Protecting the UK’s rare and threatened plants requires precision, expertise and the right technology. At the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Center (PCC), staff use a Monmouth Scientific Class 2 biosafety cabinet to propagate sensitive species in completely sterile conditions. The equipment allows the PCC to protect both personnel and facilities while increasing the success of vital maintenance operations.
Image credit: Monmouth Scientific
For experts at the center, dissemination is both an art and a science. Working with fragile species, some on the brink of extinction, requires absolute precision and sterile conditions. Techniques such as inoculation and tissue culture, where flower buds, meristems or leaf segments are grown under laboratory conditions, leave no room for error.
Despite its expertise, the team faced an ongoing challenge. how to maintain the highest biosecurity standards while ensuring staff safety and efficient workflow. They needed a solution that would:
Protect both personnel and plant material during complex propagation.
Maintain a sterile environment to eliminate contamination.
Support efficient, repeatable processes for research and conservation.
To overcome these challenges, the National Trust worked with Monmouth Scientific, selecting the Guardian Class 2 MSC to provide the precision and protection their work required.
The cabinet provides a controlled, sterile workspace necessary for sensitive tissue propagation and culture. The advanced airflow system simultaneously protects personnel, plant material and the wider environment:
Personnel Protection: Inward airflow prevents personnel exposure to biological material.
Sample protection: A sterile airflow prevents contamination of sensitive plant tissues.
Environmental protection: The exhaust air is filtered, maintaining the safety of the laboratory.
Integrated into PCC’s broader biosafety protocols, the Class 2 MSC now supports basic conservation practices, including strict quarantine for newly acquired material and enhanced hygiene measures in all laboratory activities.
“Monmouth Scientific Class 2 is now fundamental to our work and ensures that both our staff and plant material are fully protected,” said Chris Trimmer, Director of the National Trust Plant Conservation Centre. “It allows us to carry out sensitive plant propagation safely and efficiently. The team at Monmouth Scientific have been fantastic to work with, their guidance and support made the installation and integration into our lab completely seamless.”
Since installing the Monmouth Scientific Class 2 MSC, PCC has achieved measurable improvements in maintenance operations:
Improved proliferation rates: Reduced contamination has led to greater success in tissue culture and micropropagation.
Enhanced security: Staff can work with confidence in a fully protected environment.
Increased efficiency: Reliable, repeatable workflows have accelerated retention progress.
The cabinet now plays an essential role in PCC’s wider mission, maintaining seed and tissue banks, supporting reintroduction projects and promoting partnerships with universities and research institutions.
Through this partnership, Monmouth Scientific and the National Trust are demonstrating how technology and conservation can work together to protect the UK’s botanical heritage. From the sterile environment of the laboratory to the distorted landscapes of the countryside, each protected specimen represents a vital step in preserving biodiversity for future generations.
