Jérôme Degreef

Directeur scientifique Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles Department: Research Speciality : fungal taxonomy Research themes : Ethnomycology in Africa Contact: jerome.degreef@botanicgardenmeise.be Phone: +32 2 260 09 54 Google Scholar  |  ResearchGate  |  ORCID

I manage the 30 staff members from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles collaborating in the achievement of the Meise Botanic Garden missions. In addition to my team leader activities and administrative tasks, my research focuses on the tropical fungi with a special interest in the edible African species and the valorization of these ecosystem services for development. I namely co-authored field guides for identifying the most commonly consumed fungi in central African dense forests and South-Eastern African miombo and a book for promoting the mushroom cultivation by local population in tropical Africa.

Qualifications
Degrees

• PhD, Gembloux Agricultural University, Belgium, 1998     
• Agronomist Ir, Gembloux Agricultural University, Belgium, 1995
  
  

Employment history

• Scientific Director Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Meise Botanic Garden, 2014 - ongoing
• Head of department, National Botanic Garden, Belgium, 2006-2013
• Senior Scientist, National Botanic Garden, Belgium, 1999-2005
  
  

Projects

• Mycologie et développement dans la Région des Grands Lacs : approche raisonnée et filières de production ex-situ de champignons comestibles, une alternative économique additionnelle à l'exploitation des aires protégées - Projet de Recherche pour le Développement (PRD) de l’Académie de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur (ARES, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles) – Partners : UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège-Gembloux, Institut Paul Lambin, UGoma, UOBukavu, URwanda, UBurundi
• Edible Fungi of Tropical Africa (website)

Professional activities

• Staff management
• Research in taxonomy and valorization of African fungi (2006 – ongoing)
• Database & website manager Edible Fungi of Tropica Africa (2017 – ongoing)
• Co-editor AbcTaxa series (2006 – ongoing)
• Editor Fungus Flora of Tropical Africa (2007 - ongoing)
• Associate editor Plant Ecology and Evolution (2010 – ongoing)
• Scientific collaborator, ULiège-Gembloux (2001 - ongoing)
• Scientific collaborator, ULB (2019 - ongoing)
  
  

Publications
FRIS Research Portal