We are delighted to share that we have recently donated 105 duplicate botanical specimens collected as part of the IEK-CHANGES project to the Herbarium of the Institut Botànic de Barcelona. These specimens complement a corresponding set of duplicates housed at the Bolivian National Herbarium, ensuring that this valuable botanical heritage remains accessible both in Bolivia and internationally.
This achievement reflects a truly collective effort. We are deeply grateful to Neus Ibáñez at the Institut Botànic de Barcelona for her encouragement, guidance and enthusiasm throughout the process, and to our dear Mónica Moraes R. for her invaluable support in securing the permits that made the export and transfer of these specimens possible. Special thanks also go to Júlia Orrit, who carefully transported the samples from Bolivia to Barcelona, and to Robin Bredero-zur-Lage and Mireia Alcántara-Rodríguez for leading the botanical collections with such care and diligence.
Herbarium collections are much more than pressed plants. They are enduring records of biodiversity, place, and time. Carefully collected, identified, and preserved specimens become part of a scientific legacy that can be studied by future generations, helping to document and understand the richness of the world’s flora. Every herbarium sheet tells a story. Together, these collections help ensure that the botanical knowledge documented through our research will continue to inform, inspire, and build connections across continents for years to come.
