Kent Academic Repository Full text document (pdf) Citation for published version Blackhall-Miles, Robert (2021) 'Plant hunting for commercial horticulture and access and benefit sharing: complementary or competitive uses of wild novel plants?'. Master of Science by Research (MScRes) thesis, University of Kent,. DOI Link to record in KAR https://kar.kent.ac.uk/88526/ Document Version UNSPECIFIED Copyright & reuse Content in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated all content is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of research The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record. Enquiries For any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: [email protected] If you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.html ‘Plant hunting for commercial horticulture and access and benefit sharing: complementary or competitive uses of wild novel plants?’ Robert Blackhall-Miles Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent, UK Word Count - 27872 January 2021 Thesis submitted for the degree of Master’s by Research 1 Abstract In this thesis the relationship between the acquisition of novel plants from the wild for use in ornamental horticulture, commonly referred to as Plant Hunting, and access and benefit sharing introduced under the Nagoya Protocol (2010), part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is investigated. The Nagoya Protocol allows for countries to set out terms under which access may be given to their indigenous genetic resources in return for benefits from any research and development of those genetic resources. Many countries also put their own restrictions on the commercialisation of wild plants and seed. The key question that this thesis sets out to address is as follows: ‘Plant hunting for commercial horticulture and access and benefit sharing: complementary or competitive uses of wild novel plants?’ To address this question, we first undertook a literature review that revealed that there is little peer reviewed research available to address our research question. This knowledge gap is then examined in three chapters. First, we present an exploratory analysis of data from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Plant Finder to understand the relevance of Known Wild Provenance (KWP) plants to commercial horticulture and investigate whether the availability of such plants in commercial horticulture could provide any non- monetary benefits. Second, an analysis of the potential for monetary benefits to provider-countries in return for KWP plant material is undertaken using consumer preference data gathered as part of a choice experiment. Key findings show that commercial horticulture does not currently contribute to global plant conservation targets despite there being both the available plants and the potential for additional profit from the sale of such plants with which to do so. Ex-situ conservation within the country in which the plant is being sold could be offered by commercial ornamental horticulture as a non-monetary benefit in return for legal access to wild plant genetic resources. Additionally, KWP did not prove to be a strong driver for plant buyers, although there is positive value attached to the attribute by a significant segment of the buying population. Thus, the ability for commercial horticulture to provide monetary benefits is shown, however, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) negotiations should not be based solely on monetary benefits from the sale of plants. Third, in the 2 form of a case study, the practical application of the research is considered with relevance to the sale of a threatened plant species, Magnolia stellata, that is widely available within commercial horticulture. Using findings from Chapters 1, 2 and 3 we explore how access to wild material of M. stellata, and its subsequent commercialisation could lead to both monetary and non-monetary benefits being returned to the provider country, in this case Japan, for use towards the species’ conservation. Whilst this thesis reveals the continued relevance of the plant hunter for commercial horticulture is clear, more research is certainly required to understand how this can be compatible with ABS regulations. A step change in approach from both sides of ABS agreements is likely needed in order to enable both access and, in return, benefits from the sale of ornamental plants with KWP. 3 Acknowledgments Thank-you to Dr. David Roberts (School of Anthropology & Conservation) & Prof. Iain Fraser (School of Economics), University of Kent, UK for their supervision and support. Thanks to the Royal Horticultural Society, 80 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PE for data regarding the RHS Plant Finder, in particular Alistair Griffiths; Director of Science and Collections, John David; Head of Horticultural Taxonomy, and Rupert Wilson; Principal Data Manager, for their assistance in providing this in a clear manner. The staff of Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, United Kingdom, TW9 3BW must also be thanked for assisting me with my many requests for data regarding Red Lists, where plants are cultivated and providing additional data to compliment that from the RHS Plant Finder. Dr Malin Rivers, Head of Conservation Prioritisation; Suzanne Sharrock, Director of Global Programmes; and Meirion Jones, Head of Information Management were particularly helpful. My gratitude to Antonia Johnson and the science committee of the International Dendrology Society, Hergest Estate Office, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3EG, United Kingdom for part funding this research and Dr. John Grimshaw, Director, The Yorkshire Arboretum, Castle Howard, York, YO60 7BY for his realisation that this research was needed and his encouragement to undertake it. Thanks to China Williams, Senior Science Officer, RBG Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE, for information regarding The Nagoya Protocol. To Julia Cordon and Margaret Young from the Scottish Rock Garden Club, Cedar Cottage, Balfron Station, Glasgow G63 0SQ, for spreading the word regarding the Plant Choice experiment. Particular thanks to Dr Sandra Knapp, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell RD, London, for her encouragement and thoughts and for making me think long and hard about whether I needed to pursue this qualification. Finally acknowledgement and gratitude has to be given to my partner Ben Ram, not only for his support and encouragement but also for statistical advice, for the patience he has given in helping me to understand NLogit, for explanations of mathematical terms and for the honest critique of my methods and the language used in this thesis. 4 List of abbreviations Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Access without benefit sharing (AWBS). Alpine Garden Society (AGS) Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) Choice experiment (CE) Confidence interval (CI) Extent of occurrence (EOO) Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) inferred global threat status (GTS) International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) Known Wild Provenance (KWP) Latent Class Model (LCM) multinomial logit regression model (MNL) National Biodiversity Institute (NBI) Plant variety rights or Plant breeders' rights (PVR) Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Scottish Rock Garden Club (SRGC) South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Species (spp.) Standard Error (SE) The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Western Cape Nature Conservation board, now CapeNature (WCNCA) Willingness to Accept (WTA) Willingness to Pay (WTP) 5 Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... 4 List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ 5 Figures ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Ethics ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Thesis outline .................................................................................................................................... 10 Literature review................................................................................................................. 12 1.1 Introduction to Access and Benefit Sharing ...............................................................................