Welcome to the March 2015 edition of ANPC News. It's been a busy month at the ANPC office processing 2015 membership renewals, writing grant applications, publishing the latest edition of Australasian Plant Conservation and entertaining a few visitors. Speaking of which, feel free to call in and say hello next time you're at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. Our office is located at the eastern end of the Crosbie Morrison Building, down from the gardens cafe, and one of us is usually in most days between 10am and 2pm. And don't forget, if you have some news you would like to share with other ANPC News readers, please email it to the office making sure to put "For ANPC News" in the title.
All the best from the ANPC Team.
This visitor happily basked outside the ANPC Office for about a week in February!
ANPC activities and news:
Breaking News: Myrtle Rust found in Tasmania
Myrtle Rust disease (the fungal pathogen Puccinia psidii) was detected in Tasmania for the first time on 19 February 2015. As at 3 March, there were 16 confirmed infected properties and several suspect premises – in both the north-west (Burnie area) and south of the State. So far, the disease has only been found in commercial nurseries and in residential garden situations, and only on cultivars of Lophomyrtus. Biosecurity Tasmania staff are working urgently to achieve containment and if possible eradication. They are seeking public reports of possible sightings of the disease (see below). They also want to hear from anyone that has planted any cultivars of Lophomyrtus within the last three (3) months, as these are good ‘sentinel’ plants. This information will assist the response operation in ensuring that properties with new plantings of Lophomyrtus varieties can be included in the ongoing surveillance surveys.
More information: http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity/current-biosecurity-threats.
Report a possible sighting of Myrtle Rust in Tasmania: take a photograph, record the location and details of the suspected plant, and ring Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3785.
What to look for: small yellow pustules (spore masses) – roughly pin-head size -- on leaves, especially the leaf undersurface, and on new stems, and in some host species also on flowers and fruits. Myrtle Rust occurs on the plant family Myrtaceae only: yellow spots on plants other than Myrtaceae are something else.
Myrtle Rust was first recorded in Australia in April 2010, in NSW, and since then has spread and naturalised along most of the mainland eastern coast, adopting over 300 native species as hosts, and affecting some of them severely. The ANPC's Bob Makinson says at least two species in NSW have become highly endangered since myrtle rust was first detected in 2010. “It’s likely that some species will go extinct as a result of the disease,” he told the Sunday Tasmanian recently. “At least two species of native plants (scrub turpentine and native guava) on the mainland have already undergone a catastrophic decline as a direct result of myrtle rust. Both of those species were widespread and before 2010 were regarded as of no conservation concern.” Myrtle Rust is also in Victoria but has so far been contained there to cultivated and retail situations.
Myrtle Rust pustules on Scrub Turpentine (Rhodamnia rubescens) in NSW, 2010. (B. Makinson)
Bringing Back the Banksias workshop - Wednesday 11 March 2015 10am - 3pm
Throughout south-western NSW and across Victoria, Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) has mostly disappeared from the landscape due to grazing by domestic and feral animals, direct damage from rabbits, eradication and destruction of rabbit warrens, and wildfire. If the species is to exist in the future and be incorporated into future revegetation projects it is essential that all the known or original existing plants across these areas are located, seed collected and the appropriate genetic material pooled into seed production areas. A project to achieve just that is being co-ordinated by the Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC), with assistance from Connecting Country, Greening Australia and a range of Catchment Management, landcare, and landholder groups. A workshop to get people together to identify known sites and populations of Banksia marginata, and participate in developing a network of seed production areas is to be held at the North Central Catchment Management Authority offices, 628-634 Midland Highway Huntly, (Bendigo) Victoria.
RSVP: for catering purposes to Martin Driver, ANPC Project Manager, by phone: 0400170957 or email. Download the flier here.
Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata). (J. Lynch)
Threatened Species Commissioner visits ANPC
Threatened Species Commissioner, Gregory Andrews visited the ANPC office in February. We discussed the plight of Australia's threatened plants, and informed him of all that the ANPC has achieved over the last 23 years and the issues we are now facing. We look forward to further communications with the Commissioner in the future.
Gregory Andrews (left), pictured with ANPC Committee member Mark Richardson. (J. Lynch)
Volunteering at the ANPC
Welcome to our new volunteer, PhD student Yileen Lim, who is assisting us at the ANPC office for a few months. We are always on the lookout for volunteers to help us achieve our mission of promoting and developing plant conservation in Australia, so if you think you could help us, please contact the ANPC office to discuss the opportunities available!
ANPC Strategic Plan 2014-19
The ANPC Strategic Plan 2014–19 was endorsed by the ANPC Committee at the AGM in November 2014. This document outlines the ANPC's objectives and strategies for the next five years, along with the more specific strategic actions for this financial year. Further feedback on the Strategic Plan is encouraged and can be provided to the ANPC Office.
Other items of interest:
New native plant ID book for the ACT
The Photographic Guide to Native Plants of the Australian Capital Territory by Meredith Cosgrove was recently released. It features distribution maps, key ID features and 1388 colour photographs for 327 plant species native to the ACT region. The book covers most of the common flowering plants in the ACT (grasses, sedges and rushes not included). Click here for more information and to order.
Canberra Nature Map talk - Tuesday 17 March, 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Join ParkCare volunteer Aaron Clausen and Dr Michael Mulvaney from the ACT Government's Environment and Planning Directorate for a complete run through of the Canberra Nature Map project including a demonstration of the platform, questions answered and some exciting new developments. Canberra Nature Map is an innovative repository for ParkCare groups, volunteers and members of the public to report sightings of rare and endangered plant species.
Where: Ground Floor North Function Room, Dame Pattie Menzies House, 16 Challis Street Dickson
Register here.
“Rediscovering the Country” - a film journey into landscape restoration
This film is aimed at people interested in landscape rehabilitation through revegetation, and who want to learn more about how such projects can be made successful and deliver desired environmental and social benefits. It presents several community-led revegetation projects in Australia to see how they are working to improve the land, wildlife habitat and human communities. These projects have locally developed objectives, such as returning rare animal species, helping local farmers, linking remnant vegetation, repairing degraded land, and they all were generated out of action by concerned and committed community groups or individuals. The film promotes a vision for Australia’s rural landscapes – one with less erosion, more beauty, plenty of native grass, trees and wildlife AND a way for people to earn an ‘environmentally friendly’ income through different kinds of tree growing. Funded by donations, the film is freely available here as a creative commons project.
ChemFree Weeding Workshop in Sydney - Monday 30 March, 8.30am - 5pm.
The Weed's Network (TWN) and Greater Sydney Local Land Services (LLS) are hosting a day-long workshop on ChemFree Weed Management. Learn about proven approaches to weed management without chemical input. Gain insight into current public perceptions of the herbicide pollution and health issues. Also, participate in peer discussion to share your opinions and ideas with other participants. Meals are provided. This includes a lunch which will be prepared using weeds as a featured ingredient. Click here to see the workshop program and to register.
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