Dear Honorable Gaffney,

As a member of the international lichenology community, I am appalled at the recent proposed cuts to the staff at the Tasmanian Herbarium.

We are in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis, and researchers across herbaria are doing valuable work of documenting the rich diversity of places like Tasmania, before these species become extinct.

Now is not the time to be firing brilliant scientists like Gintaras Kantvilas. Would this the appropriate way to honor the researcher of the year?

I implore you to reconsider the proposed cuts, and to consider the impact that herbaria have on protecting biodiversity for future generations.

Sincerely,

Laima Liulevičius