SAINT LOUIS, MO — Food, medicines, fiber, building materials and a variety of other commercially valuable products and necessary services are all provided by plants. Habitat loss, plant overharvesting, invasive species spread, climate change and other human activities, on the other hand, are having a huge negative influence on plants and their ecosystems.
Since many new plant species are discovered each year, there is no question that many more are still waiting to be discovered, and that many are being lost forever before we have a chance to uncover, study and use their potential. Many more are in danger of extinction because they have been identified but have not yet been evaluated for their valuable qualities using current procedures.
There has probably never been a greater pressing need in human history to discover, understand, conserve and sustainably use the plant resources that are essential to human survival.
The Missouri Botanical Garden focuses on useful plants and the interrelationships between people, plants and the environment when it comes to plant conservation. The William L. Brown Center (WLBC), the Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development (CCSD) and the Madagascar Program are all aiming to discover and utilize the potential in plants before their genetic resources are lost to extinction, as well as conserving this wealth of resources.
The Garden contributes to the discovery of new plant products with global nutritional or medicinal benefits through several projects. Simultaneously, the Garden works with local people to protect biodiversity-rich places, while also maintaining and renewing traditional knowledge of valuable plants for the benefit of these communities and humanity.
This is original content from NewsBreak’s Creator Program. Join today to publish and share your own content.