Role of historic gardens in biodiversity-conservation strategy: the example of the Giardino Inglese of Reggia di Caserta (UNESCO) (Italy)

Abstract

The Giardino Inglese of the Reggia di Caserta is among the most important and ancient gardens in Italy. A survey of vegetation was carried out, and a collection catalogue was produced using updated nomenclature and Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) IV criteria classification. The data from survey were georeferenced in a GIS environment. For each species, the conservation status at world level as per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the phytosanitary status, and the number of individuals were evaluated. Two synthetic indices were created that allow the evaluation of collection’s erosion risk (ER). In the analysis, each species is placed in a specific quadrant indicating its level of erosion risk, and a priority score (PS) allows the evaluation of the priorities of any conservations interventions. The collection consists of 235 species, and approximately 65% of these are reported in IUCN Red List. 1671 individuals were registered. The database and the ER assessment allows the future development of tools for the management of the site. The Giardino Inglese is a garden of collections and a conservation basin for historical and monumental specimens of many species, some of which are subject to protection.