That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the sterling work being carried out by Richard Baines, curator at Logan Botanic Garden in Port Logan, Dumfries and Galloway, in safeguarding species from the biodiversity hotspot in the Hoang Lien mountain range in north-west Vietnam; understands that he is on a botanical mission to collect data and seeds from endangered plants, many of which are becoming increasingly at risk, that he will bring back to the south west of Scotland to grow in the safe surroundings of Galloway; notes that Richard is part of a wider team, including Hanoi’s Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and Blarney Castle and Gardens, in collecting different plant species within, it understands, the snake-infested jungles and mountain terrain; acknowledges that some species of rhododendron, magnolias and camellias have been classed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to logging, expansion of agriculture, climate change and tourism; understands that the expedition will be going to three new mountains, Pu Ta Leng, Pu Su Lung and Mu Cang Chai, to explore and botanise while hopefully finding new species that have never been classified as new to science before; further understands that some specimens will be cultivated and then propagated at Logan, and wishes Richard and his colleagues safe travels in what promises to be an exciting and, hopefully, rewarding adventure.
Supported by: Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Sharon Dowey, Russell Findlay, Meghan Gallacher, Kenneth Gibson, Maurice Golden, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Christine Grahame, Jamie Greene, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Douglas Lumsden, Stuart McMillan, Edward Mountain, Douglas Ross, Alexander Stewart, Kevin Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle