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Education and plant conservation programs in the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb (Croatia)

The Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science (Zagreb University) obtained a convenient place for educational and display activities in the restored exhibition pavilion (2007, a fine example of pavilion architecture from the end of 19th century. Ten educational exhibitions and 43 workshops were organised during the last five years. Exhibitions received more than 11000 visitors annualy. Nearly 900 students participated in the different educational workshops and guided tours for organized groups, attending more than 2500 pupils, tourists and citizens during 2012. The Botanical Garden has a long tradition in cultivation of rare, endemic and endangered Croatian plant species, resulting in a very valuable plant collection. Most of those plants are grown in three Rock gardens: the Karstic, the Mediterranean and the Submediterranean. Out of 1061 strictly protected and 572 protected wild plant taxa of Croatian flora, 132 strictly protected and 184 protected plant species are cultivated in the Botanical Garden.Two most famous Croatian endemic plant species, Degenia velebitica and Centaurea ragusina, were selected for the experimental ex situ conservation program through licenced cultivation and sale in the Botanical Garden. Degenia velebitica, generally recognized as a symbol of Croatian mountains as well as rich Croatian endemic flora, is a stenoendemic plant species that grows wild in rockeries, screes and crevices in small populations in the Kapela and the Velebit mountains along Adriatic coast. Centaurea ragusina is also well recognized member of the Croatian stenoendemic flora, and grows in southern Dalmatia (Croatian Adriatics), with most beautiful populations in the Konavle cliffs near Dubrovnik. Like degenia, it is a popular perennial suited for rockeries and Mediterranean gardens. Croatian indigenous marsh plants were collected and cultivated in the Garden’s artificial ponds during the 20th century. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention (1971-2011) a new pond has been constructed for the marsh plants conservation program. From about 3800 small wetlands recorded in Croatia, four are listed in The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance: Kopacki rit, Lonjsko polje, Crna Mlaka and Delta Neretve.. So far, several species (Menyanthes trifoliata, Marsilea quadrifolia, Butomus umbellatus, Calla palustris, Sphagnum spp.) are successfully collected and maintained in the new pond.

education ; conservation ; Botanical Garden ; Faculty of Science ; University of Zagreb

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