The French ReColNat Program:Working Together is the Key to Success

The Valorisation of 350 yearsof Natural History Collections

François DusoulierPierre-Yves Gagnier

Julien HussonEva Perez

Marc Pignal

Naturalist collections have stored informationfor more than three centuries

Invaluablesources forcurrent and

future research

~ 1.5 billion specimens in Europe

~ 100 million specimens in France,totalling several hundreds ofmillions of data

Aspects:- dates- localities- nature of specimens

Our goals

• To gather the maximum number of data about

natural history collections in France,

• To make them accessible to all through a unique

computer platform,

• To provide ready-made user-friendly services for

researchers and biodiversity experts.

Partners of the Consortium

Functional and DecisionalOrganisation of the RI WP1

Governance

WP2InteroperabilityInfrastructure

WP3

Herbarium

WP4Zoology,

Palaeontology

WP5

Collaborative

WP6Online

Community

WP7BroadcastTraining

Steering Committee

Scientific Committee

Executive CommitteeFounding institutions

Data providers

3 Ministries

Allenvi/CNRS

Main functions of the researchinfrastructure ReColNat

Digitisingherbarium

collections andname-bearing

specimens (types)in palaeontology

and zoology

Establishinginteroperability

between existingdatabases

Providing tools forparticipative and

collaborativescience projects

CO-LABORATOIRELES HERBONAUTES

Digital consultationplatform

EXPLORE

How does it work?

Heterogeneous Collections inHeterogeneous Institutions

• National: Universities, Botanical Conservatories and National Research

Institutions (CNRS, IRD, IRSTEA, INRA, etc.)

• Territorial districts (mainly municipal, sometimes departmental): most of the

natural history museums in France (ca. 60)

• Non-governmental organisations: naturalist and learned societies, conservation

organisations, etc.

• Other private organisations: environmental consulting and agencies, etc.

Some of the identified networksof naturalist collections holders

• French Natural History Museums Network Committee (CPMF): 55 establishments

• French Herbarium Network

• Trans’Tyfipal

• Zoological Collections of Universities

Define the partnerships and networks within the RI

Continue work on other collections, especially in zoology

(molluscs, insects, etc.)

Zoology Palaeontology Botany

Typological collection networks ofReColNat members

Inventory ofherbariumcollections

The Herbarium Project

• Digitising the entireFrench NationalHerbarium of MNHN(6,500,000 sheets)

• Digitising selectedcollections fromuniversities andnatural historymuseums (CPMF) inFrance (2,200,000sheets) – 2scanning chains

• Multiple partners > transportation of the collections

• Mounting of plants by an external service provider

• Heterogeneous data

• Automated workflows

To mount:more than

To digitise:more than

Commercial partners Institutions Persons involved Production locations

1,500,000 2,200,000 4 39 80/200 3direct/indirect

The Herbarium Project: Key Facts

2,000sheets per day

4,000sheets per day

1600 m²herbariumcollections

300m²storage

40persons

Workflow

www.recolnat.org

www.lesherbonautes.mnhn.fr

Future Challenges

• Placing naturalist collections atthe center of current researchquestions on biodiversity

• Innovating in practices in thefields of natural sciences andalso extending into other areasof scientific research (health,food security, history, etc.)

• Repeating the process withother naturalist collections suchas entomological collections orother “3D” specimens

• Structuring and reinforcing thenatural history network inFrance towards a scientificinterest group

• Working towards the mass-digitisation of 3D objects

Thanks for your attention!