Biodiversity in Angola
The Angola Project
A cooperation project with Universidade Kimpa Vita in Angola focusses on the exploration of a widely unknown biotope. Parts of the province of Uíge in the North of the country were originally covered by cloud forests. The relicts of these forests provide a habitat for a great diversity of plant and animal species – many of them still unknown. Unfortunately, agriculture and timber exports threaten the maintenance of these forests. To document diversity, scientists, students and gardeners from Dresden visit the African country in a regular manner. Collected seeds and cuttings are cultivated in the greenhouses in Dresden for species determination. To preserve plant diversity in the region, a botanical garden is planned at Universidade Kimpa Vita. The Botanical Garden Dresden supports this project with consultations and staff qualification.