Species conservation in the Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is involved in various activities to protect endangered plant species. To this end, our Garden collaborates with other botanical gardens, authorities and nature conservation organisations.

One example is the successful project to protect the rare Siberian wormwood. It belongs to the aster family and grows mainly in treeless steppe areas. In Europe, there is only one remaining site in the Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park. The Botanical Garden has been dedicated to the protection of this species for the last ten years.

When the conservation project was launched together with the Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park and the Biological Station in Illmitz, there were only a few specimens left on site. Thanks to the joint efforts, several hundred plants are now growing there again. The species is also cultivated in the Botanical Garden to ensure its conservation outside its natural habitat. In addition, seeds have been deposited in seed banks and shoot tips have been placed in liquid nitrogen so that they can be propagated and replanted if necessary.

Global warming poses a further challenge to the Siberian wormwood. The plant favours alternating wet meadows, which today are becoming increasingly dry. The species will possibly soon have to be planted in more humid locations to ensure its survival in the long term.