RED DE HERBARIOS DE MESOAMERICA Y EL CARIBE

[Mireya Correa]

        MESOAMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN HERBARIUM NETWORK

        The Mesoamerican and Caribbean Herbarium Network was established, =
based on the fact that presently there are encouraging politics and =
strategies to obtain knowledge and to make use of the floristic diversity =
of the region.

        It was pointed out that herbaria are the repositories of much =
information and that they should be in charge of floristic inventories and =
taxonomic appraisals.  However, the herbaria and allied institutions of =
the region showed a host of problems that hinder them from taking their =
place in the present global challenge.

        The first meeting with delegates of the herbaria of the region was =
held in Panama City, Panama, in March of 1995.  Thirty-seven (37) =
participants who represented the different herbaria of 10 countries took =
part in the meeting.  The goal of this event was the diagnosis of the =
present situation of  the regional herbaria and the promotion of close =
ties and cooperation among the workers of these institutions.  As a =
result, the document =22Present condition of the Central American and =
Caribbean Herbaria=22 was worked out.  It contains the precedents, =
justifications, diagnostics, recommendations and conclusions of said =
meeting.  It is worth pointing out that an important outcome of this =
meeting was the establishment of the =22Mesoamerican and Caribbean =
Herbarium Network=22, with the unanimous approval by all the participants.

        During the second meeting, which took place in Tegucigalpa, =
Honduras, in October of 1996, the Network was strengthened,  becoming =
formally established with the election of a Board of Directors and the =
approval of the bylaws by the General Assembly.  Delegates of twenty (20) =
herbaria of the region took part in this event, and the elected governing =
board was thus formed:

Mireya Correa, President (PMA and SCZ, Panama)
Cirilo Nelson,  Vice President  (TEFH, Honduras)
Mariela Berm=FAdez, Secretary  (CR, Costa Rica)
Ricardo Rueda,  Treasurer  (HULE, Nicaragua)
Eduardo L=E9piz, Councilor  (INB, Costa Rica)
Ricardo Garc=EDa, Councilor (JBSD, Dominican Republic)
Germ=E1n  Carnevali,  Alternate Councilor (CICY, Mexico)
Ana Lucrecia E. de MacVean, Alternate Councilor (UVAL, Guatemala)
Jorge G6mez Laurito, Attorney (USJ, Costa Rica)

The following are some of the most important aims of the Network:
  Give support to the stability and strength of the regional herbaria.=20
  Stimulate research and support its activities.=20
  Offer incentive for the training of new personnel in the field of =
botanical    research.=20
  Support teaching activities in basic and applied botany.=20
  Undertake joint scientific and social studies in the region.=20
  Serve as a scientific and social information center in activities =
related  to biodiversity, conservation of natural      resources, =
sustainable development and environmental education.=20
  Promote and report the activities of the network.

        The following are the herbaria that at the moment have participated=
 in the meetings: Costa Rica (CATIE, CR, INB, Juvenal Valerio, USJ), El =
Salvador (ITIC, LAGU), Guatemala (AGUAT, UVAL), Honduras (EAP, TEFH), =
Mexico (CICY), Nicaragua (HULE, HNMN), Panama (PMA, SCZ), Puerto Rico =
(MAPR, SJ, UPR), Dominican Republic (JBSD).

ADDRESS

MIREYA D. CORREA A.
Directora del Herbario
Departamento de Bot=E1nica
Universidad de Panam=E1                        =20
 Estafeta Universitaria
Panam=E1, PANAMA
Correo electr=F3nico: mcorrea=40ancon.up.ac.pa

MIREYA D. CORREA A.                  =20
Herbario                                        =20
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute =20
Unit 0948                                      =20
APO AA  34002-0948                      =20
Correo electr=F3nico:corream=40tivoli.si.edu