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| Event title | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Deirdre Slattery ‘Kosciuszko, Alpine and Namadgi National Parks.’ | Thursday, 16 March 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Deirdre will celebrate National Parks Week by talking about ‘Baldur Byles: A forester above the tree line.’ I have chosen to tell you about Byles (1904-75) because he was one of my unsung heroes of Kosciusko National Park as we know it today. Although he was a forester, his lasting memorial is his work for the snow country, where he was active in both science and administration from 1932 to 1967. |
| Dr Mark Clements ‘Australian Orchids’ | Thursday, 9 March 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Mark, Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, will describe some of the 1300 species of Australian native orchids that he has collected and curated. Dr Mark Clements’ career spans four decades and in that time he has discovered about 250 new species of Australian orchids and curated tens of thousands of specimens. In 2016 Mark was awarded the prestigious Westonbirt Orchid Medal from the Royal Horticulture Society. |
| ANBG Friends Plant Science Group - Technical Talk | Monday, 6 March 2017 - 10:30am |
Native seed conservation and research Dr Lydia Guja, Research Scientist and Manager, National Seed Bank at ANBG Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra. At least 1,253 plant species are listed as threatened with extinction in Australia alone. To protect plants from extinction the National Seed Bank collects and stores seed, and extends seed longevity by storing seeds under special conditions which exploit their inherent ability to survive drying and delay germination. In this presentation Lydia will discuss the seed banking process, some of the science behind it, and the diverse regions that are currently the focus of their efforts at the Seed Bank. She will conclude by presenting results from recent studies into the seed ecology of species we conserve. This research focuses on how environmental variation affects seed dormancy and germination, and therefore the life cycles and establishment of obligate seeding plant species. |
| Black Mountain, weeding work party | Saturday, 4 March 2017 - 8:30am to 11:30am |
Meet: At the seasonal cherry-van parking bay on Belconnen Way, next to Black Mountain Nature Reserve. Look for the balloons. A delicious morning tea will be provided about 10.00am. Please book: if you are planning to come, please email your name and phone number to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com or phone 0437 298 711. Having a contact number for you helps us to let you know if arrangements need to change at the last minute (for example, adverse weather conditions). Please note that the Weeding Work Party will be cancelled if there is a Total Fire Ban. |
| Dr Penny Olsen ‘Louisa Atkinson: A voice from the country.’ | Thursday, 2 March 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Louisa Atkinson (1834–1872) was writer and naturalist who lived near Berrima and collected as far afield as the Canberra region. A frail but independent young woman, at 19 she became Australia's first woman natural history journalist and, not long after, the first Australian-born woman novelist. She began illustrations for a book on Australian natural history. The initial plates were sent to Germany for publication. However, war intervened and the plates were lost. |
| Photographic Group Talk: 'Jerrabomberra Wetlands: A Bird Photographers Paradise' | Friday, 24 February 2017 - 10:30am to Saturday, 25 February 2017 - 11:45am |
The Photographic Group meets on the last Friday of the month at 10.30 in the Garden’s Theatrette.
Our guest speaker this month is Lori Gould, Program Manager for the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust (Jerrabomberra Wetlands).
The speaker will be followed by a Show and Tell by Members.
All members of the Friends are welcome to attend.
|
| Dr Suzi Bond ‘Taking a closer look: the fascinating lives of our local butterflies.’ | Thursday, 23 February 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
This talk will introduce you to the wonderful variety of butterflies to be found here in the ACT, from common butterflies encountered in gardens through to cryptic species restricted to nature reserves. Suzi will be happy to sign copies of her new field guide after the talk. |
| Dr Illiana Medina ‘One flew over the cuckoo’s nest: the amazing arms race between brood parasites and hosts.’ | Thursday, 16 February 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Avian brood parasites are birds that must lay their eggs in the nests of other species in order to reproduce. There are around 100 species of obligate brood parasites in the world and hundreds of hosts, hence, brood parasitism is a very ubiquitous interaction for birds. The coevolution between brood parasites and their hosts has led to the evolution of complex defences in hosts and many different tricks in brood parasites to parasitise their victims. |
| Dr Rosemary Purdie ‘Walking the Blooming Simpson’ | Thursday, 9 February 2017 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
In July-August 2016 Rosemary spent 3 weeks on a camel-supported walk in the central Simpson Desert in Qld and NT, collecting plants. Following rain in the preceding months, the desert was carpeted in wildflowers. Rosemary will talk about the trip, focusing on the landscapes traversed, the species in flower, and daily life travelling with camels. |
| ANBG Friends Plant Science Group - Technical Talk | Monday, 6 February 2017 - 10:30am |
Genetics guiding ecological offset work: the example of Rutidosis lanata Dr Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research Resource development projects often involve ecological offset work, meaning that new populations of rare or threatened plants are created to offset those that are affected by the development. To produce long-term viable offset populations, it is crucial to have a good understanding of the biology of the managed species, but little is still known about many native Australian species. Alexander will talk about recently finished work on the southern Queensland endemic Rutidosis lanata, a perennial button daisy. The project examined its breeding system and genetics to produce science-based guidelines for seed sourcing to maximise the reproductive success of newly-created populations. |
