About

MISSION

The Texas Oklahoma Regional Consortium of Herbaria was developed to advocate for and to organize herbaria in Texas and Oklahoma. TORCH has four primary objectives:

  • Provide a mechanism for communication and collaboration among regional herbaria of all types and sizes
  • Promote regional data sharing and plant taxonomic and collections-based research, outreach, and education
  • Function as a regional consortium in the plant research collection network
  • Assist herbaria with infrastructural and management guidelines and problem solving

TORCH GOVERNANCE
The following rules of governance were voted and passed unanimously at the 2011 TORCH meeting, and reviewed and passed unanimously at the 2014 meeting. The Steering Committee consists of 9 members (6 from Texas and 3 from Oklahoma, based on proportion of herbaria in the two states). There are no constraints nor requirements regarding size of herbarium collection for those serving on the Steering Committee. Steering Committee members serve 3-year terms, with 3 rotating out every year (1 from Oklahoma and 2 from Texas). However, a committee member rotating out may be nominated and relected immediately. Consecutive and multiple terms are allowed with a maximum of 2 individuals permitted from a single institution. Nominations and voting for vacating seats will occur at the annual TORCH business meeting. Two co-chairs of the Steering Committee (one per state) will be chosen each year by its members. In 2017, the size of the steering committee was amended to consist of 11 members, with a minimum of 7 from Texas and 4 from Oklahoma).

2017-2018 STEERING COMMITTEE

  • Mike Dunn (Cameron University, Lawton), Mark Fishbein, OK Co-Chair (Oklahoma State University, Stillwater), Peter Fritsch (Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth), Dale Kruse, Texas Co-Chair (Texas A&M University, College Station), David Lemke (Texas State University, San Marcos), Abigail Moore (University of Oklahoma, Norman), Clark Ovrebo (University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond), Tiana Rehman (Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth), Anita Tiller (Mercer Botanic Gardens, Humble), Justin Williams (Sam Houston State University), and George Yatskievych (University of Texas at Austin).

2016-2017 STEERING COMMITTEE

  • Dale Kruse, Texas Co-Chair (Texas A&M University, College Station), Clark Ovrebo (University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond), Allan Nelson (Tarleton State University, Stephenville TX), Mark Fishbein (Oklahoma State University, Stillwater), David Lemke (Texas State University, San Marcos), and George Yatskievych (University of Texas at Austin), Peter Fritsch (Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth), Abigail Moore (University of Oklahoma, Norman), Justin Williams (Sam Houston State University).