Jennifer Possley
Following an afternoon tour and reception at Denver Botanic Gardens’ Chatfield Farms, CPC presented the 2022 Star Award to Jennifer Possley, Conservation Program Manager at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Jennifer’s dedication to plants of South Florida and the Caribbean has truly saved plants from extinction. She leads a team working with over 100 rare plants in the region to bank seeds, monitor populations, research genetic relationships, and conduct reintroductions. Her work with the Connect to Protect program helps connect citizens of South Florida to the endangered pine rockland ecosystem. Known as a brilliant botanist and a caring and fun colleague, Jennifer works with a broad group of stakeholders to advance plant conservation in South Florida and the Caribbean. We sincerely appreciate her devotion and honor her contributions to plant conservation.
Congratulations on being awarded the CPC Star Award! Are there any remarks you’d like to share in response to receiving this reward?
I was certainly surprised to win the Star Award; I don’t even have a doctorate! I’m grateful to CPC for the recognition. It is especially meaningful to me to be in the company of other Star Award winners, many of whom I have admired for years.
What has it meant to you to be a member of the CPC network? How has CPC supported your work?
I think it all boils down to three things. First, CPC is a guiding voice for our on-the-ground conservation work, setting the standards for the work we do, based on the excellent science coming out of NLGRP, MoBot, CREW, and other institutions. Second, CPC has been a reliable and much-appreciated source of financial support, paying us to do the kind of work that we want to be doing anyway (Seed collecting! Outreach!) without mountains of red tape, for which we are so grateful. And third, CPC is moral support. Many of us are housed within institutions where conservation is not part of the mission statement, yet through CPC we are part of this amazing network that understands our needs and works to make our jobs easier. We love you guys!
Read more about Jennifer and her work to Save Plants in her Conservation Champion feature.
