Time: Tuesday 13 August at 7.30pm (BST)
We are excited to announce that Stefan Burger, one of our most popular speakers has agreed to give us one of his fantastic talks. This follows on from the world first live talk that he gave from a hillside in Chile to a BCSS audience at the RHS garden Bridgewater. We were able to interact and watch in real time Stefan walking up a hill in Chile and see the plants as he found them.
Stefan is an Australian naturalist and environmental consultant living in Chile. He has an academic background in Applied Sciences and developed a fascination for cacti and other exotic plants from a young age. Stefan now facilitates habitat tours in South America, works in conservation and independently researches cactus and desert ecology.
The BCSS has previously supported the conservation activities that Stefan has introduced and is pleased that he is a leader in the fight to protect natural habitats.
This fascinating talk is set in the Atacama Desert which extends from northern Chile into southern Peru and has captivated people from many disciplines of the life sciences for centuries. Hidden in its coastal fog desert and Andean foothills and plains are many geophytes and extensive seed banks of annual plants waiting for precious rains to wake them up from dormancy. In this presentation, Stefan takes us on a journey to discover the hidden beauty in this hostile place, showing us images and videos of the flowering desert phenomenon. Plant families include Cactaceae, Malesherbiaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Solanaceae, Liliaceae, Monteaceae, Oxalidaceae, Euphorbiaceae and many more.
We are certain that this talk will be of great interest to viewers of all abilities. Indeed Stefan is one of the most exciting speakers that you can hear so this is definitely one for your diary.