Databases & collections
Scion is home to databases and collections of national and international importance.
They are widely used to support diagnostic services, research, and the development of industry standards. We maintain these collections and databases to a high standard.
| National Forest Culture Collection and Database Living collection of almost 6500 fungal specimens. Supports diagnostic services and plant pathology research useful for plant disease research. |
 | National Forestry Herbarium and Database Collection of plants significant to plantations and New Zealand indigenous forestry. |
 | National Forest Insect collection About 150,000 forest insects from around the world. Supports diagnostics services and taxonomic research. This collection is also referenced for biosecurity purposes. |
 | National Forest Fungarium and Database Forestry focussed collection of almost 5,000 dried fungal specimens. Supports diagnostic services and pathology research. |
 | Publications relating to forestry and wood processing research from the last 75 years from all over the world. |
 | National Forestry Xylarium and Database Eight thousand wood blocks from around the world representing 4,500 species. An extensive and invaluable resource for wood anatomists recording the diversity of the world’s trees. |
 | National Wood Performance Archive Seventy-five years of wood durability and performance records gathered from four sites nationwide. Used for developing standards and building code. |
 | Permanent Sample Plot Database Database of forest sites used to measure growth and development of plantation forest trees nationwide. |
 | Living collection of genotypes for gene conservation, archival history, and germplasm resources. |
 | Wood Mycology Culture Collection Mould and decay fungi isolated from the leaky building syndrome, other buildings and wood products. Supports evaluation of wood products to be used in New Zealand buildings. |
We welcome public use of some of these resources. Please contact us for more information about access and any charges that might apply.
Forest health collections
These collections are the largest sample collections and databases relating to forest health in New Zealand. They comprise internationally registered living collections of fungi (and bacteria), dried specimens of fungi and plant material containing fungi, and forest insects. The forest health collections are important for identification and diagnostic services and support fundamental and operational pathology and entomology research.
Fungal collections
National Forest Culture Collection (NZFS)
This is an internationally registered living collection of around 6500 fungal specimens (including some bacteria and lichens) stored in culture. Some pathogenic (disease causing) fungi from overseas is stored in a containment facility.
National Forest Fungarium (NZFRIM)
Also internationally registered, this collection comprises around 5000 dried fungal specimens and plant material containing fungi. The earliest collections date back to the late 1800s from Sweden.
Wood Mycology Culture Collection
A nationally significant fungal collection (mould and decay fungi) isolated from the leaky building syndrome and from other buildings and wood products across New Zealand. The collection of about 300 fungi support evaluation of wood products to be used in New Zealand buildings.
Loans
Specimen loans are made to other herbaria in New Zealand and overseas rather than to individuals. Cultures are priced at $NZD400.00 each unless it is for genuine scientific research in which case there is no charge. If you require a culture for science research, please include a reference from your organisation outlining the nature of this research. Payment must be made before cultures are dispatched.
Contact
Darryl Herron, Team Lead, Pathogen Diagnostics and Collections
BUGS database
The BUGS database contains information about all wood and bark boring insects intercepted at New Zealand's border.This database covers the period between 1948 and 1999 and is owned by Scion.
A supplementary database contains information about fungi and egg masses intercepted between 1996 and 2000.
This valuable data is used for risk analysis purposes to determine likely pathways of incursion.
Contact
Andrew Cridge, Portfolio Leader, Trees for High Volume Wood Products