The Modena Botanic Garden: plant conservation and habitat management strategies

The Botanic Garden of Modena (Northern Italy) was founded in 1758 by the Duke Francesco III d’Este. Its original functions of “Hortus simplicium” evolved along more than two century of Academic history, until the actual structure. Today, as the majority of the University Botanic Garden in Italy, the Modena Botanic Garden is endorsed in several projects of plants conservation and ecosystem managements that are compliant with the Global Strategy for Plants Conservation. Even if its original location in the centre of the town does not permit enlargement of the area or structural modifications, however, greatly helps the education activities carried out in the Garden, while the conservation activities are developed outside the Garden by means of numerous cooperation with Parks, natural reserves and other administrative bodies or institutions. The Botanic Garden of Modena recently started different in situ/ex situ integrated conservation projects together Parks and other land-managing institutions. Even if such projects involves only a limited number of endangered and/or vulnerable species/populations, however some interesting and noticeable results had been achieved. Plantlets are often obtained by the way of non-conventional techniques, such as in vitro cultures (for example indigenous Orchidaceae).Cooperation with local Museums gave interesting sources for future actions: the collections that they preserve are mostly related to circumscribed local areas or well defined periods, so they are the source of fundamental information about past situations.Investigation on flora and vegetation and the monitoring of plants and plants communities, carried out in protected areas, cooperating with the National Forestry Service, is a very important source of knowledge to improve conservation and verify the effectiveness of conservation actions.