People

Heller, Thomas M.

Qualifications & Appointments

BSc (Hons), Botany, University of Bristol, 2000.

MSc, Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants, Edinburgh University, 2003.

Role

International seed collection and plant identifcation

Capacity-building of partner country projects in making seed collections, including providing training in species targeting, seed collecting, making vouchers specimens and data handling. Responsible for developing seed conservation in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs), as well as co-ordinating a seed-banking and herbarium project in the Middle East. Identifying herbarium vouchers collected for the Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP), particularly from Chile, Mexico, southern USA and the UKOTs. Previously Botanical Information Researcher for the MSB Enhancement Project Part 1A, compiling descriptive, distributional and habitat data to aid the targeting of species for the MSBP. Experienced in the use of BRAHMS databases.

Projects

Developing Ex Situ Conservation Collections of UKOTs Species In-Territory and at Kew

 Establishment of Montserrat Botanic Garden

Falkland Islands Plant Conservation

Strengthening capacity for Species Action Planning in Montserrat

Theme: Climate and Reproductive Biology

Turks and Caicos Islands Pine Recovery

Selected Recent Publications

Heller, T.M. & Cheek, M. (2004). Rutaceae. In Cheek, M., Pollard, B.J., Darbyshire, I., Onana, J-M., & Wild C. (eds) The Plants of Kupe, Mwanenguba and the Bakossi Mountains, Cameroon: a Conservation Checklist. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 395-397.