New red list of the Italian vascular flora: nearing the end

In 2011, MATTM and SBI started a collaboration for the New Red List of Italian Vascular Flora, according to the IUCN Categories and Criteria. IUCN Red Lists represent the most widely applied protocol for evaluating species extinction risk, because they facilitate objective and replicable assessments. National assessments provide a basis for conservation planning, representing an important starting points for further conservation actions. Data on species distribution gathered, from recent field surveys, herbarium specimens, published and unpublished data, were assembled with the collaboration of a large number of SBI members. All georeferenced records were validated by a selected group of botanists and organized in a 2 × 2 km cells grid in GIS environment. A database including distribution data, population trends and the main threats affecting taxa was developed. All the assessments were validated during several collective workshops. During 2016, the New Red List of the Italian Vascular Flora will be completed with the evaluation of more than 2000 taxa including Italian Policy species (152 taxa, listed in the annexes of Directive 92/43/CEE “Habitat” and Bern Convention), all Italian endemics (more than 1200 taxa, most part of taxonomically critical genera as Alchemilla, Hieracium, Pilosella, Ranunculus, Rubus and Taraxacum excluded) and all those species of potential conservation interest listed in 2012 for MATTM (more than 1500 taxa, some endemics included). Here, we present the updated status, in view of the ultimate goal that will be reached by the end of 2016. The publication of a book that will summarize all the work done is foreseen for 2017.