The Caucasus with its numerous endemic plant species is recorded as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, whilst Central Asia holds the wild progenitors of some of the globally most important crops. North Asia’s enormous expanses with taiga and tundra vegetation present chief carbon sinks, critical to regulating the Earth’s climate.

As elsewhere in the world, botanic gardens in the Caucasus, North and Central Asia have been key centres driving botanical and agricultural research, integrated ex and in situ conservation and public outreach to raise environmental awareness. BGCI has a longstanding working relationship with botanic gardens in this part of the world.