What is the difference between ex-situ conservation and in-situ conservation?

Answer 1

In Albania, in-situ conservation started to be applied only in the second half of this century. A number of Protected Areas have been established, and a number of laws and by-laws for the protection of endangered species of plants and animals have been passed. The Protected Areas are within the forest areas, and to enhance their protection and management the Department of Nature Protection was established within the National Environmental Agency. In some of the districts with Protected Areas or National Parks there are locally functioning units responsible for their management and protection.

Until the beginning of the 1990s, the total amount of Protected Areas was not more than 2% of the country's territory. At that time there were only three categories of Protected Areas: Forest National Parks, Hunting Resources of Categories "A" and "B," and Nature Monuments. In 1994, as part of the Ecological Monitoring of the High Forests in Albania, and based on the Protected Areas categorisation system of IUCN, there were identified and proposed a number of new Protected Areas which would have effectively doubled the existing number. After the recent designation of the Prespa National Park, and the lake Ohrid as Landscape Protected Area, the total country's area under protection has reached at 5.8% of the total territory.

Up to now, practices for ex-situ conservation of endangered species of plants and animals do not exist in Albania. The Botanical Garden close to Tirana University is a possibility, which should be considered in the future. There is also no existing genetic bank for endangered species of plants and animals. A seed bank for agricultural crops was established recently near the National Seed Institute (NSI). This institution has around 260 species, subspecies, and varieties, of which 230 are herbaceous, and the other 30 are trees and shrubs. From all of the 260 taxa, 180 are cultivated and 80 are spontaneous plants. However, this bank should be used for the collection of the genetic material of endangered endemic species belonging to the natural flora of the country.

Answer 2

on site and off site