The Modena Botanic Garden: Plant Conservation and Habitat Management Strategies

The Botanic Garden of Modena (Northern Italy) was founded in 1758 by Duke Francesco III d’Este. Its original functions of “Hortus simplicium” evolved over more than two centuries of its academic history, until its present structure. Today, like the majority of the University Botanic Gardens in Italy, the Modena Botanic Garden is involved in several projects for plant conservation and ecosystem management that are compliant with the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Even if its original location in the centre of the town does not permit enlargement or structural modifications, it does, however, greatly help the education activities carried out in the Garden, while the conservation activities are developed outside the Garden by means of numerous co-operations with Parks, natural reserves and other administrative bodies or institutions. The Botanic Garden of Modena recently started various in situ/ex situ integrated conservation projects with Parks and other land-managing institutions. Even if such projects involve only a limited number of Endangered and/or Vulnerable species/populations, some interesting and noticeable results have been achieved. Plantlets (e.g. indigenous Orchidaceae) are often obtained by the way of non-conventional techniques such as in vitro culture. Co-operation with local Museums has provided interesting sources for future action: the collections that they preserve are mostly related to circumscribed local areas or well-defined periods, so they are the source of fundamental information about past situations. Investigation on flora and vegetation and the monitoring of plants and plant communities, carried out in protected areas, cooperating with the National Forestry Service, is a very important source of knowledge to improve conservation and verify the effectiveness of conservation actions.