2022 |
Description | Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia |
Organisation | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Research and analyses contributing to the conservation research question of the Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia Project. |
Collaborator Contribution | Supervisory support, research network including in-country contacts in Colombia, and financial support for fieldwork. |
Impact | Publication in Ambio, book chapter in an upcoming publication entitled the Catalogue of Useful Plants of Colombia. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Academic presentation at Botany 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation entitled "Plant Conservation in Colombia: Integrating ecological approaches and local knowledge for the protection of useful plant species" at the annual conference of the Botanical Society of America. This was hosted virtually, allowing the sharing of ideas related to people working on a range of botanical topics from around the world. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | http://2020.botanyconference.org/botany-2020-conference-organizers.html |
Description | Academic presentation at ICCB 2021 (International Conference for Conservation Biology) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation given on "Integrating social and ecological approaches to conserve useful plant species in Colombia through the Important Plant Area approach". The ICCB is a global forum for addressing conservation challenges and for presenting new research in conservation science and practice, hosted by the Society for Conservation Biology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Blog for SRUK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Wrote a blog post for the society of Spanish Researchers in the UK called "Plant conservation: the basis of life on earth". Published in April 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://sruk.org.uk/plant-conservation-the-basis-of-life-on-earth/ |
Description | Interview for magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was interviewed for the British Ecological Society magazine, The Niche. This resulted in a colouring page being produced based on my research which was published in the December 2021 issue of the magazine and sent to its 5,000 members. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://twitter.com/Hana_SciArt/status/1468612072439267333 |
Description | Interview on BBC Radio Gloucestershire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Following participation on a panel at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Laura Kor was interviewed by BBC Radio Gloucestershire on the topic of conservation. This focused on plants and potential local level conservation actions. It was broadcast on several programmes several in the following week, spreading general awareness on the issues of conservation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Panel Discussion at Cheltenham Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I was invited to speak on a panel at the Cheltenham Science Festival on the topic of conservation. There were approximately 40 members of the public who attended in person, with the event also streamed live on-line, with a further 20 people watching. This resulted in being invited for a radio interview on BBC Gloucester and to collaborate on a piece in the British Ecological Society magazine. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science-/ |
Description | Panel Event as part of the ESRC Social Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A panel event was co-organised by project members Terry Dawson and Laura Kor, and King's College London colleague Maud Borie, focusing on the question "Are protected areas the future of conservation". This was open to the public and hosted both in-person and online featuring a series of presentations followed by a Q&A session. Over 50 people attended with high participation in the Q&A and subsequent networking event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presentation at ATBC 2022 Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Talk on "Threats to useful plants in Colombia in the light of local knowledge" at the conference of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation held in Cartagena, Colombia in July 2022. Live audience of about 30 people with more attending online. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |