Siekkinen 2015a (Conference Paper) Bromeliaceae

The Bromeliad Society International: Research and Conservation

Author(s):—Andy Siekkinen in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—From the first publication of The Bromeliad Society Bulletin as the organization and its publication were initially known, conservation of bromeliads and their habitat and encouragement of scientific research on bromeliads were stated as primary goals of the organization. Over the years much has changed, both in terms of the Bromeliad Society International (BSI) as well as the scientific research and conservation. However, the BSI has always recognized the need to work as an international collaboration. From the founding, internationalexperts were sought to bring together those with expertise from Brazil, Argentina, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States. As is now stated in The Journal of the Bromeliad Society International, our purpose is ?to promote and maintain public and scientific interest in bromeliads through support of scientific and horticultural research, preservation, and display of bromeliads.? The primary tools the BSI has to accomplish these goals are the publication of The Journal, hosting a biannual World Bromeliad Conference (WBC), and grants. Scientific studies and taxonomic treatments have been published in The Journal alongside content of more general interest throughout the history of the BSI with The Journal serving as one of the most important publications of new bromeliad species. At the WBC events, there are presentations, tours, plant sales, and a plant auction to raise funds for bromeliad research. For a long time those funds were used for supporting the Bromeliad Identification Center that was previously managed by Harry Luther at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and are now devoted to a new program being developed: the HEL-BSI Scholar Program honoring the late Harry Luther. The organization is always dynamic and changing, there is always the potential for new projects for the BSI to support and work together with researchers of the Bromeliaceae.

Keywords:—Bromeliad Society International; Research Grants; Publications.