In a concerted effort to safeguard Jamaica's biodiversity, an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Assessor Training for conservation of Jamaica’s native and endemic plant species was held at the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona from April 8 -10, 2024. This intensive workshop was spearheaded by IUCN’s Neil Cox and Kew Botanical Gardens’ Amy Barker and Vida Svahnstrom.

The group of trainees included scientists and students from the Department of Life Sciences, and staff from Institute of Jamaica, National Herbarium of Jamaica, Bauxite Institute, National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT), the Forestry Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Public Gardens Division.

A pivotal aspect of the training involved learning about the criteria for conservation Red Listing and applying these criteria to a curated list of Jamaican endemic plant species. This practical application allowed attendees to develop conservation action plans tailored to mitigate the extinction risk faced by these vital species. After an intense three days of knowledge sharing and assessment, participants were issued Certificates of Attendance.

Photo Caption: Participants at the IUCN Red List Assessor Training held at the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona from April 8 -10, 2024.

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