The Explorers’ Fund

In recent years, we have explored Nepal, where we have an ongoing programme of fieldwork to support our leadership on the Flora of Nepal project, and Tajikistan to document little-known wet and dry habitats within the country.

One of our next expeditions will be in early 2021 when a team of horticulturists and scientists will visit the remote Pacific location of the Juan Fernández Islands that lie some 300 kms off the coast of Chile.

The purpose of the visit will be to work with local partners in order make seed collections from all the unique plants for long-term storage in Chile’s national seed bank. With 75% of species being endemic to the islands, this is one of the most threatened floras in the world.

This initiative builds on an integral Scottish-Chilean link as one of the islands is named in honour of the Scottish explorer Alexander Selkirk who spent four years as a castaway on the island. Selkirk’s story inspired Daniel Defoe to write his book ‘Robinson Crusoe’.