Solomon Islands National Herbarium (BSIP)

The Solomon Islands herbarium collection was relocated to Suva in Fiji in 2000 for safe-keeping as a result of civil unrest in the capital of Honiara. Since this time, the specimens have not been returned as result of a lack appropriate facilities. The 1993 state of environment report (Leary, 1993) stated that the Herbarium collection contains more than 30,000 plant specimens collected during the period 1965-1972 by forestry workers, E. S Brown from the Agriculture Division (1954-1956), Geoff Dennis (1965-1972) and D. Glenny and M. Qusa (1990-1991). Plans are now underway to relocated the The National Herbarium at the Honiara Botanical Garden next year. The Solomon Islands, with its abundance of ecosystems, is home to an estimated 7,000 or more native species. Due to massive deforestation and the cultivation of oil palm, cocoa and other cash crops, however, the coverage of native forests is gradually diminishing. Native species are under threat, and many face extinction. The Solomon Islands government currently runs the National Herbarium and Botanical Gardens.

Reference: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/8605-national-herbarium-to-be-relocated