-- Rick------- Forwarded Message
Although cp were not prominently mentioned it' easy to see that some of what occured here could effect some of us . hope this info is useful.
-- GORDON C. SNELLINGTo: Multiple recipients of list <cites-l@wcmc.org.uk>
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER x x December 1994 x x x x published by x x x x Dept. Botany, Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution x x [Editor: Jane Villa-Lobos (mnhbo019@sivm.si.edu)] x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x electronically published on x x x x CONSLINK x x a service of the x x Conservation & Research Center x x Smithsonian Institution x x Front Royal, VA 22630, USA x x [Editor: Michael Stuewe (nzpem001@sivm.si.edu)] x x ++++++ x x This newsletter is distributed free-of-charge on CONSLINK. x x Please feel free to forward it to anyone interested, x x as long as you do not charge for that service and you fully x x acknowledge the Editor and CONSLINK as sources. x x Should you want to distribute this newsletter and intend to x x charge your subscribers in any way, please contact both, x x the Editor of the newsletter and CONSLINK before you do so. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER
No. 139 December 1994
Smithsonian Institution Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History Editor: Jane Villa-Lobos ________________________________________________________________ CITES COP9 MAIN RESULTS FOR PLANTS By Bruce MacBryde
The 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was held during 7-18 November 1994 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA). Background on the treaty and plants is available in proceedings of the biennial COP meetings (1976-1994), and reports or minutes of the annual meetings of the CITES Plants Committee (1988-1994) and CITES Plant Working Group (1984-1987). Among the resolutions decided upon were: (1) replacement of the 1976 criteria and 1979 proposal format for documenting inclusion of species (fauna and flora) in CITES Appendices I and II with detailed clear and more scientifically objective criteria and the corresponding format for proposals; (2) the establishment of guidelines for inclusion of species in Appendix III; (3) consolidation (with some updating) of all the CITES resolutions; and (4) adoption of detailed criteria to begin international registration of those exporting nurseries that qualify in the artificial propagation of taxa in Appendix I. Six countries (Thailand, India, Madagascar, Kenya, Switzerland and Mexico) proposed successful amendments to the CITES appendices for plants, to list 4 species, uplist 20 species, downlist 8 species, and delist 2 species. Moreover by withdrawal of proposals, the cactus Astrophytum asterias stayed in Appendix I, and Camellia chrysantha stayed in Appendix II. The 24 additions to Appendices I and II enter into force on 16 February 1995. As sought respectively by Madagascar (with Switzerland) and by Thailand, export-import controls were strengthened and shared by uplisting to Appendix I 19 succulent Malagasy species: Pachypodium ambongense, Euphorbia cremersii and 17 rare Aloe spp. (mostly dwarf aloes), and the mainly Thailand orchid Dendrobium cruentum. Artificial propagation of some of these taxa is extensive, and cooperative efforts will be made by several countries (including USA) to facilitate propagation and/or the availability of the propagated specimens. Eight taxa were downlisted to Appendix II: five succulents - Euphorbia primulifolia, Pachypodium brevicaule but with no adult wild plants to be exported before COP10 in 1997, P. namaquanum, Leuchtenbergia principis and Mammillaria plumosa, and three orchids - Didiciea cunninghamii, Cattleya skinneri and Lycaste skinneri var. alba. Two species were delisted from Appendix II: the ornamental aroid Alocasia sanderiana, and the succulent Aloe vera - with which there are additional problems, such as the continued listing of A. vera var. chinensis (syn. A. indica), that were referred to the CITES Plants Committee (CPC). Proposals were rejected that would have made use of Appendix I controls by listing the New Zealand endemic Dactylanthus taylorii to stop the international commerce in its wood- roses, and by uplisting from Appendix II the Asian orchids Cypripedium cordigerum, C. elegans, C. himalaicum and C. tibeticum. Asian plants mostly withdrawn (one species rejected) from proposed listing in Appendix II were: Berberis aristata, Gentiana kurroo, Colchicum luteum, Rheum australe, Aconitum deinorrhizum, A. ferox, A. heterophyllum, Coptis teeta, Picrorhiza kurrooa and Nardostachys grandiflora. These 10 species will be evaluated by the CPC through its newly endorsed project on medicinal plants, in cooperation with the new IUCN SSC Medicinal Plants Specialist Group. One African and three Asian tree species were included in Appendix II, which are used for medicinal or other chemical purposes and as well for their wood: Prunus africana, Pterocarpus santalinus, Taxus wallichiana and Aquilaria malaccensis (syn. A. agallocha). Amendment of the redsanders (Pterocarpus) proposal excluded finished musical instruments, formulations and chemical derivatives; amendment of the Himalayan yew (Taxus) proposal excluded final medicines (e.g., taxol). The Latin American Swietenia macrophylla (bigleaf mahogany) and its natural hybrids with S. humilis (amended to regulate only the logs, sawn wood, veneer and plywood sheets) received 50 votes in favor and 33 votes against inclusion in Appendix II, which was 6 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. Four proposals that had sought to include other tropical tree species in Appendix II to regulate their timber were withdrawn because of political or also technical considerations: in Africa - Dalbergia melanoxylon, Entandrophragma (ca. 11 spp.) and Khaya (ca. 6 spp.), and in Asia - Diospyros mun. A Timber Species Working Group was established under the CPC to improve implementation of CITES for such species. Additionally, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) at its 8-16 November 1994 meeting (in Yokohama, Japan) decided to encourage liaison between ITTO and CITES and to invite CITES to make a presentation at its May 1995 meeting in Accra, Ghana. The Parties doubled representation in the CITES Plants Committee for the three large developing regions, and selected nine regional members (as well as some alternates). The next CPC meeting is planned for May or June 1995 in the Canary Islands, hosted by Spain. The CITES Guide to Plants in Trade was published in 1994 and available for the Parties at COP9. The CPC will continue to support studies of significant trade, and work on an orchids checklist and the 2nd edition of the cacti checklist. COP10 is planned for the first half of 1997 in Zimbabwe. To obtain COP9 information, see for example the U.S. Federal Register notices published on 4 & 8 November 1994 and/or contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Scientific Authority, 725 Arlington Square Bldg., Washington, DC 20240; Tel.: (703) 358-1708; Fax: (703) 358-2276. Permit questions should go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Management Authority's Permits Branch, 432 Arlington Square Bldg., Washington, DC 20240; Tel.: (800) 358-2104; Fax: (703) 358-2281.
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