The application to the British flora of the World Conservation Unionʹs revised red list criteria and the significance of red lists for species conservation Original Research Article

The revised system for assessing the threat status of species, published by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in 1994, has been applied to a range of taxonomic groups in Britain. Using this procedure, British Red Lists of vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens, fungi and charophytes have been drawn up. The system has been found to operate well at the national level. The problems and advantages associated with the application of this scheme and the importance of Red Lists in setting priorities for conservation are discussed.