The H. H. Bloomer Award

Awarded to an amateur naturalist for an important contribution to the knowledge of natural history.

Established in 1963 from a legacy by the late Harry Howard Bloomer FLS.

Nominations are now closed. Nominations will re-open in summer 2026. If you are interested in making a nomination and would like more information, please contact nominations@linnean.org.

• Open to any amateur* naturalist of any nationality and age, in any field of natural history for their important contribution to the knowledge of natural history
• For the purposes of the Award, an ‘amateur naturalist’ would be an individual with no current or previous paid employment in the field under consideration. Rather they should have pursued their interest out of sheer curiosity and passion
• Teachers are eligible, as are those working in areas of environmental or educational policy
• Nominee cannot, at the time of nomination, be a member of Council
• Nominee does not need to be a Fellow of the Society
• We do not accept self-nominations

Wessel Swanepoel

'I am deeply honoured to accept the 2026 H.H. Bloomer Award. My sincere thanks to the Linnean Society of London for this incredible recognition. It is a privilege to contribute to our understanding of the natural world, and I accept this award with great gratitude and humility.'

Wessel Swanepoel is a remarkable modern explorer of Namibia’s desert flora. Born in South Africa and training as a civil engineer, his path changed after joining railway operator TransNamib in 1989, when travel across the country sparked his fascination with plants adapted to harsh, arid landscapes. His work soon centred on the remote Kaokoveld, a rugged region rich in unique species. In 2002 he discovered the tree Commiphora kaokoensis, beginning a close collaboration with botanists. Since retiring in 2017 he has devoted himself fully to exploration in Namibia and southwestern Angola. Now a leading authority on southern African species of Petalidium and Commiphora, by 2025 Wessel had authored or co-authored papers on 45 new plant species, including two new genera (Oberholzeria, Tiganophyton) and a new flowering plant family (Tiganophytaceae).