Tim Pearce is focused on developing seed conservation programs across Kew's African partners, delivering Kew’s strategic target of securing seeds from 25% of the world's flora by 2020. Of the c.75,000 African plant species, we currently hold c.20,000 African seed collections representing c.11,000 taxa. He has set an ambitious 5-year target of securing collections from a further 10,000 taxa held to international seed banking standards across Kew's African partners. As well as this seed collection effort, he continues to develop the MSBP Data Warehouse in order to share data from those non-duplicated seed collections held across the MSBP.
Tim Pearce has a particular research interest in the taxonomy and conservation of the genus Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae) for which he has developed a large occurrence dataset using the BRAHMS (Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System) software. Similar datasets on Ethiopian endemic plants and Afromontane flora have also been developed.
