Arabian Plant Specialist Group - APSG

The overall idea of identifying the Important Plant Areas (IPA) in a region is primarily to conserve the existing genetic pool and also to prevent the ecosystem from external influences. The Global Plant Conservation Strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity requires national governments all over the world to ensure that 50% of the areas important for plants in their country are protected by 2010. The IPA programme offers a means of identifying those areas important for plants and assessing how many of them are already protected under existing systems such as national parks, reserves, etc., and how many need more protection.