Jorge Warner

Jorge is a biologist specializing in the in vitro culture of orchids. He is a member of the Orchid Specialist Group (OSG) of the IUCN and Director of the Jardín Botánico Lankester (University of Costa Rica) - from where he has been responsible for the promotion of the study and conservation of the orchids of Mesoamerica and other Neotropical regions.

Jardín Botánico Lankester

Officially founded in 1973, the mission of the University of Costa Rica 's Lankester Botanical Garden is to promote conservation, enjoyment and sustainable use of epiphytic flora through scientific research, horticulture, and environmental education.

Internationally recognized for its noteworthy collections of epiphytes, Lankester Botanical Garden was established in 1973 as a center for the exhibition, conservation and research of tropical epiphytic plants, with a special interest in orchids. On 11 hectares, the field collections, collections in greenhouses and secondary forests host over 3,000 species of plants.

Lankester Botanical Garden's history goes back to the 1940's when the British naturalist and orchidologist, Charles H. Lankester, became interested in the study and culture of Costa Rica's epiphytic plants. As an amateur botanist, he collaborated with the most prominent orchidologists of his time and dedicated his life to the creation of a private garden in his farm. After his death, the importance of preserving his garden became evident. Through the joint efforts of the American Orchid Society and the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust, the garden of “don Carlos” was donated to the University of Costa Rica on March 2nd, 1973, with the promise to transform it into a botanical garden. With dedication and much effort, the Lankester Botanical Garden has become one of the most active and important botanical institutions of the Neotropics.