Botanical gardens, as centres of expertise on botany and horticulture, can play an
important role in conservation of local biodiversity. Conservation and restoration of plant
diversity is a complex and multidisciplinary process. Depending on the design,
infrastructure and natural condition of the garden, there are several ways to contribute.
Meise Botanic Garden showcases that gardens with a considerable area of land and the
presence of natural spaces can provide a sustainable habitat for local plant species through
nature-based management and nature restoration projects. Notwithstanding our location
close to the European capital, more than one third of the native Belgian plant species
occur spontaneously in the natural areas of our garden. Targeted management of these
natural areas will significantly increase that amount in the coming years. Nature-based
interventions and solutions in landscape development, water management, grassland and
forest management additionally contribute to the resilience of ecosystems under changing
climatic conditions. Regardless of the presence of natural land, botanical gardens are
ideally placed to establish a seed bank dedicated to the conservation of rare and
endangered indigenous plant species. In our seed bank we save seeds for the future. We
currently conserve 70% of the endangered species of the Belgian flora, and our seed
collections have made it possible to resurrect a globally extinct species. In Meise Botanic
Garden, the combined provision of botanical expertise and state-of-the-art seed bank and
plant propagation facilities, offers the opportunity to actively contribute to in-situ
conservation of selected plant species by reintroduction and reinforcement of populations
in threatened ecosystems. Our multidisciplinary approach contributes to the conservation
of plants in their natural habitats as well as in the living collections and seed bank of our
garden. Nature-based management and development of our natural areas contribute to
resilient ecosystems and secure vital ecosystem services.