The Illegal Plant Trade Coalition (IPTC) is bringing together plant conservation practitioners, researchers, botanic gardens and partners from around the world through a new online technical talk series focused on sharing practical knowledge and experience. The series marks the IPTC’s first anniversary, following its launch at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in 2026.
Running throughout October 2026, the series will showcase a diverse range of plant conservation projects and approaches, highlighting the important work being undertaken by IPTC partners.
The series will provide an opportunity for partners to share lessons learned and practical experiences, while creating space for discussion and exchange between participants. Topics reflect the breadth of work across the Coalition, from conservation of threatened plant species and genetic resources to community engagement, horticulture, restoration, and the role of botanic gardens in plant conservation.
The series also reflects the strength of collaboration within the IPTC network. Contributions from partners will demonstrate how knowledge, expertise and experience can be shared across regions and institutions to strengthen efforts to address the illegal plant trade and support plant conservation practice.
We hope the series will provide an accessible platform for learning and collaboration, while helping to connect people working tirelessly to conserve plant diversity around the world.
Please save the dates & Register
Participation will be via Eventbrite. Please see the schedule below for the corresponding Eventbrite links. Registration will provide access to the relevant Zoom links for each session. Please keep an eye out on BGCI socials, help us by reposting and sharing widely. For more information on the Technical Talks or IPTCF in general please contact us on policy@bgci.org
Confirmed Technical Talk Series Schedule
| Date | Time | Partner / Organisation | Session | Presenters | Focus | Eventbrite |
| 8 October 2026 | 14:00 UTC (3:00 pm UK)
|
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) | Building Resilience through Succulent Safe Spaces in South Africa’s Karoo
Safeguarding Cycads in South Africa |
Zanne Brink & Carina Bruwer
Catherine Vise |
South Africa’s Succulent Karoo succulent plants are heavily targeted by illegal trade. This project focuses on securing “Safe Spaces”, strengthening surveillance, empowering local landowners and anti-poaching partners, community reporting, awareness and criminal justice approaches.
Exploring approaches to safeguard South Africa’s unique cycad species, which are severely impacted by illegal harvesting from the wild for landscaping and horticultural purposes. |
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-succulent-safe-spaces-and-safeguarding-cycads-tickets-2002430058208?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 12 October 2026 | 14:00 UTC (3:00 pm UK) | National Botanic Gardens Ireland | Rewilding and DNA – Horticulture as a tool to mitigate the plant poaching crisis | Nora Mulcahy and Team | Rewilding and DNA – Horticulture as a tool to mitigate the plant poaching crisis – a boots on the ground approach | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-rewilding-and-dna-horticulture-as-a-tool-tickets-2002443839428?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 14 October 2026 | 14:00 UTC (3:00 pm UK) | University of South Florida and University of Arizona – Member of the IUCN SSC Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force (SPITTF) | Spectroradiometry for species and provenance identification: a tool against the illegal plant trade | Michiel Pillet & Brian Maitner | Existing forensic enforcement tools are often invasive, expensive, or slow. I’ll summarize results from a spectroradiometric pilot study to identify succulent species with high accuracy and discuss potential diagnosis of plant provenance to combat the illegal plant trade. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-spectroradiometry-for-species-and-provenance-identification-tickets-2002452439150?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 16
October 2026
|
17:00 UTC (6:00 pm UK) | Species Saviour Initiative (SSI) Puntland, Somalia | Illegal Plant Trade in Somalia-Community Action, Law Enforcement cooperation and conservation | Ahmed Ibrahim and Team | The presentation will cover what illegal plant trade in Somalia means economically, destinations, and local resistance to stop it, and cooperative law enforcement in a fragmented political system. Actions taken to empower state capacity to preserve natural resources. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-illegal-plant-trade-in-somalia-tickets-2002447570588?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 22 October 2026 | 8:00 am PST (4:00 pm UK) | The Huntington & California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) | Studying the Illicit Trafficking of Cacti and Succulents through a Practitioner-Researcher Partnership | Nerea Marteache Solans; Sandy Masuo; Ronnie Castillo | A collaboration exploring potentially illicit plant trade on online marketplaces and the behaviours and motivations of cacti and succulent collectors, including challenges and preliminary findings. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-studying-the-illicit-trafficking-of-cacti-and-succulents-tickets-2002454389985?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 23 October 2026 | 10:00 am CST (4:00 pm UK) | Lincoln Park Zoo | Applying Animal Wildlife Trafficking Strategies and Policies to Combat the Illegal Plant Trade | Sunny Nelson & Dan Boehm | A 30-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A on wildlife trafficking advocacy and policy approaches that can be adapted to the illegal plant trade, including public awareness and behaviour-change campaigns. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-applying-animal-wildlife-trafficking-strategies-and-policies-tickets-2002454737023?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 28 October 2026 | 10:00 am Mexico City (4:00 pm UK) | Cadereyta Regional Botanic Garden, Mexico – Member of the IUCN SSC Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force (SPITTF) | Plants Belong in the Wild: Science, Public Awareness, and Conservation in Action | Emiliano Sánchez Martínez, María Magdalena Hernández Martínez, José Antonio Aranda Pineda, Yazmin Hailen Ugalde de la Cruz & Beatriz Maruri Aguilar | An overview of plant poaching in Mexico, with a focus on cacti and other highly sought-after species, and the Cadereyta Regional Botanic Garden’s experience using research, public awareness and conservation action. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-plants-belong-in-the-wild-tickets-2002454930602?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| 29
October 2026 |
1:00 am Mexico City (7:00 am UK) | Cadereyta Regional Botanic Garden, Mexico – Member of the IUCN SSC Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force (SPITTF) | Plants Belong in the Wild: Science, Public Awareness, and Conservation in Action | Emiliano Sánchez Martínez, María Magdalena Hernández Martínez, José Antonio Aranda Pineda, Yazmin Hailen Ugalde de la Cruz & Beatriz Maruri Aguilar | A repeat session scheduled for the Asia-Pacific audience. Same presentation as 28 October. | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iptc-presents-plants-belong-in-the-wild-tickets-2002455386967?aff=oddtdtcreator |
Save the dates, share widely and join us in celebrating one year of collaboration through the IPTC