Plant Taxonomy Skills for Conservation

This expert-led course for plant scientists interested in developing their taxonomic skills, to undertake research such as taxonomic revisions, new species descriptions or floristic treatments. In addition, successful candidates will learn about a range of plant conservation outputs to increase the impact of their taxonomic work. 

The course runs in a hybrid online/in-person format, with three weeks of online content and two weeks of practical learning, including the development of a taxonomy project in the local herbarium, and a one-day field trip to a local reserve. 

This course is organised by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in collaboration with local universities or institutions. It aims to be held every year but each year in a particular region: Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Details on the Bolivia course

The Plant Taxonomy Skills for Conservation course in Bolivia is organised by RBG, Kew in collaboration with Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés and Missouri Botanical Garden. The course is delivered through a hybrid format with three weeks delivered online and two weeks in-person in La Paz, Bolivia. The course is entirely funded by the Schroder Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Legacy, covering the operational costs of the course and full sponsorship for students making this a free course.

The online course will run from Monday 23 February to Friday 13 March 2026 and the in-person course will run from Sunday 15 March to Saturday 28 March 2026. 

What does the course include?

Students will benefit from remote access to online content, and one-on-one teaching with Kew experts in taxonomy and conservation.

Successful applicants will receive financial support to cover transport, accommodation and visa expenses for travel to attend the in-person modules, and necessary equipment will be provided by the organisation (such as hand lenses and bibliography). Participants are encouraged to bring their personal laptops.

Course breakdown

• Weeks 1–3: Online Modules 
  • Taxonomy and nomenclature 
  • Herbarium and type specimens 
  • Plant morphology and databasing 
  • Geo-referencing and mapping 
  • Taxonomic and conservation outputs 
• Weeks 4–5: In person Module 
  • Herbarium Taxonomy project: character matrix, morphological data mining, identification key construction, writing up taxonomic outputs and presentation
  • One-day field trip: technical skills for plant specimen collection