Dr Stephen Utick ‘National and International Focus on Conserving Camellia Collections’

Stephen is a recognised world expert on Camellias.  While not endemic to Australia, the genus Camellia is of immense horticultural and cultural significance internationally.  This presentation will examine initiatives in Australia and internationally to conserve rare and endangered cultivars, with a special emphasis on the work of Camellia Ark Australia.

Abstract

While not endemic to Australia, the genus Camellia (Family Theaceae) is of immense horticultural and cultural significance internationally.  This presentation examines initiatives in Australia and internationally to conserve rare and endangered cultivars, with a special emphasis on the work of Camellia Ark Australia.

Biography

Dr Stephen Utick, a retired Commonwealth science and research policy officer, is now becoming recognised across the world as one of Australia’s foremost experts on Camellias.  He has postgraduate qualifications in horticultural botany, history and philosophy of science, philosophy and history.  He is one of Australia’s Directors for the International Camellia Society, and recently elected as the first Chair of the International Camellia Society’s Committee for Historic Camellia Conservation.  He is Secretary and co-founder of Camellia Ark Australia, which aims to conserve Australia’s rarest Camellias, and is working with a number of Australian public gardens to preserve and enhance their Theaceae collections.