the Red List of the flora of Cuba
reporting the conservation status of 4627 native plant species
the Conservation Status of 60% of Cuban Plants is now known
this is a first step for protecting one of the richest island floras in the world
The red list will be fundamental … to define priorities, guidelines and policies for the conservation of threatened plants… in the island.
Luis Gonzalez Torres, Chair
IUCN/SSC Cuban Plant Specialist Group
Main outcomes of the Red List
After analyzing more than 60% of all Cuban plant species, it is concluded that almost 50% of Cuban plants are endangered by extinction.
The main threats affecting the conservation situation of Cuban plants are associated to human activities. The most common ones are are invasive alien species, deforestation, fragmentation, livestock, forestry and agriculture.
Conservation actions should continue increasing connectivity of natural areas, protected or not.
Current management practices of naturally areas covered by bushes or native grasslands of high endemism should improve.
The Red List project was supported by the National Botanic Garden, the Cuban Environmental Agency, the National Centre for Protected Areas, the Cuban Botanical Society, Planta!, the Whitley Fund for Nature, the MBZ Species Conservation Fund, and the project “Connecting Landscapes” – Global Environmental Fund / United Nations Development Programme.