Montgomery Provides World Office for Cycad Conservation

Montgomery has a new role to support cycad conservation! As of this summer, MBC is now the official Programme Office for the IUCN Species Survival Commission Cycad Specialist Group.

Comprised of experts in biology, conservation, and horticulture, the Cycad Specialist Group (CSG) exists to bring together the world’s cycad conservation expertise, and to disseminate this expertise to organizations and agencies which can use this guidance.

In partnership with the IUCN Species Survival Commission, MBC will (1) Host the “Cycad Specialist Group Programme Office;” (2) Support a staff member or members as an Officer of the Cycad Specialist Group; (3) Help develop the next generation of cycad conservation expertise; (4) provide administrative and technical capacity; and (5) manage funding on behalf of Cycad Specialist Group, with no overhead fees; and (6) Collaborate with other partner organizations supporting the Cycad Specialist Group.

This official host relationship was formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding between the IUCN Species Survival Commission and Montgomery Botanical Center, on June 5, 2015. As the first official action in support of the CSG, MBC sponsored and created an updated website for up to date information about CSG activity.