Stefan Campbell is an Australian naturalist and environmental consultant living in Chile. He has an academic background in Applied Sciences and developed a fascination for cacti and other exotic plants from a young age. Stefan now facilitates habitat tours in South America, works in conservation and independently researches cacti and desert ecology.
Boasting 671 species of cactus with 520 being endemic, Mexico is the world’s cactus diversity hotspot. In this presentation, we discover the exotic columnar cactus forests of Puebla and Oaxaca, as well as the tiny geophytic cacti that inhabit the country’s dryland ecosystems.
Bolivia is a landlocked country situated in the heart of South America. This fascinating land is located on the “elbow of the Andes” and is a biological paradise full of different microclimates spanning across a relatively small geographical area, encompassing everything from tropical lowlands to the Altiplano. In this presentation, we discuss why these microclimates exist and what fascinating cacti and other exotics grow there.
The Underground Cacti of Chile
Learn about a world of geophytic cacti that have evolved and adapted to one of the most extreme habitats on the planet – the coastal Atacama Fog Desert. This talk discusses members of the genera Copiapoa and Eriosyce that can be classified as geophytes, that is, they have evolved substantial underground storage organs in the form of retractile taproots where they accumulate water and nutrients to help them survive extreme drought. These cacti are often very small and cryptic in habitat and difficult to find, almost never rising above ground level. Join us on a journey from the city of La Serena to Antofagasta in search of these fascinating cacti. *Bonus segment on Chilean Dioscorea and Euphorbia.
Copiapoa 2023
Copiapoa are endemic to northern Chile and live in one of the country’s most intriguing habitats – the coastal Atacama fog desert. This talk includes in-depth discussions about Copiapoa ecology, taxonomy, and conservation. Our journey begins in Chile’s Antofagasta Region on the edge of the world’s driest desert and takes us south to the country’s Mediterranean center.
The Chilean Altiplano
Take the high road into the Andes and discover otherworldly plants and landscapes. The Altiplano translates to “High Plain” in English and is the world’s second largest area of high mountain plateau after Tibet. The Altiplano territory spans across parts of Bolivia, Peru and Argentina, but a smaller and arguably more intriguing section is located in Chile, where the fascinating topography is home to a diversity of cacti, including Oreocereus, Browningia, Neowerdermannia, Haageocereus and Corryocactus species, as well as other alpine wonders such as Azorella compacta.
Bromeliads of Chile and Mexico
Bromeliads are native to the Americas aside from one species that occurs in tropical west Africa. In this presentation, we discuss some intriguing species from South and North America and their ecology in some atypical habitats for this plant family. Focus genera include: Tillandsia, Puya, Greigia, Ochagavia and Hechtia.