Capacity building activities underpin much of the work of the Missouri Botanical Garden in support of plant conservation, both in its home region of St. Louis and around the world. The Garden conducts extensive training and environmental awareness activities in all regions and countries in which it has active programs. In this context, the Garden’s capacity building efforts are designed to benefit all citizens living in communities, helping to develop the knowledge, skills, and motivation to care for the environment and use resources sustainably.

Internationally, the Garden is dedicated to increasing the capacity of citizens in biodiversity-rich countries to carry out effective, sustainable conservation of their natural resources. Close collaborative partnerships between the Garden and institutions and organizations in the countries in which we work are fundamental to the Garden’s international programs and are crucial to shaping capacity building programs that respond to the needs of individual countries. In addition to institutional strengthening, activities include professional training of botanical scientists, ecologists, and plant conservationists at undergraduate and postgraduate levels; training for communities in conservation and sustainable development; courses for park guards, government officials, and others; and environmental education and awareness raising.

In the St. Louis region, the Garden carries out educational and interpretative programs that engage people of all ages in learning about plant diversity and ways to protect and conserve plants and their ecosystems.

Learn more about capacity building activities for plant conservation conducted by the Missouri Botanical Garden:

Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development

William L. Brown Center

Madagascar Program

• Education Division