Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Invitation to Participate: Conservation State of the Field Survey 2. RE: Advice and Experience of using SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment 3. Tickets now on sale! Plastic Predicament | Natural History Museum, London UK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Bianca Garcia Posted: Wednesday May 20, 2026 7:36 AM Subject: Invitation to Participate: Conservation State of the Field Survey Message: Dear Colleagues, Since 2017, the Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation program has worked to introduce students from underrepresented backgrounds to conservation through funded workshops, internships, mentorship, and alumni support initiatives. Over the past 9+ years, the program has supported 110 workshop participants and 50 interns, with alumni continuing into conservation graduate programs, allied professions, and broader cultural heritage work. As we think about the future of the program and broader field needs, we are conducting a "state of the field" survey to better understand current gaps, challenges, opportunities, and areas of support for people working in conservation. The survey was designed and is being administered independently by Redwood Consulting, a professional evaluation firm. All responses are confidential, anonymous, and will only be reported in the aggregate. Findings from the survey will help inform future programs, funding priorities, and broader conversations across the field, and a report of findings will be made publicly available. We sincerely hope to hear from a wide range of voices and experiences across the conservation sector–whether you are just beginning your career, mid-career, in a leadership or administrative role, working within allied professions, or navigating alternative pathways into the field. Your perspective is valuable, and we deeply appreciate the time and thought involved in participating. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and will remain open for the next 3-4 weeks. As a thank you for your time, participants may choose to enter one of two raffles at the end of the survey: 1 of 2 AIC memberships 1 of 6 $100 gift cards We would also be very grateful if you could help share the survey broadly with your networks and colleagues. Survey link: https://redwoodconsulting.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0OGQy9uYZR4pEAC <https://redwoodconsulting.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0OGQy9uYZR4pEAC> Please see the attached impact flyer for additional information about the Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation program. ------------------------------ Bianca M. Garcia Martinez (she/her/ella) Associate Director Andrew W. Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation The UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage https://mellondiversityconservation.org/ http://conservation.ucla.edu/Mellon_diversity_opportunity ------------------------------ 2.From: Kayleigh Spring Posted: Wednesday May 20, 2026 7:37 AM Subject: RE: Advice and Experience of using SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment Message: Hi Nichole, Thank you so much for your reply. You have highlighted my exact concerns - I have contacted the company that make SP-11 to ask about their formulation but no surprise, they haven't replied! If I do get a reply I will share on the forum. I definitely feel more comfortable with PEG and its properties and like your idea of a corrosion inhibitor being included. I have actually been contemplating whether I can deconstruct the boxes and remove the nails (as they are large) and reconstruct post treatment. I think I may ignore SP-11. Thanks again. Kind regards Kayleigh ------------------------------ Kayleigh Spring Object Conservator Wiltshire Conservation Service Wiltshire United Kingdom ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 05-19-2026 11:34 From: Nichole Doub Subject: Advice and Experience of using SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment Hi Keyleigh, When I've had clients specifically ask about SP-11, I tell them that we avoid proprietary products that don't disclose their composition. Without knowing exactly what is in the formulation, it's hard to evaluate long-term aging behavior, reversibility, or how future conservation interventions might be affected by its use. Anecdotal stories from Australian colleagues have mentioned crosslinking of the polymer. And no, SP-11 is not compatible with freeze drying. Freeze dryers were designed around water as the primary, and essentially only, solvent. Without knowing the solvent system involved in a proprietary treatment like this, there's a real possibility of complications or damage to a standard freeze-drying setup. As for the iron nails, have you explored using corrosion inhibitors in the PEG solution to help manage active corrosion during treatment? Kind regards, Nichole ------------------------------ Nichole Doub Head Conservator Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory Saint Leonard United States ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 05-18-2026 05:32 From: Kayleigh Spring Subject: Advice and Experience of using SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment Dear All, I am wondering if anyone has any advice or experience with using SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment? SP-11 Waterlogged Wood Treatment <https://preservation-solutions.com/products/sp-11-waterlogged-wood-treatment> I have some roman wooden boxes with nails that are waterlogged and require treatment. I have ruled out PEG due to the presence of the iron nails. I have used Glycerol previously on waterlogged leather that contained nails but noticed people do not advice this for wood due to it leaving a tacky finish. My main questions are: It says that you can just submerge the wood in the solution and leave it. How do you know when the solution has fully permeated the wood? Is there a way to check the concentration of the final solution or is it known it will penetrate a certain thickness over a given length of time?We have a freeze dryer here that we would normally use with waterlogged material as we find trying to control the temperature and RH during air-drying difficult in our building. Can we still use a freeze drying method after impregnating with SP-11?It implies that the solution can be reused – does any waste need to be disposed of as hazardous waste? Does anyone know what the solutions ingredients are? Any help is greatly appreciated. Kind regards Kayleigh Preservation Solutionsremove preview <https://preservation-solutions.com/products/sp-11-waterlogged-wood-treatment>SP-11 Waterlogged Wood TreatmentA professional conservation treatment designed for stabilizing waterlogged and excavated wooden artifacts. Use by underwater archaeologists and conservationist. View this on Preservation Solutions > <https://preservation-solutions.com/products/sp-11-waterlogged-wood-treatment> ------------------------------ Kayleigh Spring Object Conservator Wiltshire Conservation Service Wiltshire United Kingdom ------------------------------ 3.From: Laura Chaillie Posted: Wednesday May 20, 2026 7:37 AM Subject: Tickets now on sale! Plastic Predicament | Natural History Museum, London UK Message: ICON Modern Materials and Collections Care groups, Imperial College London, and the Natural History Museum are joint-organising a one-day symposium about plastic storage materials. Plastic Predicament | London (in person only) | 12 Nov 2026 Plastic storage solutions are often adopted for collections storage due to their low cost and ease of use. However, questions around material stability, additives, longevity, environmental impact, and what exactly is 'inert' generally go unanswered in the face of shrinking resources. This symposium will provide a day of talks and open, honest discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the commercially-available products and issues encountered. We want to hear your questions, concerns and success stories, and discuss what testing and assurance measures can/should be undertaken. How can we better inform ourselves of the materials we are subjecting our collections to? The extremely affordable tickets are now on sale at the ICON website <https://www.icon.org.uk/events/plastic-predicament-our-complicated-relationship-with-polymers-for-storage-of-collections.html> Questions? contact iconmodernmaterials at gmail ------------------------------ Laura Chaillie Objects Conservator London Museum London United Kingdom ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
