The National Museum of Nature and Science, together with the West Japan Natural History Museum Network and natural history-related organizations nationwide, has begun support for the restoration of "Kanjiro Maehara Plant Specimens" owned by the Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum in Kumamoto Prefecture, which was damaged by the heavy rain in July 2nd year of Reiwa. ..
The Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum (Hitoyoshi City) was inundated by the flooding of the Kuma River due to the heavy rain in July 2nd year of Reiwa.The museum holds plant specimens collected by Mr. Kanjiro Maehara, and these specimens were also damaged.Kanjiro Maehara (7-1890) is known as the author of "Flora of Southern Kyushu", which is an important document in the history of botany research in Southern Kyushu. It contains a large number of botanically important specimens, such as those that may have been used in.Most of this collection is flooded with heavy rain, and if not dried and cleaned immediately, the value of the specimen may be impaired by rotting and mold growth.
At the request of Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture and the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum Network Center decided to carry out this specimen.Since the number of specimens damaged by water is enormous, about 3, we requested the cooperation of natural history related organizations nationwide through the "Plant Curator Mailing List" etc. in order to carry out quick preservation processing.
In response to this situation, the National Museum of Nature and Science will deal with decentralization nationwide in collaboration with the Iwate Prefectural Museum, which was responsible for the restoration of damaged specimens during the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the West Japan Natural History Museum Network, centered on the Chief Researcher of Ebihara, Plant Research Department. It was decided that each institution would work together to repair the damaged specimen. As of July 7, about 26 institutions nationwide, including the Hokkaido University Museum, are planning to participate in restoration support activities.
Although it is difficult to get local support to prevent new coronavirus infections, related organizations nationwide will work together to clean and restore this valuable natural history material in the form of decentralized measures.After the restoration, the specimens will be returned from all over the country to the local area and will be preserved as important natural history materials in the area.
