Conservation and Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources MSc

CUPGR students at the MSB

Kew 's Seed Conservation Department provides research placements for students following the University of Birmingham MRes in 'Conservation and Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources'.

Natasha Ali

Natasha Ali, now a member of staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , is a graduate of the CUPGR course: "I came to work at Kew through the MSc course in Conservation and Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources run by Birmingham University . The course covered a mixture of in situ and ex situ conservation techniques and theories.  Part of the course was a week-long component on ex situ seed conservation at the MSB . The week was intensive, but I was struck by the progressive attitude of the MSBP towards conservation and capacity building and how keen MSB staff were to ensure that the benefits of conservation reached all, particularly the partners involved in the project. I did a 3 month research project at the MSB using fire simulation treatments to overcome seed dormancy. I enjoyed the project immensely and when a short term contract at the MSB came up, I took it. I was part of the Collection Studies Team which works towards solving problems associated with the seed collections. In particular, the team looks at problems in seed germination and dormancy, and assesses how long the seeds may survive under the current seed bank conditions.  I also taught our MSB partners, MSc and Kew Diploma students about fundamental aspects of seed germination and alleviating seed dormancy, the same subjects that brought me to the MSB many years ago." Natasha now works for Kew’s Conventions and Policy section, monitoring Kew’s policy with respect to the Convention on Biological Diversity, providing advice on best practice for Kew staff, training for staff and visitors, and developing agreements between Kew and external organizations.

Costantino Bonomi

Costantino Bonomi, of the Trentino Seed Bank also spent time at the seed bank as part of his postgraduate training. He writes:

"From a very young age I was fascinated by plants and wanted to know more about them. After my first degree in Biology in Italy at the University of Padua , I decided to attend in the UK an MPhil in "Botanical Diversity: Classification, Conservation and Management". This course was jointly offered by the universities of Reading and Birmingham , the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Natural History Museum, London . It included a two-week period based at the RBG Kew with one week at the SCD in Wakehurst Place .

This was a key introduction to seed conservation techniques that gave me the inspiration to create a similar project back in Italy . I was able to raise funds to create the Trentino Seed Bank, and enjoyed the help of all the SCD staff to develop a local seed storage facility in the SW Alps in 2002, especially designed to conserve alpine endangered species. This important milestone was the starting point for renewed commitment to plant conservation that lead me to get involved in ENSCONET, the European Native Seed Conservation Network and to coordinate the newborn Italian Network for native seed conservation.

My experience at the SCD opened to me a new dimension of long lasting international cooperation that will hopefully go to the benefit of all endangered plants!".