Small Collections Grant

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Sierra Leone’s National Herbarium battle for survival

aiahlebbie@yahoo.com

Sierra Leone

Process backlog, Conserve

Cost (USD):

1997

National Herbarium of Sierra Leone

Objective:

Sierra Leone’s National Herbarium (SL), is in great difficulties and fighting a battle for survival. Founded in 1906, and housing c. 50,000 specimens of vascular and non-vascular plants, is the oldest and largest herbarium in the country. During the Civil War (1991–2002), the herbarium was invaded by rebels, who vandalised the building; specimens were lost and entire carpological specimens were destroyed. This funding will be used mostly for addressing critical infra-structure problems resulting from damage and neglect of the past decades, and maintain the collections in suitable conditions.

Timetable:

2023
January - March

INFRA-STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
- Window repairs
- Cupboard repairs
- Purchase of wooden chairs
- Desktop computer

CURATORIAL IMPROVEMENTS
- Purchase of curation supplies

DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
- Creation of Social Media accounts

April - June

CURATORIAL IMPROVEMENTS
- Specimen backlog

July - September

CURATORIAL IMPROVEMENTS
- Specimen backlog
- Online Training of Curation staff (Kew Gardens online course)

October - December

CURATORIAL IMPROVEMENTS
- Specimen backlog

DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
- Promotion of developments on relevant social media and University channels, for public and governmental engagement in supporting the herbarium.
- 1-day Workshop: "Importance of Sierra Leone's National Herbarium for botanical research"

Applicant's CV

Budget

Scoring Rubric

Reviewer's name:

Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)

Facilitating access to the physical collections by digitization (e.g., data entry, setting up database structure with an outline of the platform to be used, purchasing equipment, and imaging specimens) – up to 30 points.
Enhancing physical collections by improving the conservation status of specimens in the herbarium (e.g., better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.) – up to 30 points.
Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.
Increasing our understanding of the flora or funga by making new herbarium specimens available, such as processing of backlog or collecting and mounting of new specimens from understudied sites – up to 20 points.
Securing collections by distribution of duplicates (or orphan collections) to other regional or international herbaria or shipping endangered collections to another herbarium – up to 20 points.

This proposal scores:

/120

Methods & Funding (max. 40 points)

Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.
Perceived need, the extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding: e.g., due to active floristic work or contribution to poorly collected sites, due to threatened conditions of collections, and for the degree of involvement of others (outreach and education). We give more points for herbaria in low- and middle-income countries – up to 20 points.
Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)

Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.
The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.
The project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination – up to 15 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

Proposal

Year of last successful SCG application:

Has applicant applied for SCG before?:

Plan:

The funding acquired from this Small Collection grant will support a 1-year project in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, towards:

1) INFRA-STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS:
• addressing fundamental infra-structure limitations that are undermining the survival and expansion of the herbarium; e.g. furniture (cupboards and chairs), a desktop computer, two chest freezers, relative humidity meters and an intelligent system of opening windows in cool and dry weather and closing windows in warm and moist weather, to reduce average relative humidity by up to 10%, and reduce mould problems.

2) CURATORIAL IMPROVEMENTS
• acquiring curatorial supplies that will allow maintaining the herbarium’s basic activities and continuing with floristic and taxonomic research in Sierra Leone, namely processing a sizeable specimen backlog; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew will collaborate in helping to secure additional equipment, such as field presses and microscopes.

Institution:

IH Code:

Country:

Target areas:

Applicant First Name/s:

email:

"Other" target:

Aiah Lebbie

Applicant Last Name/s: