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Date: September 20, 2025
Time: 10AM Pacific Time (California)
About the Speaker
Bárbara has more than 20 years of experience in plant conservation, with a special focus on the Mexican Cactaceae. She holds a degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a Ph.D. in Conservation Biology from the University of Sheffield, UK.
Her career has combined fieldwork, research, and leadership roles. She has led numerous expeditions across Mexico’s drylands, contributed extensively to cactus taxonomy, and served as curator of the Cactaceae collection at the National Herbarium (UNAM) as well as the Database on North and Central American Cactaceae. Her research on cactus diversity patterns has provided key insights into beta diversity and community similarity in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Bárbara has also held important conservation leadership positions, including Chief of the Department of Species at Risk of Extinction at Mexico’s National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change. In that role, she managed Mexico’s National List of Species at Risk, represented Mexico in CITES negotiations, and coordinated national research initiatives.
She spearheaded the landmark Global Cactus Assessment, the first worldwide conservation assessment of an entire major plant group using IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria—organizing funding, research, and international expert workshops across the Americas and Europe.
Since 2003, Bárbara has been an active member of the IUCN SSC Cactus and Succulent Plants Specialist Group, where she now serves as Co-Chair, in addition to her role on the IUCN SSC Plant Conservation Committee. She also spent nearly a decade with the IUCN Red List Unit in Cambridge, UK, as Programme Officer of the Plants for People initiative.
Today, Bárbara continues her conservation work as an independent consultant and researcher, collaborating globally to protect cactus diversity and the ecosystems they support.
Global Conservation of Cacti: Challenges and Opportunities
Cacti and other succulents are among the most beloved—and most threatened—plant groups on Earth, with nearly one-third of species at risk of extinction. In this webinar, Dr. Bárbara Goettsch will explore both the challenges and opportunities involved in conserving these remarkable plants. She will highlight emerging threats as well as long-standing issues, and share strategies currently being implemented to safeguard cacti worldwide. Her talk will draw on the work of the IUCN SSC Cactus and Succulent Plants Specialist Group, offering a unique perspective on global conservation efforts.
Recording
Unless otherwise noted, all webinars are recorded for later viewing on this website. The amount of time the recordings are available depends on what is allowed by the presenters.
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Photo Credits: Bárbara Goettsch, PhD
