Transcript National Forestry Herbarium - Nationally Significant Databases

Forest Research Herbarium
- National Forestry Herbarium
Chris Ecroyd
 Started 1945 at Whakarewarewa,
Rotorua.
 Mainly a forestry herbarium.
 Approx. 24,000 specimens.
 Eucalypts and conifers ca 24%.
 Whole collection on a computer database.
 Provides information on the identity,
taxonomy and ecology of plants, including
weeds, significant to forestry.
 Has a regional role specialising in the
indigenous and adventive flora of the Bay
of Plenty and central North Island.
Who depends on the Herbarium?
 Forestry consultants, sawmillers,
landowners (identification to allow
appropriate timber use).
 Land managers: DoC, local authorities.
 Research groups: alternative species,
biodiversity, forest health and biosecurity
(hosts of pests and diseases).
 Students (research, scope visits), public.
Current resourcing problems
 Funding static since 1998 and currently
operating at a loss to Forest Research.
 No active collecting programme.
 Increasing backlog of unprocessed
specimens, now ca. 1500 specimens.
 Database software now outdated but
unable to fund up-date.
Long-term goals
 Up-date database software.
 Herbarium information on web.
 Extend collections of tree and shrub
species present in NZ.
 Develop a database of trees in New
Zealand.