Biodiversity J
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Naturopa N° 73-1993 * * * Editorial J. Gyurkö 3 • * The new science of synthesis V. Heywood 4 The Council of Europe and biodiversity J. van der Macsen 6 Natural selection T. McNeilly * * * 7 Saving habitats first? N. M. Collins, R. Luxmoore 8 The law M. Chauvet 10 Useful wild plants G. Kleijer 11 Know-how L. A. Withers 12 The carob. An exemplary plant F. Catarino 14 Wild relatives T. Hodgkin 18 In Central Europe H. Wittmann 19 Botanic gardens F. Catarino 20 In Turkey T. Ekim 21 Naturopa is published in English. French, German, Italian, Spanish and In Spain Ii. Vahles 22 Portuguese by the Centre Naturopa of the Council of Europe, In Greece G. Kamari 23 F-67075 Strasbourg Cede.v. The background to some plants R. Lumaret 24 Editor responsible: Ing. Hayo H. Hoekstra A Board for development R. Raymond 25 Conception and editing: Christian Meyer The Twelve and the genetic resources I). Dessylas 26 Special adviser for this issue: Norwegian salmon B. Pettersen 27 Prof. V. H. Heywood Botanic Gardens Conservation Animals too J. Hodges 28 International At the Council of Europe Descanso House 30 199 Kew Road GB-Richmond TW9 3BW Production: Artegraftca Silva s.r.l. Parma, Italy The incredible variety of life Articles may be freely reprinted but it would be appreciated if reference is made to the source and copy sent to the t is certain that we shall never know the ronment, that basic and essential "tool" Centre. The copyright of all photographs true extension of the incredible amount which attempts to restore respect and un- is reserved. Iand variety of life on this earth. Too derstanding of our natural environment, as many species have already disappeared well as the notion that one need not be a and many others are following suit. The opinions expressed in this publica- botanist to love a flower. Perhaps this is part of the natural course of tion are those of the authors and do not events, debatable though this may be. necessarily reflect the views of the Naturopa's second 1994 issue, No. 75, Council of Europe. will be in support of the Fourth Pan- For various reasons, however, man is now European Colloquy on Tourism and becoming aware of the irretrievable loss Environment, to be hosted in Poland, with of species and is trying to maintain and forests as main theme. even to recapture this great "biodiversity". This issue of Naturopa reports on some On the very eve of European Nature outstanding aspects of this relatively new Conservation Year 1995, Naturopa 76 Pages 16-17: discipline - where the Council of Europe will prepare a European-wide apprecia- 1. S. Cordier; 2. G. Baumgart; has also taken up the challenge. tion of this major Council of Europe cam- 3.,5., 8. r. Noto-Campanella; paign. • 4. F. Roubert; 6. W. Zapinski; In 1994, Naturopa will devote its first is- 7. Di Dominico/Panda/Bios; sue to education in the field of the envi- H.H.H. 9. A. Balestreri; 10. W. Lipiec J. Vassilev Editorial urope is the continent where natural here that I am delighted to know that at the the ones of primary importance, for example features have arguably changed to the time of the change of the regime my country the laws on privatisation, on local govern- Ehighest degree in the course of history. was the first to be a party of the Convention ments including restrictions to protect natur- But life has its strengths. Considering Europe in 1990 and since then Bulgaria and Estonia al resources, have been accepted by the as a whole, life forms have sitn'ivecl all these have also followed. I do trust that with a Hungarian Parliament among the first laws. changes but most natural ecosystems which complete future participation of this region, were earlier widespread have become con- an institution of genuine pan-European co- And we have received so much help through fined to "islands". Many species living in operation can be realised in the field of the publications or the colloquium series of isolated residual populations were threat- wildlife conservation. I am glad to see that the Centre Naturopa. but also in the frame of ened by extinction, with some indeed becom- our experts are actively participating in the the PHARE programme or through interna- ing extinct. Certain species which were con- work of teams and the Council of Europe is tional organisations and in bilateral co-op- sidered as man's direct rivals (such as the turning with an increasing attention to our eration with certain countries. larger predators) or which yielded good problems. Hungary has taken the initiative, profits from the sale of their furs, were com- for instance, for the preparation of an agree- In the frame of the follow-up of the Rio pletely eradicated in many countries. ment for the protection of the Danube Basin. Conference at the Lucerne Conference a central role was given to Central and However, the first good results of nature con- In this part of Europe, in many respects, bet- Eastern Europe within the Environmental servation are connected with this same peri- ter biodiversity has been maintained than in Action Programme for Europe (EAP). od, for example, the saving of the European Europe's western states. It is confirmed by Priority, however, was given to reducing and beaver as early as the last century or the re- the workshop organised by the Council of elimination of pollution directly harmful to sults of bird protection in the first half of this human health. Thus, sustaining of biodiversi- century. The loss of biological diversity and ty stayed in the background. That explains that of natural habitats (ecological diversity) why we have such high expectations con- which bring about population decreases in cerning the declaration and the acceptance species will result in significant losses in ge- of proposals of the Maastricht Conference, netic diversity. Biology and ecology struggle which has supplemented the conference held with a great number of uncertainties, but ex- in Lucerne, and the implementation of its aminations Iwve shown that at the current recommendations will make up an appropri- speed of biodiversity loss those natural ate programme tailored for Europe to imple- processes which sustain and ensure the life- ment the Convention on Biological Diversity. supporting cycles on Earth will not survive. The European Biological Strategy and a This is one of the reasons for the UNCED European Ecological Network, our most im- Convention on Biodiversity, which is the re- portant tasks as stated by the Conference, sult of the common efforts of various world can supply a fundamental basis for main- organisations and participating countries. taining the continent's biodiversity in the The work of individuals and nations and in- course of this decade. ternational efforts are justified by the correct and fair ethical reasoning lying behind them. / find it very significant that the Conference It is not only that every living organism has has adopted specific motions. It is to be con- the right to live on tlie Earth, it is not only firmed that the areas of the European that wildlife communities should be saved for Ecological Network should be given priority our grandchildren, it is also in our direct in- with regards to the wildlife protection, land terest. use and other activities. It is also significant that problems of Central Eastern Europe Europe has set an example by the initiatives Europe in Budapest this year and also by the and their solutions are given priority in the and measures taken by the valuable activities symposium on biodiversity of the Central Eu ropean co-operation. of the European Parliament and the Council East European region held by the Finnish of Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. When tlie and the Hungarian Academies of Sciences. At All these present a task of great importance for first campaign was held in 1970 by the both meetings there was a complete partici- the co-ordinating organisations, the Council of Centre Naturopa, many countries responded pation on behalf of the respective countries. Europe, the European Communities and the with new statutes or other national measures. European Environmental Agency, also requir- It also motivated the Jirst modern legislation Maintaining these values is of interest to all ing good co-operation on behalf of the respec- on nature conservation in Hungary in 1971- Europe. At the same time in these new tive states. The Hungarian government is will- 74 when Hungary was still at a distance from democracies, the indispensable economic ing to promote all this and Hungary, including European co- operation. transformation and the free exercise of prop- our prospering NGOs, wants to take an active erty rights present a challenge from the point part in this process. • The Bern Convention, which was accepted in of view of sustaining natural resources and 1979, was an important step forward as it in- their sustainable use. In this process we Dr Janos Gyurko cluded elements of biodiversity protection, should avoid the mistakes that western Minister for the Environment and Regional Policy i.e. the maintenance of wildlife habitats with Europe has committed and recognised but for Hungary consideration to the impacts of human activi- the time being we need guidance in this re- ties and monitoring of its provisions and rec- spect. Of course we need good laws. ommendations supervised by the Standing Preparation of laws of great significance Committee of the Convention on a yearly ba- from this point of view, compiling with the sis. hl tlie communist era several countries of new situation such as the law on land, on the Central and Eastern Europe were precluded environment protection or on nature conser- from joining for almost a decade.