Giardino Ravino Award An ark for biodiversityFair for rare succulents

Ischia , Giardini Ravino, April, 11th-13th , 2008

Looking through the eyes of the human species, life on earth is only possible, thanks to the diversity of a well-oiled ecosystem, composed of uncountable biological species and sub-species. The divers ecosystems are delivering in constant flow the most important and fundamental basics to life: nutrition, water, energy, wood, dietary fibers, as medical potent substances. But a stable and well functioning ecosystem is also responsible for the climate, cares for the geological distribution of water and recycles which stays unused.

Furthermore, nature plays a fundamental role in it's diversity of species and systems for the human consciousness, the general esthetics and beauty in the world, the recreational power as for spirituality.

The modern version of the relation between nature and humans has not yet realized in it's full expenditure, that the local ecosystem is the key and the surety to a well-functioning global ecosystem of the earth. The loss of biodiversity is not only bringing unforeseeable damages on the ecological layer, but also economical ones, scientific ones and cultural ones. Also the United Nations already cared for and declared this issue in their convention (Nairobi, May 22 nd 1992), which is already ratified in 188 countries.

Giardini Ravino decided in this field of vision, to protect and enhance biodiversity, to found an annual conference, to spread and market the knowledge of rare succulents and their role to preserve biodiversity.

In fact succulents in the empire of vegetation are those representatives, which extraordinarily adapts to outer circumstances through diversity: vast or minimal proportions, towering sculptures or flat green cushions, tree- or shrub-like forms, meandering, scrambling or devastated; only sturdy or blocked and inherently thicken, stinger thorns or full thick leaves, spectacular fragrant flowers, eatable fruits or poisonous ones…..

e expect from this event to be able to get in touch with other aficionados of cacti, scientists and broadly with engaged people, which would like to actively take part in this conference, to have their speech on biodiversity, it's relation to succulents, as on succulents themselves. We invite you to see our exhibition of curiosities from the botanic world, meeting organizations with which we share the same goal, visitors from Italy and from all over the world; we will also present you a jury consisting of experts and aficionados, who will award the three most interesting plants. But also the visitors will have their word in awarding the “ravino-special: the darling of the public”- an initiative which is designed to energize, as the outcome is completely unpredictable, depending on the distribution of the visitors- a factor as unpredictable as life itself, which is itself biodiversity.