SANDAKAN: The Sabah Forestry Department’s SAN Herbarium has opened an exhibition gallery at the Forest Research Centre (FRC) in Sepilok. The gallery was officially opened by Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Zulkifli Suara.
The gallery showcases Sabah’s botanical heritage and highlights the role of herbarium collections in scientific research, biodiversity documentation and conservation. It also introduces visitors to the work of botanists and herbarium scientists, including plant identification, species documentation and specimen preservation.
Established in 1916, SAN Herbarium is one of Sabah’s key botanical research facilities and houses the state’s largest herbarium collection. Its holdings include more than 280,000 preserved plant specimens representing Sabah’s plant diversity, as well as collections from elsewhere in Borneo and beyond.
The specimens support plant identification, taxonomic research, biodiversity inventories, conservation assessments and studies of plant distribution. They also provide a historical record that enables researchers to track changes in plant diversity and distribution over time. The collections are used by botanists, foresters, conservation practitioners and other researchers working to improve understanding and management of Sabah’s plant resources.
The gallery is open on weekdays for pre-arranged educational visits by secondary schools and academic institutions. It is not open for general walk-in visits. Arrangements can be made through the SAN Herbarium curator via sanherbarium.com.-pr/BNN
