Forestry Collection and Xylotheque
Extent
Xylotheque: Around 5,750 macroscopic wood samples (around 2600 woody species) and corresponding microscopic specimens.
Holdings
- Collection of Kurt Eiberle (1930 to 1993): stuffed Swiss small mammals and birds
- Exhibits on wild animal pathology
- Animal skulls and skeletons
- Ceramic cap fungi
- Teaching aids: geobotanical maps and wall charts
- Microscopic specimens of wood samples
- Books on wood and wood samples
- Occasionally entire trunk and branch sections
- Public exhibition of pictures of wood pests
Relevance of research and Public
The Forestry Collection contains objects that provide visual material for silviculture, forest use, forest technology, forest management, forest protection and forest pests.
The xylotheque is especially important as an interdisciplinary tool. On the one hand, it documents knowledge on the diversity and fascination of the biomaterial wood. On the other hand, the collection is of particular academic relevance as the natural variability between the woody species can be used specifically for research. Moreover, the specimens are a key reference for determining woody species, which is crucial in many branches of industry, art (musical instruments, paintings) and crafts.
Current activities, projects
- Digital indexing of the xylotheque by digitising existing wood sample information
- Digitisation of microscopic sections of collected wood with different magnifications
- Creation of a freely accessible online catalogue
Use of the archive / online presence
A project scheduled to run until the end of 2019 is currently underway to create a freely accessible online catalogue.