Agricultural Researcher Sonja Loots
of the National Botanical Research Institute, Namibia, attended the Red
List Threatened Species Training Workshop and Internship at the Johannesburg
Zoo and National Botanical Institute in South Africa from 4–5 November 2003,
while working on a new edition of the Namibian Plant Red Data List.
The objectives of the internship were
for me, as the Agricultural Researcher responsible for
the Plant Red Data List Project in the NBRI, to:
Gain
advanced skills for applying the new 2000 IUCN Red List classification system.
Practice
using the RAMAS Red List software based on the 2000 Red List categories
in order to do classifications electronically.
Discuss
the Namibian assessments with the external reviewer, Janine Victor, focusing
on problem cases, how to solve them, and the implications of changing assessments
for the Red Data Book.
In 2002, the Southern
African Plant Red Data Lists were published as SABONET Report
No. 14. This publication listed approximately 1,500 Namibian taxa that were
assessed against the 1994 IUCN Red List Classification system. Of these,
approximately 300 taxa were regarded as facing a moderately high to extremely
high risk of extinction. Since then, the IUCN Species Survival Commission
has revised the classification system. The new categories and criteria were
adopted in 2000.
To create awareness
of Namibia’s rare and threatened plant taxa among conservationists, policy
makers and Namibians in general, the NBRI embarked on producing a book with
distribution maps, descriptions, photographs, and other relevant information.
Assessments of species that were to be included in this publication were
then updated from the 1994 system to the 2000 system.
On studying a draft
manuscript of the book and electronic assessments, the external reviewer,
Janine Victor, identified a number of problems with the Namibian assessments.
She suggested that attending the Red List course, coupled with discussions
with international Red List experts, might help to solve the current problems
and enable me to conduct assessments with greater accuracy in future.
The course proved extremely useful.
Practising to use the latest classification system with other regional Red
List officers provided an opportunity to share experiences and sort out
problems and challenges.
Janine, who is also
one of the South African Red List authorities, and I evaluated some of the
Namibian assessments together. Her extensive experience in assessing the
extinction risk of plant taxa in South Africa has already proved extremely
valuable in reassessing the Namibian plant taxa, and resolving problems
that seemed very difficult to address.
Craig Hilton-Taylor,
a Red List authority based in Cambridge, UK, was the main presenter during
the course. He gave lectures on applying the new 2001 Red List categories,
as well as the use of RAMAS, the software used by Red List officers. This
programme is already in use at the NBRI, but additional assistance and technical
expertise equipped course participants to improve the accuracy with which
they carry out assessments.
The
Nambian
Red Data List
was published in the SABONET Report Series.
The support of GEF/UNDP through the
SABONET Project in sponsoring the participation of Namibia at this course
and internship is gratefully acknowledged. The speedy processing of the
submission by the top management of MAWRD is also acknowledged with gratitude.
—Sonja Loots
SABONET News 9.1: 76
