As representative of the Austrian Botanic Gardens Workinbg Group, the European Seed Conservation Network, the International Plant Exchange Network and the European Botanic Gardens Consortium I would first of all like to highlight the outmost importance of a EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy aiming at the reversal of the loss of elements of biodiversity.
However, I want state that the strategy also needs to cover, mention and endorse rationals and incentives for species-level conservation (of course in a ecosystem-context), and to emphazise the role of ex situ conservation and of species based restoration research. All these areas are indispensible for an integrated conservation policy and are currently suffering from a lack of funds. Especially in times of climate change integrated in-situ/ex-situ activities are needed to conserve (especially rare) elements of the native European biodiversity. This includes seed banks for European native species as well as research on germination and establishment of taxa, where ex-situ studies are an important way to understand the situation of the species in the wild or allow predictions for the future.