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TASMANIAN FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC.
General Meetings start at 7.45 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month, in the Life Science Building at the University of Tasmania. Outings are usually held the following weekend, meeting outside the to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery entrance in Macquarie Street. Bring lunch and all?weather outdoor gear. If you are planning to attend an outing but have not been to the prior meeting, phone to check as to the timing of the excursion (with Genevieve Gates; 62 278 638 or Don Hird 6228 9702 ). Unforeseen changes sometimes occur. Thurs. 1 November. 7.30 p.m.: PLEASE NOTE Change of Plan from
previous Bulletin.
Thurs. 6 December Members’ Night. As usual, members are encouraged
to contribute a personal item of natural history interest, e.g. some slides
of a private or club trip, a specimen or etc. Around 10 minutes is
suggested. Contact Genevieve Gates (6227 8638) to advise of your
presentation. Our Christmas supper is customary -; please bring a
plate.
Subs for 2002 are due by 31 December. Rates are unchanged from
this year, Anna McEldowney is Treasurer
‘Listen….Our Land Is Crying’
Thursday 1 November, 7.30 pm, ADMISSION FREE Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania Mary White is the author of ‘The Greening of Gondwana’, ‘After the Greening- the Browning of Australia’, ‘Listen… Our Land is Crying’, ‘Running Down- Water in a Changing Land’, ‘Time in Our Hands’ and ‘Reading the Rocks’. She has documented the true nature of our ancient landscapes, the problems created by many of our agricultural practices, the perilous state of many of our environments and river systems, and the urgent need for action if any sort of balance is to be restored between man’s activities and our natural ecosystems. A rare opportunity to hear this distinguished speaker. Jointly sponsored by Australian Plants Society Tasmania Inc, Geological Society of Australia Tasmania Division, Australian & New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science. Media Event - Visit by Dr Mary White Dr Mary White, DSc, distinguished Sydney-based author, palaeobotanist and conservationist, will deliver a public lecture on Thursday 1 November entitled “Listen…Our land is Crying” at the Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania (see attached notice). The lecture will explore critical issues of land and water use in Australia from the perspective of the ancient and fragile nature of our landscapes and soils, and the urgent need for action to restore a balance between man’s activities and our natural ecosystems. On Friday 2 November at 12 noon, Dr White will officially open the Australian Plants Society’s Wildflower Exhibition “Spirit of Gondwana” at the Hobart City Hall. This exhibition will showcase native plants for the garden, but will also celebrate the origins of the flora on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana and display some of the geological history associated with plant evolution. The exhibition will run for three days from November 2-4, with free admission. Mary White was raised by botanist parents, educated in South Africa, married a field Geologist, and carried out field surveys in Zimbabwe and Somaliland before migrating to Australia in 1955. She worked as a palaeobotanist with the Bureau of Mineral Resources for many years, and has been a consultant and part-time museum curator before retiring to become an author and lecturer. Her first book, ‘The Greening of Gondwana’ (1986), documented the evolution of plant life on the Gondwanan continents and the development of Australia’s flora as we drifted north, and has been an international best seller. This was followed by an account of Australia’s drying-out and desertification, and the development of many of the ancient landscapes, after our separation from Antarctica, and of man’s initial impacts, in ‘After the Greening- the Browning of Australia’. Then came a more detailed account of the devastating impact of man’s inappropriate land-use practices in ‘Listen…Our Land is Crying. Australia’s Environment- Problems and Solutions’, and a closer look at water use in ‘Running Down - Water in a Changing Land’. Other books have included ‘Time in Our Hands’ (featuring Tasmania’s fossil flora from Lune River), and ‘Reading the Rocks’. All the books are beautifully illustrated, with simple explanations of scientific issues. Mary White has documented the true nature of our ancient landscapes and soils, the problems created by many of our agricultural practices (particularly large-scale irrigation), the perilous state of many of our environments and river systems, and the need for urgent action if any sort of balance is to be restored between man’s activities and our natural ecosystems. Some quotes: “Sustainable management of our land and water resources can only be achieved if the ancient history of the continent is taken into account and the limitations set by this unique land itself are recognised”. “Only humans, by virtue of their technology, have had the ability to live outside the rules which apply to all other creatures - natural laws which forced them to operate within bounds which maintain the balance”. “…sustainable development is an oxymoron”. “If we are holding the continent in trust, borrowing it from our children and grandchildren, we have an enormous responsibility, and the solution of problems cannot wait any longer”. Although Mary White presents something of a lovable grandmotherly image, she has an enormous energy, a great depth of knowledge and experience of Australia’s landscapes and geology, and a great love of the country, and the courage to speak out fearlessly for the future of the environment. She is also a brilliant writer, committed to bringing an understanding of science and scientific issues to the general readership. She is currently working on another book dealing with the origins of life and the importance of such things as bacteria in determining ‘the groundrules for life’. She is also a charming and approachable person. EXCURSION REPORTS
Tasmania has the largest Giant Kelp forests in Australia. Giant
Kelp is of huge ecological significance because of the associated high
biodiversity, its hydrological and light environment effects, and its importance
as a habitat for other organisms both in situ and on beaches. Decline
(in just 30 years) due to pollution, the introduced Japanese kelp, increase
in water temperature and other causes was explained by Dr Edyvane in the
context of the importance of the Kelp Watch program.
A Pademelon surprised me. Scratches on many trees indicated bush creatures. Scats of all kinds and prints, and numerous skeletons were evident. A pair of Sea Eagles perched side by side in the distance. I wonder what the other intrepids would find. Footnote : on a previous visit to the area I had noted scats resembling those of wombats, a species not officially recorded from Bruny Island. Despite intense searching for other signs (such as burrows usually easily found in sandy coastal country), no reliable indication of wombats was found in a habitat which would otherwise be expected to support them. Don Hird. Fungi list for Cape Queen Elizabeth on August 4th 2001
T.F.N.C. Outing to “Seaford” on September 9th, 2001.
Using one of the work barges, seven Field Nats. explored the tributary, inspecting the rice grass infected areas that had been successfully treated using a herbicide. After a time of zooming around the bay we noticed a lone figure waving to us from the shore. It was the intrepid Maggie with whom we had failed to rendezvous at Sorell. Although she had no map as to where we were going, she had explored every road leading to the water from the top of the bay, until she came to one with a 'Land for Wildlife' sign on the gate. This happened to be the right place so she was able to join us for the remainder of the excursion. After lunch on terra firma, Sue and Hayden were very keen to show their property to such an interested and enthusiastic bunch of bird, snail, spider, fungi and orchid experts. It was most encouraging to see an introduced pest being successfully controlled and to meet landowners who are interested and take pride in conserving their property AND as a bonus we have been invited back to do some more exploring and surveying!!! Fungi list
Orchids….Sue has found 38 species so far.
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