The presentation of the fifth edition of the Red Book of Belarus took place

The Red Book of the Republic of Belarus (main list of plants and animals), unlike the international and many regional European books, which are advisory in nature, is a state document and has legal status.

This year, the 5th edition of the Red Book was prepared by the staff of the V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The new edition includes 310 species, including: 189 species of vascular plants, 37 species of mosses, 23 species of algae, 29 species of lichens, and 32 species of fungi.

On December 24, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus held an official presentation of this book.

The new edition provides for each species categories of national and international conservation significance, a brief description, information on distribution, habitats, biology, population size and trends, main threat factors, conservation measures, as well as photographic materials and distribution maps within the republic. It also includes appendices in the form of annotated lists of vascular plants, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi that have likely disappeared from the territory of Belarus (the "black list") and lists of vascular plants, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi that require further study and attention for preventive conservation purposes.