Curator of Tropical Fruit
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
14885 SW 248 St
Homestead, FL 33032 USA
305.258.0464
Fax: 305.258.0157
nledesma@fairchildgarden.org

 

Education

MS in Environmental Education, Universidad de Malaga, Spain. 1999

BS in Forestry Engineering, University, Republic of Colombia. 1993 

Key Responsibilities

Teaching adult horticultural programs, children's programs, horticultural classes, propagation, grafting, patio gardening and tropical fruit production.

 Career History

2000-present, Curator of Tropical Fruit, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida

Fields of Interest

Tropical fruit germplasm acquisition, conservation, interpretation and distribution, tropical fruit cultivar characterization, distribution of genetic resources, business operator for the Fruit Program and education and special events to promote tropical fruits.

Professional Service

Collecting/outreach experience in the Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, India and Peru. Emphasis mango (main), Avocado, Jackfruit, mamey sapote, canistel, caimito, and Spanish lime. 

Language Skills

English, Spanish: Fluent oral and written skills. 

Current Research Projects

Characterization of mango cultivars and other Mangifera species.

Recent Scientific Publications

Books 

Miami Children Hospital Foundation. 2008. “Miami Flavors: Our City’s Culinary Point of View”, Miami Florida.  

Campbell, R.J., Ledesma Noris, 2008. “For the Love of Mangos-India”, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, Florida. 

Campbell, R.J., Ledesma Noris, 2003. “Fairchild’s Quick Guide to Mangos of the World”, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, Florida. 

Campbell, R.J., Ledesma Noris, 2003. The exotic jackfruit: Growing the World’s Largest Fruit, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Miami, Florida. 

Campbell, R.J., Ledesma Noris and C.W. Campbell l(ed). 2002. Tropical Mangos “How to grow the world’s most delicious fruit”: Fairchild Tropical Garden, Miami, Florida. 

Refereed Publicaitons 

Trends in Mango Production and Cultivars Wordwide, Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Coral Gables American Society. In process. 2009.  

Florida Avocado Heritage Collection for South Florida, Carlos Balerdi, Richard J. Campbell, Miami-Dade County Extension, UF, and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 2007.  

The Inverted Root Graft: Applications for the Home Garden in Florida, Noris Ledesma and Richard J. Campbell, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables. Fla. State Hort. Soc.2007. 

Horticultural Lessons within the Williams F. Whitman Tropical Fruit Pavilion, Noris Ledesma,and Richard J. Campbell, ans Juan Valls, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119: 58-60. 2006.

Tropical Fruit Urban Forestry at the Whitman Tropical Fruit Plaza of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Noris Ledesma, Richard J. Campbell, and Juan Valls, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119: 13-15.2006. 

Collecting Pouterias (Pouteria spp.), Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) and Caimito (Chrysophyllum cainito) on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Coral Gables Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119: 58-60. 2006.

A Plan for the Future of the Export Mango Industry of the Western Hemisphere, Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Coral Gables Pro. Interamer. Soc. 2006.  

Collecting Mammea Americana L. in Tropical America: Potential for Florida, Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Coral Gables Proc. Fla. State Hort. 2005. 

Potential of New West Indian Avocado Selections for Tropical America, Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Coral Gables Pro. Interamer. Soc. Trop. Hort. 48: 85-88. 2005.  

Williams Grove Genetic Resource Center: A Scientific and Outreach Facility for South Florida, Richard J. Campbell, Noris Ledesma,and Gilberto Aleman, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables Pro. Interamer. Soc. Trop. Hort. 48: 82-64. 2005.              

Professional and Service Activities 

• Assistant Executive Secretary Treasurer 2000-2007) of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture (500 members in Tropical America, Asia, Africa)
• Editor, Proceedings of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture: 1999-2007.
• Editor Newsletter of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture : 1999- 2007.
• Vice President of Florida State Horticulture Society in the Krome Memorial 2007
• Organize committee of the International Mango Festival and other specific fruit festivals at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

• Board Member of Slow Food Organization 2008

 Awards 

Florida Magazine Association, The Charlie Award for the Best Service Feature for the Tropical Cuisine Column, 2007 and 2008.