Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Dr Phillip Kodela is Botanist and Executive Editor of the Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Parks Australia Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Come on a free guided walk through the Australian National Botanic Gardens and look at the life story of plants on earth, the main evolutionary changes that have occurred in plants over 3 billion years and how plants have changed our planet. These one-hour guided walks are held at 11am and 2pm Mon 20 July to Sun 26 July.

John, formerly with CSIRO, will trace the importance of trees from earliest times to the present day.

Dr Michael Doherty, a local plant ecologist, and ANBG Guide, will talk about winter colour among the plants down the north-eastern slope from the Summit of Black Mountain to the ANBG Visitor Centre. Michael will talk about the interesting variety of mechanisms through which the local flora copes with fire and drought and he will also be pointing out the characteristics of the different eucalypts found along the way, including some very old veteran scribbly gums with lumpy bumpy ‘elephants feet’!

Bruno will talk about the biology of the Eastern long-necked turtles, their adaptations to flood-dry cycles in Australia, their active life in suburban areas, and recent findings in the turtle monitoring program in Canberra.