Internationally Renowned Succulent Plants Expert Donate Paintings to China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Museum

Chris Rodgerson, an internationally renowned Succulent Plants expert, donated to  the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Museum of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) a painting of a very unique Succulent plant he photographed during an expedition to South Africa. The species is Conophytum bilobum.

Chris Rodgerson, a British academic, is a consultant expert on plants of the genus Conophytum for the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Botanical Institute (SANBI). Since 1992, he has made 19 visits to South Africa and Namibia, resulting in the discovery of five new taxa of Conophytum and one new Anacampseros, and on his second visit in 1994, he discovered a new species, which was named after him as Conophytum chrisolum.

The succulent plant genus Conophytum has for many years been under serious human threat from loss of habitat due to mining, farming and global warming. First discovered in the late 18th century by English and European explorers to South Africa, samples of these small and curious succulent plants were taken back to study at botanical gardens. Conophytums slowly became available in England and Europe and due to their unique qualities became popular subjects to grow in small pots. As travel to South Africa became easier more people looked and more species were discovered. They have been taken from habitat in relatively small amounts for a long time. Some people took wild plants to grow and sell but never in amounts detrimental to the natural balance.  In recent years with the advent of the internet and social media, many more people in countries worldwide have learned about these interesting little plants. Demand has grown exponentially and subsequently that demand has far exceeded the available supply of artificially propagated plants. Unfortunately some people have recently turned to nature to satisfy that demand and found a new lucrative business selling illegally poached wild plants. This has a devastating impact on Conophytum habitat as poachers have taken all they can find from these often small populations to the extent that some species are now extinct.

Conophytums are only a very small part of our planets ecosystems. But the CBCGDF understands the severe damage being done to the balance of nature and is doing what they can to protect these and many other plants and animals. Please give them all the support you can.

Clean Internet for Conophytum is a conservation initiative launched by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF). It aims to combat illegal wildlife trade, particularly cross-border poaching and illegal succulent plant trade, by purifying the online trading platform of illegal wild plant transactions. The goal is to protect biodiversity and build a global community of life. The campaign was launched on March 9, 2023, and has received support and participation from general public, numerous conservationists, horticulturists, and businesses.

Original Chinese Article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/SuFtulu7btZnRMY13atOCQ
Edited by: YJ
Checked By: Maggie
Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

 

Contribution

Do you know? We rely on crowd-funding and donations. You have the opportunity to help an international movement to advance biodiversity conservation. Donate TODAY to power up the movement to make it a better world for all life.

Donation(501C3)Paypal: intl@wbag.org

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2EYYJJZ8CGPLE