Botanists wey work from Sibang for Libreville dey build record of Gabon plants through forest trips and preserved collections. For report published 27 October, Africanews describe garden director Archange Boupoya and im team as dem dey document biodiversity wey people never fully understand.
Researchers spend two or three weeks collecting plants for forest before dem dry and record the specimens. Specialists for different countries then help identify the material. To find plant wey look unfamiliar na one stage; recognised new species still need full scientific description.
Boupoya say surveys produce average of ten newly identified species every year. Na im account of the team continuing work, no be announcement say dem publish ten particular discoveries on the same day wey this report come out.
According to the coverage, the institution collection get about 100,000 specimens, with oldest one dating to 1880. Dem keep the archive inside cabinets for national parks agency. That one make observations available after the expedition where dem originally collect each plant.
The researchers describe pressure from limited funding, inadequate facilities and urban expansion around the garden. These things affect both keeping old collections and doing new surveys. Specimens need space, records and steady care if their scientific value go remain useful over time.
The bigger point na say conservation depend on knowing wetin exist and where people fit check evidence. Plant collection alone no protect habitat, but e support identification and informed decisions. Gabon botanists dey work on this important connection between discovery and knowledge wey go last.