Private Eye (No. 1607, p.39 “Kew Balls”) has just published an exposé on the intention to move the Kew Herbarium to a new site. The move is thought to be the masterplan of the director of Kew, Richard Deverell, formerly a BBC manager. The Eye, Britain’s best-selling and best-known current affairs magazine, gives detail of the opposition by staff, and the efforts by management to suppress this. While in public the management state “leadership is committed to engaging with staff”, Alexandre Antonelli, the Director of Science, has admitted that although staff have asked for an open debate on the move, that “we are not going down that route” and that “while no action would be taken against staff until that point, in future there would be boundaries.” "Unprofessional behaviours" listed in this respect included contacting trustees, lobbying DEFRA and declining to meet management. Further, staff must not make statements or remarks to any member of the press or media on any matters concerning the organisation without permission.
Meanwhile articles relating to the Herbarium move are appearing elsewhere in the UK press in recent days, from Country Life (Alan Titchmarsh), The Spectator, to LondonNews “Thousands sign petition against moving world famous plant collection from Kew Gardens”, and several other London online newspapers (search "Kew herbarium move, news")
Top Petition comment of recent days from a renowned American biologist
Quentin Wheeler
2 days ago
“Humankind has one brief opportunity to explore and document earth's species before millions have been lost to extinction; a grand scientific mission for which RBG Kew has long been an undisputed global leader. Knowledge of our world's plant diversity is critical to scientific understanding of the biosphere, successful conservation of diverse plant life, comprehending evolutionary history, and tapping into millions of adaptations of plants for clues that can spark biomimetic innovations that may just allow society to adapt to life on a rapidly changing planet. The herbarium, and associated taxon experts, is and should remain at the heart of this world-renowned institution—scientifically and geographically. Any distance put between these priceless collections and the labs of scientists studying them would be nothing short of tragic at this time of mass extinction. For institutions who would be leaders confronting impacts of the accelerated loss of species with fundamental knowledge, no surer strategy exists than maintaining information-rich herbaria, front and center, as hotbeds of plant research and discovery.”
Please continue to support our petition and share it with others, so the public and scientific opposition can be seen. If you are a UK citizen please contact your MP to voice your concern (see previous petition updates). Several MPs are now advocating on our behalf and have contacted Lord Benyon, Secretary of State for DEFRA. With your help we can stop this crazy plan.