19 December
2006 - A leading university botanist will be posted to
the prestigious Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew to help research
Australia's early plant collections.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Greg Hunt, announced
today that Associate Professor Jeremy Bruhl, from the
University of New England will be the 52nd botanist appointed
as the Australian Botanic Liaison Officer.
"The majority of Australia's early
plant collections dating back to Sir Joseph Banks and
Daniel Solander are held in Kew or other European herbaria,"
Mr Hunt said.
"They are a fantastic resource
for Australian scientists and botanists around the world
- a rich historical record of early explorers and the
specimens they collected.
"For nearly 70 years the Australian
Government and the States have collaborated to appoint
an Australian botanist to work at Kew.
"The Botanical Liaison Officer
fields queries from Australian botanists, helping them
examine specimens, locate botanical literature, examine
historical correspondence and gain access to images of
important historical plant collections.
"In return for this access the
Liaison Officer provides Kew staff with advice on Australian
plants and on the Australian collections housed at Kew.
"The Liaison Officer also acts
as a botanical ambassador in London and elsewhere, presenting
lectures and attending conferences. This is a vital contribution
to botany in Australia."
Dr Bruhl was recommended for the position
by the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria and is
the first botanist from a university to take on the role.
The position is funded by the Australian
Government through the Australian Biological Resources
Study grants programme and by the University of New England.
John Deller (Mr Hunt's Office)
