Integrated plant conservation

China’s experience offers adaptable biodiversity governance models for the Global South

Plant diversity is facing unprecedented pressure worldwide. According to the first Global Tree Assessment published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, approximately 38 percent of the world’s tree species are threatened with extinction. For many countries across the Global South, the challenge is particularly acute. Rapid economic development, competing land use pressures, limited conservation resources and the increasing impacts of climate change create difficult choices about how biodiversity can be protected while supporting human well-being.

Yet conservation is not the exclusive domain of wealthy nations. Over the past several decades, China has demonstrated that meaningful progress can be achieved through long-term commitment, strategic investment and strong partnerships. Through Botanic Gardens Conservation International’s (BGCI) collaboration with Chinese botanical gardens, research institutions, local authorities and conservation practitioners, we have witnessed the development of an approach that offers valuable lessons for countries facing similar challenges.

One of the most important lessons is that effective conservation requires integration. Historically, conservation efforts often focused on a single intervention, whether protecting remaining wild populations, establishing ex-situ or outside-the-original-location collections, or undertaking restoration activities. Increasingly, however, experience shows that these approaches are most successful when combined.

The conservation of Magnolia omeiensis illustrates this principle well. Since the species was rediscovered in the late 1980s, conservation efforts have involved extensive field surveys, ex-situ collections, propagation and reintroduction. Through collaboration between BGCI and the Emeishan Botanical Garden, new wild populations were identified, thousands of seedlings propagated and plants reintroduced to suitable habitats. In 2025, one of the reintroduced trees flowered significantly earlier than expected, demonstrating the value of long-term, coordinated conservation action. The success was not the result of a single intervention, but of a connected process linking research, conservation collections, propagation expertise and field implementation.

This integrated approach is increasingly reflected within China’s wider conservation framework. The development of national biodiversity strategies, updates to protected species legislation and the establishment of a national botanical garden system all demonstrate how conservation can move beyond individual projects and become embedded within national planning. This institutional support is critical because plant conservation is inherently long-term. Many threatened species require decades of sustained effort before measurable recovery can be achieved.

Another important lesson from China’s experience is the value of applied research in guiding action. Conservation resources are limited in every country, making it essential that interventions are informed by evidence rather than assumptions. Restoration and conservation cannot be reduced to simply planting trees. Successful outcomes depend on understanding species biology, habitat requirements, genetic diversity and the social and economic context in which conservation takes place. Across China, conservation programs increasingly combine ecological research with practical implementation. This emphasis on generating and applying knowledge before scaling up interventions helps avoid costly mistakes and increases the likelihood of long-term success. For many countries in the Global South, where resources are often stretched, investing in research and planning at the outset can provide significant returns over time.

China’s growing role in regional and international conservation cooperation also highlights the importance of knowledge exchange. Conservation challenges rarely stop at national borders. Many threatened plant groups occur across multiple countries and require coordinated action.

A good example is the conservation of dipterocarps, the dominant tree family of Southeast Asian tropical rainforests. These species are ecologically important and economically valuable, yet many are under increasing threat. In 2025, researchers and conservation practitioners from across Asia gathered in China for the Global Conservation Symposium for Dipterocarps. The meeting brought together expertise from multiple countries, identified shared priorities and strengthened regional collaboration. Such initiatives demonstrate how countries can move from being participants in conservation efforts to becoming regional centers for knowledge sharing and capacity development.

At the heart of all successful conservation, however, are people. Conservation outcomes are most durable when local communities are involved as active participants rather than passive beneficiaries. Building local capacity, supporting livelihoods and fostering a sense of stewardship are essential components of effective conservation programs.

This principle is evident in the conservation work for Euryodendron excelsum, one of China’s most threatened tree species. Through collaboration between BGCI and the South China National Botanical Garden, local stakeholders were engaged through training programs, technical workshops and participatory conservation activities. Practical skills such as seedling propagation, planting and post-planting management were shared with local communities, helping to strengthen both conservation outcomes and local ownership. This emphasis on capacity building extends far beyond individual projects. Through partnerships across China, BGCI has supported conservation initiatives for dozens of threatened tree species, trained conservation practitioners, and engaged students from rural schools and community members from remote mountainous areas in conservation education. Investing in people creates the foundation upon which long-term conservation success depends.

Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of China’s conservation journey has been the development of its botanical garden network. Today, China’s nearly 200 botanical gardens collectively represent one of the largest plant conservation infrastructures in the world. These institutions function as much more than public green spaces. They serve as centers for research, conservation, education, restoration, and capacity building. For other countries in the Global South, botanical gardens represent a particularly effective investment. They provide a permanent institutional base for conservation activities, maintain living collections and seed banks, support restoration programs and create opportunities for public engagement. Importantly, they also act as hubs that connect local conservation efforts to national and international networks.

Through BGCI’s global network, botanical gardens in China are linked with institutions across more than 100 countries. These connections facilitate the exchange of expertise, data and conservation resources, helping to strengthen collective action for plant conservation worldwide. The broader lesson emerging from China’s experience is that conservation success depends on a combination of long-term planning, strong institutions, applied research, community engagement and international cooperation, which is a framework that can be adapted rather than simply copied. Global South countries often face different economic realities, governance structures and development priorities. Solutions must therefore be adapted to local contexts, but China’s experience offers a valuable example because many of the challenges it has faced are shared by other developing nations. This work in China demonstrates that plant conservation can progress alongside economic development when supported by appropriate policies, partnerships and investment.

The partnership between BGCI and Chinese colleagues has reinforced another important principle: International cooperation is most effective when it is built on mutual learning. While BGCI contributes global expertise, international standards and opportunities for collaboration, Chinese institutions contribute practical experience, innovation and lessons derived from implementing conservation at scale. Both sides benefit from the exchange. As global biodiversity loss accelerates, there is an urgent need for conservation approaches that are practical, scalable and relevant to the realities facing countries across the Global South. China’s experience demonstrates that such approaches are possible. Through sustained commitment, strong institutions, botanical garden networks and investment in people and knowledge, significant progress can be achieved.

The author is the secretary general of Botanic Gardens Conservation International.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.