The Ministry of Environment and Rural Development is starting a National Herbarium for Somaliland. Somaliland's plant and animal diversity is an integral part of its natural heritage and the Ministry is committed to conserving this heritage, enabling the country's citizens to learn about it, understand it, and learning how it can be effectively used to promote the well-being of Somaliland's citizens. The herbarium is a part of this commitment. It will house specimens from all over Somaliland and most of its records will be publicly accessible, restrictions being placed only on those of plants of limited distribution and/or over-collection by commercial or personal collectors.