NEWS
The recently unveiled National Herbarium of New South Wales
PROTECTING OUR PAST AND FUTURE
DENISE ORA
Chief Executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust “They say it takes a community to raise a child and the same can be said for
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THE GARDENS WINTER 2022
building a new herbarium. Since completing the business case in 2017/18 it has been nonstop. Adding to an already big challenge we decided to go one step further and digitise the collection. I am so proud of the extraordinary efforts from all staff involved. The launch of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science (AIBS) in March 2021 and the completion of the new Herbarium is a clear statement to the world of our commitment to advancing the fundamental knowledge of plants. We will continue the journey of discovering, understanding, and protecting plants, and inspiring the next generation of plant scientists to ensure Australia’s plant species are protected for generations to come.”
DR BRETT SUMMERELL
Chief Scientist and Director Research “When I started as a Science Director in 2004 there were several initiatives that I felt were required to take our science programs to the next level. We needed to: have a stronger focus on plant conservation, secure new infrastructure to facilitate ex-situ and germplasm conservation, build a
new herbarium to better protect and expand our collection, and unlock the data in the collection for the whole community to use. We have achieved all these goals through the employment of creative scientists, the construction of the Australian PlantBank, and now the new Herbarium and the digitisation of the collection. These initiatives ensure we stay at the forefront of botanical science nationally and internationally.”
JOHN SIEMON
Director Horticulture “Less than a decade ago we attempted a remarkably similar project in the middle of a global economic downturn. That project resulted in the globally celebrated PlantBank, which transformed the direction of our plant conservation programs and the way in which our community engaged with our science and facilities. How fortunate we are that with the delivery of the new Herbarium, constructed in the middle of a global pandemic, we also achieved a wonderful upgrade of our conservation nursery facilities. Combined, these world-class facilities
Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust
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fter nearly 170 years residing in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, one of the world’s most significant and precious botanical resources officially moved into its new home last month. The opening of the National Herbarium of New South Wales at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan brought to conclusion a planning and construction process that began in earnest back in 2018 with a $60 million investment by the NSW State Government. The collection itself continues to expand, with around 8,000 new plant specimens added every year to the more than one million that now reside in six protective vaults, each featuring precisely controlled environmental conditions. We asked some of those involved in the Herbarium project to explain, in their own words, what the opening of the new Herbarium means to them personally, and to Australia.
