Where they keep plants – the story of the new Herbarium at the Australian Botanic Garden
When Captain Cook sailed along the east coast of Australia in 1770 his merry band of collectors loaded the Endeavour with a very large plant collection. So, what happened to the 800 specimens that Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander collected? Over the past 250 years these specimens together with many others that the thousands of botanists collected have eventually ended up in large publicly funded herbariums.
Berry Public School Nursery – nurturing young minds
Berry Public School (BPS) has hosted volunteers at Plant Prop since 1990. The nursery was established by Dave Johnson, a retired primary school Principal, and Barry Virtue, then teaching at BPS.
Australian flora conference – presentations available on YouTube
In September 2022, APS NSW hosted the Australian flora conference for ANPSA, focused on the past, present and future of Australian plants. There were many outstanding speakers during the conference and a good number of these presentations were recorded and are now available on our YouTube channel.
Australian flora conference – past present future
Every two years The Australian Native Plants Society of Australia (ANSPA) holds a conference which is hosted by each state in turn. In 2019 it was held in Albany, Western Australia and approximately 330 delegates attended. It was the turn of APS NSW last year, but due to COVID-19 was postponed until September this year where it was held at the Kiama Pavilion on the beautiful NSW south coast attracting approximately 360 people from all parts of NSW, interstate and overseas.
Native bees and native flora go hand in hand..
While many of us realise conserving native plants helps conserve native fauna, the reverse is also true, particularly when it comes to native bees.
Bush care, not for the faint hearted
Diedree Noss gave a most informative and interesting talk on the group, Friends of the Colo (FOC) at the August meeting of the North Shore district group.
Report on Pilliga and Warrumbungles pre-tour
A report on the Conference pre-tour to Warrumbungles and Pilliga, full of flora sightings and images.
Conservation of Australian Terrestrial Orchids
At the Sutherland district group meeting in July 2022, Richard Dimon presented an incredibly fascinating, as well as, very practical talk on conservation efforts and methodologies for conserving listed threatened Australian orchids.
Creating a sustainable native garden
Creating a sustainable native garden enhances the environment, reduces costs and waste and improves well being.
Gardens of Stone management plan submissions
Members of the Gardens of Stone Alliance which includes Wilderness Australia (formerly Colong Foundation for Wilderness), Blue Mountains Conservation Society and Lithgow Environment Group, have worked and lobbied for many years to have the Newnes Plateau Area protected as a SCA.
How the use of our planet impacts our native trees
With climate change, urban cooling is a growing need. Governments are spending more on tree planting in public places but need to consider what species will thrive as global temperatures rise and whether adequate water is available to sustain plantings, points often omitted at the planning stage.
Native plant distributions
APS members should know where native plants are! Tony Maxwell introduces a major project he is working on to assemble data on the occurrences of species from reputable and publicly available sources.
Biodiversity loss – balancing land use and conservation
Peter Geelan-Smith has given us summaries of recently published articles, highlighting recent research and thought on the topic: What is the right balance between land use and conservation, to stop biodiversity loss?
Conservation award to Wendy Grimm, North Shore Group
North Shore Group APS nominated Wendy Grimm for the APS NSW Conservation Award, which the AGM approved.
Preserving the land – Rob and Rosemary Webb
When Rob Webb spoke, it was obvious that he would never contemplate growing cotton. He wanted to preserve the land that his family had farmed for four generations since 1874. He did not wish to make the mistakes of the past.
Innovative farmers – Jean and Basil Baldwin, Forest Reefs
Jean and Basil Baldwin have established a 500-tree hazelnut plantation that produces a good income when water is available. The plantation thrives on a rich basaltic soil and is irrigated with a plentiful supply of bore water.
Innovative farming techniques – Bruce and Roz Maynard
Bruce Maynard’s ‘road to Damascus’ as a conservationist began when he was a young man. Bruce realised that farmers investing in fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and irrigation while deep-ploughing their land to grow a high yielding crop was not sustainable.
Farmers conserving native plants
About 45 APS members joined this 4-day trip which included visiting 6 private properties around the Orange, Dubbo, and the Narromine area. A visit was also made to the Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum
Great Southern Forest update
The Great Southern Forest proposal is a widely researched, solutions-based initiative for the carbon and biodiversity dense SE NSW native forests. It offers nature-based solutions to critical national and
global problems and with great benefit for climate stabilisation, environmental and economic success,…
Development of sports fields at Westleigh Park
Here is a submission prepared by our North Shore Group on the development of the sports field at Westleigh Park. The site has high quality containing threatened communities (Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest and Duffys Forest) and rare plants (Melaleuca deanei, Tetratheca glandulosa, Epacris purpurascens and Darwinia biflora). There is also an area of critically endangered Bluegum High Forest (Dog Pound Creek) adjacent to the site.
How can APS members be more effective in conservation efforts? A talk by Chris Gambian, CEO of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Conserving native plants has always been a core value of APS. In the recent APS NSW survey, members expressed that they want us to increase our focus on conservation. So on the 16th March 2022, at our quarterly APS NSW gathering, Chris Gambian was invited to come and talk to the group about how APS NSW can be more effective in conservation efforts.
What plant, where? A talk by Professor Michelle Leishman
At the Parramatta and Hills February meeting, the speaker was Prof. Michelle Leishman from the School of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University.
Australian Flora Foundation newsletter January 2022
The latest newsletter on funding for research on Australian flora
Fighting Plagues and Predators report
The Fighting Plagues and Predators report was developed by CSIRO and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. It provides a consolidated look at the state of Australia’s invasive species problem and a path towards a pest and weed-free future.
Native orchid Q&As – name changes and more
Q&As on native orchids – propagating, buying and understanding name changes.
My Bushcare experience – Chris King
Convenor of the Inner West Environment Group and East Hills Group member Chris King shares her Bushcare experience.
My bush regeneration experience-Graham Fry
Graham Fry from East Hills Group shares his Bushcare experience at Poulton Park, Hurstville.
Is this where we are headed?
The Joseph Banks Society in the UK is a small, volunteer-led charity which publishes an occasional newsletter.
Australian Flora Foundation 1981–2021: 40 years of funding research
Since 1981, the Australian Flora Foundation has funded almost $1 million in scientific research into Australian native flora.
Australian Flora Foundation newsletter July 2021
The Australian Flora Foundation newsletter Research Matters, No. 34, July 2021 is now available. In 2021, the foundation celebrates its 40th year of operations since 1981, funding scientific research into the biology and cultivation of the Australian flora.
Meet Dan Clarke – Conservation Officer, Botanist and Plant Enthusiast
Dan is a fully qualified botanist who works as a botanical consultant. Dan undertakes flora surveys, providing information for vegetation mapping and type-determinations…
Rainforest recovery in northern NSW
In June APS Far North Coast met up with the Goonellabah Tucki Landcare Group who showed them the extensive work they have undertaken…
Donations of pink flannel flowers, by Menai’s Lloyd Hedges
Over the last few years, Lloyd Hedges with Menai Group has donated large numbers of pink flannel flowers, Actinotus forsythii, to our botanic gardens. These are tricky plants to propagate and keep alive and Menai seems to have nailed it!
Planting trees for regenerative farming
NSW is 80% agricultural land and so understanding how that land is being managed for health and supporting regenerative farming are important. A few members, including Graham Fry, East Hills and member of Oatley Flora and Fauna (OFF) and Ralph Cartwright, Sutherland, contributed their weekend to plant trees for regenerative farmer, Vince Hefferman
Caring for her local reserve
Besides being an active member with APS Southern Tablelands group, Ash is also a Crown Land Manager of Alison Hone Reserve along with four other APS members. We are also members of Goulburn Field Naturalists Society and when this group was approached to take over, we agreed rather than let the area fall into disrepair.
Revegetation of degraded properties out west
Andrew Knop and his wife Jennifer have regenerated their two properties at Dubbo and Narromine. When purchased, their properties were degraded due to livestock grazing and feral animals