Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria

Profile, duties and tasks of the

Australian Botanical Liaison Officer (ABLO)

On behalf of the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS), Council of Heads and Australian Herbaria (CHAH) and the Australian botanical community, the ABLO will:

1. Service botanical enquiries from, and provide support to, members of the Australian botanical community, in particular in relation to the Flora of Australia, Fungi of Australia, Algae of Australia, and related projects by:
1. Locating, inspecting and reporting on type and other specimens in Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (K) and, as possible, other European herbaria, pertinent to increasing the understanding of the Australian flora.
2. Facilitating the provision of reasonable numbers of appropriate digital and other images of Australian type and other specimens for Australian botanists.
3. Contributing to a register of images of type specimens of Australian and related species available to Australia botanists.
4. Seeking out, inspecting and reporting on obscure botanical literature in RBGK and, as possible, other European herbaria, and arrange for reasonable numbers of appropriate articles to be copied for Australian botanists.
5. Visiting selected European herbaria to locate, inspect, photograph or copy obscure botanical materials.
6. Assisting Australian botanists visiting K and other European herbaria, in particular by providing orientation and introductions.
7. Maintaining and reporting on the status the ABLO library, microscopes and other equipment.
   
   
2. Contribute to harmonious and mutually productive working relationships between the ABLO, the Australian botanical community and staff at K, in particular by:
1. Assisting K staff with the curation of its Australian collections and servicing enquiries from K staff about the Australian flora.
2. Maintaining friendly and cooperative relationships with K staff.
3. Attending K herbarium staff meetings and seminars as appropriate.
4. Presenting seminars to K staff on the work of the ABLO, the Australian botanical community and on personal research.
   
   
3. Contribute to an K node or resource for the Australia's Virtual Herbarium project, in particular by:
1. Providing a focal point for K participation and interaction with the AVH.
2. Seeking out and recording key, priority or strategic Australian specimens for databasing.
3. Seeking out and recording nomenclatural and taxonomic information of key, priority or strategic Australian plant species.
4. With RBGK staff, facilitate preparation of digital images of type specimens of Australian plant species to be made available on the Internet.
   
   
4. Undertake personal botanical research projects approved by CHAH and the ABRS Advisory Committee to enhance the collective knowledge of the Australian flora.
   
   
5. Prepare a formal 6-monthly report for ABRS and CHAH or a report within one month of completing the tour of duty as ABLO in the event that the tour of duty is for less than 6 months, addressing each of the above duties, and prepare 3-monthly general reports suitable for publication in the Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter.

COUNCIL OF HEADS OF AUSTRALIAN HERBARIA

2 JUNE 2003