Climate Change Conversations: Common Sense Cactus Conservation in the 21st Century

Cacti are one of the most endangered groups of organisms on the planet, besieged by poaching, habitat destruction, and climate change. Properly conserving our prickly friends in this changing world requires a paradigm shift in the way we view conservation, as well as increased collaboration between stakeholders from all levels of society.

Hear from Michiel Pillet, Program Officer of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Cactus and Succulent Plants Specialist Group. Dedicated to cactus conservation, he studies the impact of climate change on cacti. In 2021, he opened a conservation-focused cactus nursery, Prickly Prospects (www.pricklyprospects.com), which focuses on ethical propagation of the most endangered species. He believes strongly in the importance of holistic conservation management including both research in the field, as well as safeguarding the future of cacti by cultivating them.