Land Stewardship and Protection of an Endangered Plant Species in an Insular World Biosphere Reserve

Lotus eremiticus is an endemic species from La Palma World Biosphere Reserve. It has a small distribution range, low population size, and is threatened by introduced herbivores. Since these threats have not been removed from the protected area, they were excluded by building a fence. The land where the species grows is private property, so an agreement with the landowner was reached to permit measures to favor its recovery. During 2008-2019, as a result of this agreement and the conservation efforts, a large population increase occurred, from the initial 5 individuals to the 30 plants that are currently distributed at the original site. Furthermore, these measures allow the species to maintain stable population dynamics, meaning that this endangered species is itself capable of recovery if the threat is removed. This is a good example of how land stewardship is an effective tool to conserve endangered species.