International Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens Which future for the Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens ? Villar d’Arène Col du Lautaret 6-9 September 2006 Rambertia, 1904 Background The first “Congrès des Jardins Alpins” took place at Rochers de Naye (Rambertia, Montreux, Switzerland) on the 17-18th August 1904 and the second congress was organised at Pont de Nant (Thomasia, Bex, Switzerland) on the 5-6th August 1906. Pr. Jran-Paul Lachmann, creator and director of the Jardin Alpin du Lautaret planned to organise the third congress at the Lautaret in August 1908. Unfortunately, his illness and death in 1908 did not permit to organise this congress. Thomasia, 1906 Proceedings of the International Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens Which future for the Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens ? Villar d’Arène Col du Lautaret 6-9 September 2006 2007 International Congress of Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens CONTENTS Welcome international strategies..............................p.63 X. Cret, mayor of Villar d’Arène.................p.5 M. Delmas (Paris, France) B. Doche, Grenoble University....................p.6 • Climate change : the role of botanic gardens.......................................................p.67 Introduction P. Smith (Kew, England) • Why a congress on Alpine and Arctic Education and presentation Botanical Gardens at Villar d’Arène/ Lautaret?..................................................p.7 • The educational role of the Haut Chitelet Organizing committee Alpine Garden............................................p.72 • History and diversity of High Mountain R. Pierrel (Nancy, France) Botanic Gardens in the European Alps.....p.9 • Teaching across the borders : a A. Gröger (Munich, Germany) collaborative project on education for alpine • The Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret : botanic gardens and primary schools in 4 roots and branches..............................p.15 European countries...................................p.76 S. Aubert (Grenoble, France) C. Bonomi (Trento, Italy) • Juliana Alpine Botanical Garden in the Dynamics of collections Trenta Valley (Slovenia)...........................p.81 •Ex situ conservation at the Conservatoire N. Praprotnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia) Botanique National Alpin.........................p.20 • Mountain plants in the Reykjavik Botanic N . Fort (Gap, France) Garden in Iceland.....................................p.84 • Collections management, conservation E. Thorvaldsdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland) and research on alpine threatened • Towards a collection of plants from South species at Viotte Alpine Garden...........p. 25 America....................................................p.86 C. Bonomi (Trento, Italy) S. Aubert (Grenoble, France) • Profile of the world’s northernmost botanic Networking garden at Tromsø, Norway........................p.30 A. Elvebakk (Tromsø, Norway) • Networking of Alpine Botanic Gardens : an • Artist residence at the Jardin Botanique introduction to the tools............................p.92 Alpin du Lautaret......................................p.35 A. Gröger (Munich, Germany) Ph. Danton (Grenoble, France) • International Exchange of Horticulturists : highlighting the example of Munich Research activities Botanic Garden and Katse Alpine Garden, Lesotho.......................................................p.96 • Research activities at the Jardin Botanique J. Wainwright-Klein (Munich, Germany) Alpin du Lautaret........................................p.40 S. Aubert (Grenoble, France) • Creating a network, two case studies : The Italian Seed Bank Network, The European • Impact of Botanical Gardens on their Environmental and Botanic Garden environment : case study of the Jardin Education Network.................................p.100 Botanique Alpin du Lautaret.................p.45 C. Bonomi (Trento, Italy) R. Douzet (Grenoble, France) • ENSCONET : European Native Seed • The problem of Heracleum mantegaz- Conservation Network............................p.105 zianum in the Swiss Alps........................p.49 M. Delmas (Paris, France) F. Bonnet (Pont de Nant, Swizerland) • Collections and their use in research. Invited conference : Project of creation Example of abundant compounds in of Jardin et Conservatoire Botaniques certain alpine plants................................p.52 Claude Gay on the Robinson Crusoe island, R. Bligny (Grenoble, France) Juan Fernandez archipelago, Chile......p.108 Ph. Danton & Ch. Perrier (Grenoble, France) • Phénoclim, a research project on phenology in the Alps..............................p.57 Conclusions...........................................p.112 A. Delestrade (Chamonix, France) • Botanic Gardens and their implication in the Participant list.........................................p.115 International Congress of J.-P. Lachmann, creator of the Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret 4 Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens Xavier CRET mayor of Villar d’Arène Welcome in Villar d’Arène for this congress dealing with the future of the Alpine and Arctic Botanical Gardens. Please let me express my pride, on behalf of the Faranchins (habitants of Villar d’Arène), for hosting this meeting with many European countries represented. I would like to introduce you to the Commune of Villar d’Arène. It is a high altitude commune of more than 8.000 hectares located from 1.600 up to 4.000 masl. More than ¾ of the territory are located in the Ecrins National Parc or in a natural reserve. Around 300 people live here all year long and 1.00 tourist beds are available. The orientation of the Commune is now towards tourism, developing the winter season with various activities, the most attractive of which being the famous off-piste ski resort in La Grave. The summer tourism is organised around mountaineering and hiking, with the Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret as a major centre of activities. But one should not forget a major point: the existence of strong mountain agriculture as compared to many other mountains. In fact, around 20 farms still exist in the Communes of Villar d’Arène and La Grave. For centuries, this agriculture has been responsible for the landscape of the mountains (e.g. terraces), with an obvious effect on the increase of the botanical diversity. The role of agriculture on biodiversity is currently analysed by searchers and students at the University of Grenoble in connexion with the Station Alpine Joseph Fourier and his dynamic director, Serge Aubert. The interest of this study called VISTA is high and it will permit, hopefully, to stimulate the French and European authorities to support this agriculture that is essential for the maintenance of the richness of the alpine flora. This is just an example among others and it demonstrates the interest to continue the human and financial efforts for these laboratories that are Alpine Botanical Gardens. I wish an excellent congress to all the participants. International Congress of Bernard DOCHE vice-president of University Joseph Fourier Welcome to the International Congress of Mountain and Arctic Botanical Gar- dens in Villar d’Arène ! Yannick Vallée, President of Université Joseph Fourier (UJF), was not able to be present, due to his duties in Paris as the leader of the presidents of French Universities. I am very happy to replace him and to come to Villar d’Arène for the beginning of this Congress. I’m a biologist (ecologist rather than botanist and also, in the first part of my carrier, a vegeta- tion cartographer). Like Serge Aubert and Rolland Douzet, the organizers of this Congress, I work in the Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine localized in Grenoble. During 20 years, I have studied the dynamics of Ericaceous Plant populations (Calluna vulgaris, Rhododendron ferrugineum). Since 6 years, I am Vice-President of UJF in charge of human resources. After 6 years of this political mission in “human resources”, I can say : the “human populations” are more difficult to manage than Ericaceous populations. The Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret belongs to UJF since 107 years, and a lot of competent and passionate people have worked for and in this Garden. During this century, different problems are happened (two wars, some difficult seasons and in December 1999, an important gust of wind : the roof of the chalet flied away……) but always these passionate people have improved the quality of the garden. I would like to thank the previous staff (Gérard Cadel, José Lestani) and the new staff (Richard Hurstel, Rolland Douzet, Serge Aubert, Richard Bligny). The Botanical garden has always been the “shop window” for UJF, particularly since about 6 years : the actual staff has improved the communication on Botanical garden within and outside the University. UJF is located principally in suburbs of Grenoble (like 3 others Universities) but it has also 6 sites located about 100 km around Grenoble, like the Station Alpine at Lautaret Pass (2000 m). UJF has about 1.100 technical and administrative staff working for 17.500 students (1 30 Ph D) and for 70 Laboratories and research institutes. Now, I propose to speak about a “more interesting” theme for you : the biogeographical situation of Lautaret Pass and Station Alpine. Two gradients characterize the French Alps : - the first gradient is oriented West / East : it is an “humidity gradient” with the Outer Alps (Grenoble) being wetter than Inner Alps (Briançon). At the same altitude, for the same exposition and with the same rocks, the plant communities are different. In montane and subalpine levels of Outer Alps Fagus