A network of international experts, unable to meet since 2019, will finally gather in Edinburgh next week to discuss how best to preserve and manage the world’s priceless natural history collections.

In the post pandemic world, awareness is higher than ever of the need to work in global partnerships, towards better understanding of our natural world and how to protect it against the ultimate threats of the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency. The annual conference of the Society for the Protection of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), co-hosted by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and National Museums Scotland (NMS), was originally scheduled to happen in the capital in 2020, in celebration of the Garden’s 350^th anniversary.

Covering subjects as diverse as how to send a dinosaur skull to international partners to protecting unique archives in a disaster, will now take place in the city from 5 – 10 June, with organisers welcoming 613 delegates from over 40 countries. Both an in-person and virtual event, 442 members will arrive in the city from countries including the USA, Denmark and Australia, with a further 171 expected to attend online.

Rob Cubey, Plant Records Officer at RBGE commented: “The world’s natural history collections range from plant specimens collected by Charles Darwin to fossils of our greatest dinosaurs. They play a vital role in our understanding of the natural world, including the environmental impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change and are a core element of advancing science.

“Finding effective ways to understand, conserve and manage these valuable resources is therefore crucially important and the conference will provide us with an invaluable opportunity to share information, new techniques and best practice with one another.”

Dr Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland, added: “We are delighted to be welcoming delegates from around the world to Edinburgh for this important conference.

“Our collections are a unique resource to help us better understand the world’s biodiversity past and present – in essence they are libraries of the natural world collected over centuries and covering millions of years, while the extensive and diverse geological collections speak to the incredible history of our planet and the processes that formed and continue to shape our planet. They are unique and invaluable reference points for scientists around the world. Working together and pooling our resources and knowledge, we can build a more complete picture of our natural heritage."

The diverse conference programme of over 400 talks, practical workshops and field trips brings together museums, research institutes, zoos and herbaria. Opening talks include RBGE’s Dr Greg Kenicer who will introduce the Folk Flora of Scotland and Professor Bhavani Narayanaswamy, an expert on microplastics in the world’s oceans from the University of the Highland and Islands (UHI).

Entitled Through the door and through the web: releasing the power of natural history collections onsite and online, this year’s theme reflects the increasing importance of operating both in the physical and virtual environments. Many of the sessions will focus on the use of technologies such as the digitisation of specimens. These techniques allow experts to share information more easily, further harmonising global research.

The delegates – many of whom will be visiting Scotland for the first time – will also have the chance to join field trips, with options including an exploration of the plants and habitats on Arthur’s Seat to a ghost tour and whisky sampling.

The main conference partner SPNHC, will this year be joined by two new partners, the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) and the Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA).

ENDS 

For further information, interviews or images, please respond to this email or contact Suzie Huggins on 07385 491 460 or Shauna Hay on 07824 529 028.  

EDITOR’S NOTES:

The Society for the Protection of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) is an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. These include not just specimens, but also supporting documentation, such as audio-visual materials, labels, library materials, field data and similar archives.

SPNHC was formed in 1985 and is recognised as a non-profit organisation {501(c)(3)} in the United States. The Society’s objectives are:
•  To provide and maintain an international association of persons who study and care for natural history collections
•  To encourage research on the essential requirements for preserving, storing, studying and displaying natural history collections
•  To publish a professional journal, Collection Forum, and encourage the dissemination of information about natural history collections
•  To hold annual meetings and sponsor symposia and workshops to foster the exchange of ideas and information

The Society hosts annual meetings and maintains an active roster of publications, including Collection Forum, a journal that accepts submissions on all aspects of natural history collections management and conservation, a bi-annual Newsletter, and books that examine various aspects of natural history collections care, development and management. SPNHC is led by a talented group of individuals who are elected by the membership. Much of the work is accomplished through committees, which form the backbone of the Society.

There are currently over 600 members worldwide. 

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world’s largest open-access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. It is revolutionising global research by providing free, world-wide access to knowledge about life on Earth.

The Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA) is a UK based membership organisation and charity with a mission to promote and support natural science collections, the institutions that house them and the people that work with them, to improve collections care, understanding, accessibility and enjoyment for all.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a leading international research organisation delivering knowledge, education, and plant conservation action around the world. In Scotland, its four Gardens at Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan attract more than a million visitors each year. It operates as a Non Departmental Public Body established under the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, principally funded by the Scottish Government. It is also a registered charity, managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Ministers. Its mission is “To explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future.”