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<p>The conservation work carried out by Plant Heritage to ensure the resilience of
garden plants to environmental and societal change, makes an important contribution
to HM Government’s plans to tackle biodiversity loss. There are currently over 650
registered and documented plant collections containing around 95,000 specimens under
the auspices of Plant Heritage. Defra supports Plant Heritage alongside other organisations
that hold plant collections, such as the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, which is a Defra
non-departmental public body whose work aligns closely with the objectives of Plant
Heritage. The National Collections held at Kew include species and cultivars grown
for scientific research as well as ornamental display. They include genera such as
bananas, important for their potential to safeguard food security through genetic
diversification, and Betula, one of our most attractive garden trees. These collections
form the basis for innovative interpretation and a vast programme of training and
education. They come from a range of global locations and may offer valuable indications
of which species could be fit and functional in the long term, in the face of biotic
and abiotic threats. For example, incorporation of the genus Nothofagus (southern
beech) into our tree planting programmes could help to ensure well-functioning future
woodlands. With biodiversity disappearing at an unprecedented rate, the National Plant
Collections and organisations such as Plant Heritage have an important role to play
in the achievement of HM Government’s biodiversity ambitions.</p>
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