Nigel Maxted is Professor of Plant Genetic Conservation in the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK. He works on conservation planning and implementation, and has published over 350 scientific papers and book chapters and twenty-four books. He is Chair of the IUCN SSC Crop Wild Relative Specialist Group, UK Plant Genetic Resources Committee, and European Cooperative Programme for PGR In Situ Working Group. He is also the International Scientific Advisor for Bioversity International.