[NHCOLL-L:3826] FW: Save the Utrecht harbarium

[Andries J. van Dam]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Thijsse, G. (Gerard)" <Thijsse at nhn.leidenuniv.nl>
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:39:55 +0200
To: <anke.geeraerts at bio.kuleuven.be>, <a.bond at kew.org>, "Andries J. van Dam"
<A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl>, Anders Nordin <anders.nordin at evolmuseum.uu.se>,
Andrea Hakkaart <a.hakkaart at lakenhal.nl>, Alexander Sennikov
<alexander.sennikov at helsinki.fi>, Antonio Ortega <aortegad at ugr.es>, Arne
Anderberg <Arne.Anderberg at nrm.se>, <A.Paton at rbgkew.org.uk>,
<akiyama at kahaku.go.jp>, Aljos Farjon <a.farjon at rbgkew.org.uk>, Arne
Anderberg <Arne.Anderberg at nrm.se>
Conversation: Save the Utrecht harbarium
Subject: Save the Utrecht harbarium

DEAR all,

On 26th March 2008 the University Board of
Utrecht University, The Netherlands, informed the
employees of the Utrecht Herbarium that as of 1
June 2008 the Herbarium is to be closed and, with
immediate effect, access to the collections, from
national as well as international workers, is to cease.
:'( This must not be allowed! :'(

Closure of the Herbarium is a disaster for
current national and international research!
Closure of the Herbarium is a disaster for any future research!
Closure of the Herbarium contradicts the
Biodiversity Covenant signed by the Netherlands
which ensures the accessibility of data relating
to biodiversity (either under Dutch ownership or under Dutch
guardianship).
Closure of the Herbarium is a disaster for all
the botanical and ecological research taking
place in South America, especially Suriname,
Guyana, French Guyana and the Amazonian basin.
Closure of the Herbarium is in effect a denial of
the cultural-historical value of this Herbarium to The Netherlands.
Closure of the Herbarium is the start of
scientific deterioration and wrecks the
near-finalized plans for the creation of one
Dutch Centre for Biodiversity (NCB).

What can you do:
    * Visit the website
<http://www.saveherbariumu.nl/>www.SaveHerbariumU.nl and sign the
petition.
    * Send this email to all your contacts.

Gerard Thijsse
Chief Collections Manager
Nationaal Herbarium Nederland
P.O. Box 9514
2300 RA Leiden
T: +31(0)71 5273558
F: +31(0)71 5273511
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/

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