News published: 1 December 2025

On November 12–13, 2025, the workshop Propagation Protocols for Threatened Trees was held at the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden in Bogotá, Colombia. The workshop followed a train-the-trainer approach, meaning it focused on preparing participants to teach this topic and share their experience within their institutions and countries. 43 people from ten South American countries participated, including coordinators of national botanical garden networks (where they exist) and experts in the propagation of threatened species.

During the first day, participants aligned and deepened their knowledge of propagation and the conservation of endangered trees. Sessions covered conservation principles and the importance of propagation protocols, and invited speakers presented national and regional conservation action plans. The second day included hands-on activities and presentations designed to familiarize participants with the process of transferring knowledge. Participants began developing their own workshops for propagators in order to expand the capacity to implement propagation protocols for endangered tree species.

The workshop strengthened participants’ technical capacities and consolidated a network of professionals committed to disseminating and applying this knowledge within their institutions and countries. This collective effort represents an important step toward the effective conservation of threatened trees in South America.

We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants, to the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden, and to Fondation Franklinia for making this workshop possible.