🌿 National Conservation Council initiates plan to protect endangered Cayman sage

The National Conservation Council (NCC) is launching a public consultation on a conservation plan for the Cayman sage (Salvia caymanensis). The plan aims to restore a self-sustaining population of the critically endangered plant in the wild and to assist with its cultivation to safeguard its genetic diversity. The Cayman sage, which is unique to Grand Cayman, was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 2007 along the Queen’s Highway. Despite the plant's short life span and unknown germination triggers, the NCC believes that the current stock is not threatened due to successful propagation efforts. 🌱

The conservation plan proposes to continue allowing the QEII Botanic Park to sell Cayman sage plants to the public and encourage their planting in diverse habitats throughout Grand Cayman. It also includes provisions for planting cultivated Cayman Sage in selected coastal sand habitats on protected land or land agreed upon with owners. The NCC also plans to establish research partnerships with academic institutions to study the plant's biology and ecology in detail, and to launch a public outreach and education campaign. The plan does not require government land acquisition, as the herb can be restored in any suitable protected area. The public will be encouraged to acquire the plant from the Botanic Park, which will be classified as cultivated stock. 🌳