[Taxacom] Herbarium risk management: any experience with frozen wet specimens?

[Laurent.Gautier at ville-ge.ch]

Dear Herbarium Friends,

Here in Geneva, we are trying to sketch an intervention plan in case a 
major catastrophic event like fire or inundation should occur. In both 
cases, we are likely to face huge amounts of wet specimens. The idea would 
be to freeze these thousands of specimens piles, and to dry them again one 
by one, as is currently done for books and archives.

I would like to know if any of you has experience in trying to bring back 
these frozen specimens to "life". What happens with paper, glue, inks, 
toners, pins, and... the specimen itself? Has anybody ever tried? Any 
other ideas or experience to share?

Please reply directly to my email adress: 
laurent.gautier at ville-ge.ch

Many thanks!

Laurent


Dr. L. Gautier
Head Curator - Phanerogams (G)