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julie_alley

Job/schooling question

Julie_Alley
17 years ago

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the people who go to tropical countries to collect samples of rare plants, find new species, and research the behavior and properties of these plants are called? Also, if this is what I want to do for a living, obviously I need science, what other qualifications do I need?

Thanks,

Julie

Comments (6)

  • laag
    17 years ago

    It is more likely that they are called trust funders and/or heirs and heiresses than anything else.

    Seriously, your best bet would be do earn a doctorate and be a professoer of horticulture at a very prestigious university. That takes brains, hard work, money, and a great deal of luck as well.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    You can take this field in a variety of different directions. Personally, I've always been fascinated by Ethnobotany, which relates the plants to people. You ought to read "Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice" by Mark Plotkin. ;-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Check this out

  • ian_wa
    17 years ago

    Well if that is really what you want to do, most likely you will be working for yourself, or if you don't you will wish you had. As 'laag' says I'm not sure what kind of organization or business would have an opening for someone with these interests. The era of subsidised plant hunting is long gone - now there are all kinds of people who want to do it but few businesses, public entities, or independently wealthy parties who would put up the money to make it a paid position through which one could earn a living. I did once see an opening at a prestigious specialty nursery for research horticulturist, with some of this work included in the description, but the position did not pay very well (decent for a nursery but not great compared to the cost of living). I would recommend the following steps. Avoid debt. Get a masters or PhD in whatever relatively high-paying (i.e. not horticulture) and strong industry is most tolerable to you (for example civil engineering or architecture). Then you can get a decent paying job, but you will still want to live on a rather low budget so you can save a lot of money. Then blow some of it on plant collecting and research, and, if you are up to it, use a lot of your savings to transition later out of your job and into your desired way of making money doing what you want to, whether it be by buying land to start a nursery, or whatever else you can think of. I'm four years out of college and as tedious as it may sound, I'd be in a lot better financial shape now if I had gotten a degree in some high paying field, gotten a job in that field and transitioned out later, instead of getting a degree in horticulture. In fact, it's hard enough sometimes I think about returning to school, but going to school more than once (and blowing that much more money) also seems like sort of a rat-race trap since so many people are doing it. So for the present the best I can do is to keep plugging away and try to make money selling plants. Anyways good luck!

  • watergal
    17 years ago

    Julie, this may sound a little nervy, but try emailing Tony Avent at Plant Delights Nursery. He does trips like this all the time. I heard him give a lecture, and he seems like a nice guy with a real passion for what he does. I think he would take the time to help you out.

    I did the college degree in economics and was miserable in an office job. After taking off a decade to raise my daughter, I started in horticulture as a second career and am much happier. Yeah, the pay is lousy but I love what I do. I would love to go back and get a horticulture degree, or at least take some courses, but I have my daughter's college tuition to pay in a few years, so I can't afford it. However, I do read a lot of books and web sites and talk to any experts I can find, and that is nearly as helpful.

    Good luck to you! Life is too short to be stuck in a job you hate, unless you really want the money very badly.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Delights Nursery

  • dogridge
    17 years ago

    check with well known botanical gardens. Sometimes the horticulturalists go on research trips. I know the garden in Atlanta has sponsored some trips for their staff.

  • watergal
    17 years ago

    so, julie, any progress?

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