The Missouri Botanical Garden, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP), presents Seed Conservation Techniques International (SCTi) — a hands-on, in-person professional development course designed to equip conservation practitioners with the science, skill, and standards needed for high-quality seed conservation.
SCTi draws directly from Kew’s acclaimed Seed Conservation Techniques (SCT) course — the flagship training offered by the MSBP that guides practitioners in collecting, processing, drying, storing, testing, and managing wild plant seeds to internationally recognized standards.
Missouri Botanical Garden is officially certified by the MSBP Trainer Certification Scheme to deliver this training, ensuring course content that is grounded in MSBP best practices and the globally adopted MSBP Seed Conservation Standards.
What Makes SCTi Special
This course blends:
- Global standards and science: SCTi content is structured around the MSBP Seed Conservation Standards—the consensus framework used by partners worldwide to ensure that ex-situ seed collections are of the highest quality and long-term utility.
- Practical, applied learning: Instruction combines classroom lectures, laboratory practicum sessions, and field exercises to bridge theory and practice.
- Certified expertise: Trainers are part of the MSBP Certified Trainer network, trained to teach and interpret MSBP methodologies in local and international contexts.
SCTi is designed for conservation professionals who want to strengthen capacity for seed bank functions and contribute meaningfully to global plant conservation efforts guided by MSBP benchmarks.