GENMEDA - Network of Mediterranean plant conservation centres

About Us

The establishment of the network was one of the main results of the projects GENMEDOC and SEMCLIMED, both coordinated by GENMEDA member CIEF.

Why a network?

Plant conservation centres from a same floristic region can make a large contribution to conservation by running both ex situ and in situ joint and coordinated actions.

Cooperation allows developing common methodologies, applied technical and scientific know-how and information-sharing.

Who is involved?

Local and regional authorities, national bodies, universities and research centres from 12 different EU and non-EU countries in the Mediterranean basin.

Mission and objectives

GENMEDA mission is to contribute to the conservation of Mediterranean flora genetic resources through the following objectives:

Enhancement of human capital, equipments and methodologies to boost flora conservation applied knowledge.
Harvesting of most threatened species genetic materials and creating, as far as possible, living plant collections.
Creation of a virtual common collection of vegetal genetic and reproduction materials.
Planning of joint initiatives concerning flora conservation and/or management
Backing-up the making-decision processes of flora conservation public policies
Support of environmental education and public awareness on biodiversity conservation.

Founding members

All 13 GENMEDA founding members were partners in the SEMCLIMED project. They are the following:

Centre for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF), Spain
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Greece
Jardí Botànic de Barcelona (JBB), Spain
Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen of Porquerolles (CBNMed), France
Center of Conservation of Wild Flora of the Region of Murcia (CCFS), Spain
Fundació Jardí Botànic de Sòller (JBS), Spain
University of Catania - Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (DBS), Italy
CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh), Greece
University of Cagliari - Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK), Italy
Botanic Garden of the University of Valencia (JBUV), Spain
Argotti Herbarium of the University of Malta (AHUM), Malta
Institut Scientifique de Rabat (ISR), Morocco
Mansoura University, Faculty of Science (FSUM), Egypt

Network representatives

2021 -

President
Gianluigi BACCHETTA (HBK, Universita’ degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy)

Secretary/Treasurer
Adamantia KOKKINAKI (CIHEAM MAICh, Greece)

Steering Committee coordinator
Emilio LAGUNA (Centre for Forest Applied Research, Valencia, Spain)

Steering Committee members
Lara DIXON (Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles, France)
Sara MAGRINI (Rete Italiana Banche del Germoplasma - RIBES, Italy)
Joseph BUHAGIAR (Department of Biology, University of Malta)
Boštjan SURINA (Natural History Museum Rijeka, Croatia)
Evangelia DASKALAKOU (Institute of Mediterranean & Forest Ecosystems-Hellenic Agricultural Organization "DEMETER", Greece)

2017 - 2021

President
Gianluigi BACCHETTA (Universita’ degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy)

Secretary/Treasurer
Panagiota (Yiota) GOTSIOU (CIHEAM MAICh, Greece)

Steering Committee coordinator
Josep M. MONTSERRAT (Institut Botànic - Jardí Botànic de Barcelona, Spain)

Steering Committee members
Lara DIXON (Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles)
Gianpietro GIUSSO DEL GALDO (Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy)
Josep Lluís GRADAILLE (Fundació Jardí Botànic de Sóller, Spain)
Emilio LAGUNA (Centre for Forest Applied Research, Valencia, Spain)
Costas THANOS (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece)

2010 - 2014

President
Myriam VIREVAIRE (Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen, France)

Secretary
Anna GUGLIELMO (Dipartimento di Botanica, Università di Catania, Italy)

Treasurer
Gloria ORTIZ (Centre for Forest Applied Research, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain)

Working Group Coordinators