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Otari Native Botanic Garden & Wilton's Bush Reserve
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Conservation and Science Advisor
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Conservation Assessment, Exceptional Species, Plant Health and Biosecurity, Seed Conservation, Tree Conservation
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WELLINGTON, NZ
Karin van der Walt holds an MSc in Ecology from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and has been working in threatened plant conservation since 2006. Karin served on the panel for South Africa’s response to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011-2020, as an expert on the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Non Detriment Findings for cycads from South Africa and is a member of the IUCN’s Seed Conservation Specialist Group. In her current role as Conservation and Science Advisor at Otari Native Botanic Garden (Wellington City Council), Karin is focussing on creating genetically representative ex situ collections of New Zealand’s flora. Her work integrates pollination ecology, seed biology and plant physiology with biotechnology to create germplasm banks through conventional banking and cryopreservation.
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Botanical Inventory and Collection Expertise
- Identification
- Collection of germplasm
- Genetic representativeness
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Ex situ Collection Type Expertise
- Seed banking
- Cryopreservation
- Tissue/in vitro culture
- Herbarium Specimen
- Living plant collection
- Pollen banking
- Symbiotic host
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Living Collection Management Expertise
- Genetic representativeness
- Planting and establishment
- Safe work practices
- Plant Health and biosecurity
- Curation
- Data management
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Propagation Techniques Expertise
- Seeds
- Tissue/in vitro culture
- Cryopreservation
- Artificial pollination
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Conservation Assessment Expertise
- National conservation assessments
- Red List Index
- Red List assessor
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Exceptional Species Germplasm Expertise
- Seeds
- Embryos
- Fungal symbionts
- Vegetative
- Pollen
- Tissue culture explants
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Invasive Species Biology Expertise
- Entry pathways
- Management
- Sentinel research
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Biosecurity Expertise
- Collection Management
- Pest Monitoring and Surveying
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Plant Pest Expertise
- Fungi
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Plant Protection Policy Expertise
- Regional
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Plant Growth Form Expertise
- Trees
- Shrubs
- Herbs
- Fungi
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Seed Banking Research Expertise
- Seed behaviour
- Seed ecology
- Seed dormancy
- Seed longevity
- Seed set
- Seed viability
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Research Expertise
- Ex situ conservation
- In situ conservation
- Invasive species biology and control
- Pests and diseases
- Pollination biology
- Seed biology and conservation
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Ex situ Storage Behaviour Expertise
- Orthodox
- Intermediate
- Recalcitrant
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Seed Conservation Best Practices Expertise
- Cool (0 to 15C)
- Cold (-20 to 0C)
- Cryo
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Taxonomic Expertise (Family)
Myrtaceae
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Taxonomic Expertise (Genus)
Syzygium
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Tree Climbing Expertise
yes
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Geographic Region Expertise
- Africa
- Oceania
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Habitat Type Expertise
- Coastal areas
- Islands
- Temperate broad leaf and mixed forests
- Tropical and subtropical dry broad leaf forests
- Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands
- Tropical and subtropical moist broad leaf forests
- Wetlands (e.g. lake shores, bog, marshes)
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Services Available
- Advice
- Consultancy
- Mentorship
- Partnership opportunity
- Research
- Training
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