Longwood Gardens Joins Global Launch Of Illegal Plant Trade Coalition At IUCN Congress

Press Release

Kennett Square, PA-At the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) announced the launch of the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition—a global alliance confronting the multibillion-dollar trafficking of wild plants. In the United States, several gardens are uniting efforts to promote the campaign nationwide, raise public awareness of the crisis, and help consumers avoid unintentionally supporting the illegal trade. Longwood Gardens serves on the Coalition’s steering committee, helping to guide its global strategy and outreach.

Plants are trafficked at a higher volume than animals each year, with succulents, cacti, cycads, and orchids among the most frequently targeted. Many species are stripped from the wild and sold—often online—without the buyer realizing the purchase fuels habitat loss and extinction. The Coalition unites gardens, enforcement agencies, scientists, and conservation organizations to cut demand, support legal trade, and safeguard threatened plants.

“The illegal plant trade is one of the most immediate threats to plant biodiversity worldwide,” said Carly Cowell, BGCI’s director of policy and practice. “It undermines the integrity of ecosystems and erodes the planet’s ability to be resilient and support life. Through the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition, BGCI is working with public gardens, enforcement agencies, and communities to change behaviors, raise awareness, and build practical tools that empower people to make sustainable choices and protect threatened species.”

The IPTC steering committee comprises botanical gardens, zoos, conservation groups, the IUCN Species Survival Commission, including the Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force, and the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. Gardens that have joined the campaign at the keystone level—its highest level of commitment—include the U.S. Botanic Garden, The Huntington, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Toronto Zoo, and, most recently, Longwood Gardens, a renowned public garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Recognized for its horticultural excellence and conservation leadership, Longwood adds its voice to the coalition’s collective efforts.

“Joining this coalition strengthens Longwood Gardens’ global commitment to protecting plants and ecosystems, as well as the communities that depend on them,” said Kate Santos, associate vice president of science at Longwood Gardens. “Through ethical sourcing and by leveraging our expertise in propagating and cultivating rare and endangered plants, we join with others to ensure that the beauty of biodiversity continues into the future.”

Together, IPTC’s keystone partners are reaching out to more than 600 botanical gardens across the country to provide resources for educating both staff and visitors about the illegal plant trade. Public gardens nationwide collectively attract more visitors each year than visitors of the top three U.S. professional sports combined, giving them an unparalleled platform to raise awareness and inspire action.

What the Public Can Do:

Buy responsibly: Ask retailers from where they source their plants. Are they wholesale propagators? Do they grow plants from seeds? Above all, avoid suspicious online listings and report the vendor.

Look closely: Inspect the plants you intend to buy. Nursery-propagated plants usually have few blemishes and are consistent in size and shape. Wild plants often have evidence of scarring from insects or weather damage and uneven growth that results from changing habitat conditions.

“Think Twice, Trade Right”: Support BGCI’s global initiative to educate plant buyers, reduce demand for poached plants, and promote sustainable trade alternatives. Make informed choices that help keep wild plants in the wild.
Report concerns: Suspected illegal trade can be reported through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crime tips site at fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips or to local authorities.

For more information and access to resources developed by the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition—including educational signage, ready-to-use social media templates, and video packages—visit  bgci.org/our-work/networks/illegal-plant-trade/. These tools are designed to help gardens, organizations, and individuals raise awareness, share accurate information, and act against the illegal plant trade.

About Longwood Gardens 

In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, encompassing 1,100 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and grand conservatory. Expanding on its commitment to conservation, in 2024 Longwood Gardens acquired the 505-acre Longwood at Granogue, a cultural landscape in nearby Wilmington, Delaware. Longwood Gardens is the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning. Open daily, Longwood is one of more than 30 gardens in the Philadelphia region known as America’s Garden Capital. For more information, visit longwood-gardens.org.   

About the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition 

The IPTC is a global collaboration working to mitigate the illegal harvesting and trade of wild plants. Coordinated by BGCI, the Coalition supports evidence-based action, behavioral change interventions, and conservation outcomes for threatened flora. Learn more about the IPTC on the BGCI website.
About Botanic Gardens Conservation International

About Botanic Gardens Conservation International 

BGCI is an independent United Kingdom charity established in 1987 and the world’s largest plant conservation network, representing more than 900 botanic garden members across more than 100 countries. As a global network for plant conservation, BGCI aims to support and empower its members and the wider conservation community to apply their knowledge and expertise to reversing the threat of plant extinctions. BGCI’s vision is a world in which plant diversity is valued, secure, and supports all life.