Nature's Last Hope

Universities are closing herbaria to save money. Are they also foreclosing on our future?

This year, the Emory Herbarium celebrates our 75th anniversary!

Yesterday, my essay “Scientists depend on these for research. Let’s preserve them.” was published in The Washington Post. I hope you’ll take a moment to read it and share with your networks. This piece comes from the heart. I wrote it in response to not only what has been happening to the collection at Duke University—the second largest private university herbarium in the USA—but also to raise awareness about the challenges faced by many other herbaria.

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Closure of the Duke University Herbarium has been featured in several recent news and science outlets. Here are just a few:

• NPR Radio, On Point: The hidden value of herbariums

• Science Magazine: Collections are truly priceless

• The New York Times: Duke Shuts Down Huge Plant Collection, Causing Scientific Uproar

Want to make your voice heard? Join the more than 17,000 people who have signed this petition urging Duke leadership to keep and support their herbarium.

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This year, the Emory University Herbarium celebrates 75 years as a resource for education and research. Like so many other university collections, the Emory Herbarium faces challenges ranging from a lack of sufficient space to lack of a fixed university budget. Without a long-term solution, we too, will face the tragedy of divestment and closure. We hope to raise a $2M endowment to save the herbarium and establish a budget that will carry it long into the future.

Help us secure the next 75 years. Visit herbarium.emory.edu to learn more.

Yours in health, Dr. Quave

(P.S. I’ve opened up public comments on this post. I’d love to hear from you. What questions do you have about herbaria? What experiences would you like to share concerning herbaria, research, and education?)

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Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.

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