The editor of our bulletin, Australasian Plant Conservation, is calling for articles on orchids for our Spring edition. The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2021. For more information on submitting please visit our website and if you have any questions please email the APC editor, Heidi Zimmer.
| Since 2017 the ANPC has been working with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV), Friends of the Grampians Gariwerd and the Australasian Native Orchid Society (Victoria Group) Inc. on two orchid conservation projects in western Victoria, to undertake surveys, collect seed, propagate seedlings, construct exclusion fencing and identify pollinators. Both projects culminated this month with the re-introduction of approximately 50 Audas Spider-orchid (Caladenia audasii) and 400 Brilliant Sun Orchid (Thelymitra mackibbinii) seedlings. Ten to 15 enthusiastic volunteers helped plant each day to supplement the low numbers of these threatened orchids in the wild. Both projects were funded by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning through their Biodiversity On-ground Action grants. |
On 22 and 23 June 2021 the ANPC hosted an online symposium on Orchid Conservation, which was attended by 575 registrants from across 37 countries. Eighteen speakers from Australia, the UK, South Africa, Germany and Hong Kong shared their research and experiences. Topics included orchid pollination, germination and translocation. We learned about new techniques and technologies including camera traps, as well as illegal orchid harvesting. Over one year since the 2019/20 fires, we heard about the effects of fire on orchid populations. We were treated to stunning photos of orchids across the globe including the Kimberley, where new species are still being discovered. A volunteer’s eye view was presented and encouraged people to get involved in orchid conservation in their region. The ANPC would like to say thanks to all the speakers for preparing such interesting talks, to the Australian Government’s Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program for funding both this Symposium and the larger project it is part of and the project leads, Ryan Philips, Noushka Reiter and Dan Duval. Also, a huge thank you to the ANPC’s Project Manager Lucy Commander, for seamlessly running both days, a tremendous effort! Recordings of some talks will be made available, more details to come.
| Filming has begun for a series of videos which complement the current Germplasm Guidelines review. The video production team were at PlantBank in Sydney last week conducting interviews and obtaining footage for the videos. The first video will premiere at the launch of the Germplasm Guidelines during the ASSC 2021 |
We are proud to announce the launch of the third edition of ‘Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia – strategies and guidelines for developing, managing and utilising ex situ collections’ (also known as the Germplasm Guidelines). The launch will be held online during the Australian Seed Science Conference. We’d also like to invite everyone to the Australian Academy of Science Fenner Conference on the Environment: Exceptional times, exceptional plants. This free, online event will be held during the Australian Seed Science Conference in September (note: you do not need to attend the entire conference to register for the Fenner Conference). For more information and to register head to https://seedscience2021.com.au/fenner-conference/
Featured image: Bree Phillips, a Flora Conservation Officer with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions in WA. She is seen collecting Jacksonia velveta (Collie Jacksonia), a species which is listed as Endangered in WA as well as under the EPBC act. Image by Andrew Crawford.