The Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP, Premier of Tasmania, Ministers and other Members of Parliament

Dear Premier Rockliff, Ministers, and Members of Parliament,

We write on behalf of the Botany and Mycology Unit of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, to express our serious concern regarding the proposed restructuring of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and in particular the consequences this would have for the Tasmanian Herbarium.

The Tasmanian Herbarium is an internationally recognised research institution of exceptional importance. Its collections, staff expertise, and scientific output are central to the documentation, understanding, and conservation of Tasmania’s remarkable biodiversity. We are especially concerned by reports that the proposed changes would remove or substantially weaken key scientific and curatorial positions, including the Head of Herbarium, the Curator of Lichenology, the Curator of Bryology, and the Herbarium Administrator.

Such changes would have consequences far beyond Tasmania. Natural history collections are not merely archives of specimens; they are active research infrastructures that underpin biodiversity science, taxonomy, conservation, biosecurity, environmental monitoring, and land-use planning. At a time when biodiversity loss is recognised globally as one of the most urgent challenges facing societies, the loss of specialist expertise in institutions such as the Tasmanian Herbarium would be a serious and short-sighted step.

Researchers from our unit have worked with Tasmanian collections and have directly benefited from the expertise, accessibility, and scientific value of the Tasmanian Herbarium. These collections are of international relevance, especially for the study of plants, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, and other groups that are essential components of ecosystems but are often underrepresented in public discussion and policy. The continued care, development, and scientific interpretation of these collections require dedicated specialists with deep knowledge of the Tasmanian biota.

We would also like to highlight the long-standing scientific relationship between our institution and colleagues in Tasmania. Dr Gintaras Kantvilas, Head of the Tasmanian Herbarium and an internationally respected authority on lichenized fungi, has been a regular visitor to our collections in Helsinki. His visits have contributed to scientific exchange, collaboration, and the advancement of knowledge in lichenology and biodiversity research. His expertise is widely recognised internationally, and his contribution to Tasmanian science has also been acknowledged within Tasmania, including through the Premier’s Tasmanian STEM Researcher Award in 2025.

The proposed removal or downgrading of such expertise would severely diminish the capacity of the Tasmanian Herbarium to function as a leading research institution. A herbarium without strong scientific leadership and specialist curators risks becoming merely a storage facility, rather than a dynamic centre for discovery, documentation, and conservation. The loss of institutional knowledge would not be easily replaced, and the effects would be felt by researchers, students, conservation practitioners, government agencies, and the wider public for many years to come.

Tasmania’s biodiversity is unique and globally significant. Its documentation and protection require stable, well-supported institutions and highly trained staff. We therefore respectfully but firmly urge the Tasmanian Government to reconsider the proposed restructuring and to ensure that the Tasmanian Herbarium retains its scientific independence, leadership, curatorial expertise, and administrative support.

We ask you to recognise the Tasmanian Herbarium as an essential part of Tasmania’s scientific and cultural infrastructure, and to take the necessary steps to safeguard its future.

Thank you for considering our concerns. We would welcome a response outlining how the Government intends to protect the scientific capacity and international standing of the Tasmanian Herbarium.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Botany and Mycology Unit

Finnish Museum of Natural History

University of Helsinki

Finland

Dr Marko Hyvärinen, Director

Dr Teuvo Ahti, Professor Emeritus

Dr Dario Ojeda Alayon, Curator

Dr Xiaolan He, Curator

Dr Annina Kantelinen, Researcher

Dr Otto Miettinen, Curator

Dr Leena Myllys, Curator

Dr Tuula Niskanen, Senior Curator

Dr Péter Poczai, Associate Professor

Dr Jouko Rikkinen, Professor

Dr Alexander Sennikov, Curator

Dr Henry Väre, Senior Curator

Ms Saara Velmala, Senior Museum Technician