ANPC WORKSHOPS: Identifying Plants of Grassy Ecosystems, (ACT Region), 10 & 11 November

Workshop One: Grass Identification: Registrations closed
Tuesday 10 November (Canberra)


Workshop Two: Plants of Grassy Ecosystems (beginners) Registrations open
Wednesday 11 November (Canberra)


There are still a few places available for workshop two: Plants of Grassy Ecosystems. For more information and to check availability please contact the ANPC office this week on 02 6250 9509 or email: anpc@anpc.asn.au

QLD NATURAL RESOURCES AWARENESS GRANTS:Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management

Grants of up to $5000 (excluding GST) are available to community natural resources management groups for the development of small projects that promote the importance of natural resources. Grants of up to $10,000 will be considered where projects are a genuine collaboration between two or more organisations.

Grants are for one year only and this year’s theme is ‘Reducing our carbon footprint’.They are not intended to fund core, on-ground natural resource management activities. Projects should be educational and of general interest, and should encourage people to become involved in natural resource management activities during World Environment Day on 5 June 2010.

Applications close Friday 18 December 2009 and more information is available at http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/funding/nr_awareness_grants/index.html

EPBC ACT: Current finalised priority assessment lists available

The Finalised Priority Assessment List (FPAL) for species, ecological communities and key threatening processes for the assessment period commencing 1 October 2009 is now available at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/pubs/priority-assessment-list-2009.pdf.

In accordance with Section 194(G) of the EPBC Act, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee) considered all nominations that satisfied the regulations, and prepared a Proposed Priority Assessment List (PPAL). The Minister established the FPAL after considering advice from the Committee. The nominations on the FPAL will be assessed by the Committee within the scheduled timeframe (see list), and the Minister will decide whether each species, ecological community or key threatening process warrants listing based on the Committee’s advice.

COURSE: International Certificate in Botanic Garden Management in the Asia Pacific Region, Singapore, 5 - 20th March 2010

Working individually and collectively botanic gardens are in a strong position to help address the primary conservation and development challenges of our time: biodiversity loss and climate change. This new two-week training course covers major present-day themes of practical conservation work at botanic gardens. It is designed to help representatives from the Asia Pacific region involved in botanic garden and arboretum management (in particular horticultural staff and mid-level managers) refresh their existing skills, understand global environmental policy, explore new ideas and engage with botanic garden experts from around the world.

The course is run by BGCI, BGANZ and Singapore Botanic Gardens. The deadline for receipt of course and scholarship applications is 30 November 2009. For more information click here .

PLANT IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOPS: 10 & 11 November, Canberra

Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc.

presents

Identifying Plants of Grassy Ecosystems

(ACT Region)

Workshop One: Grass Identification for beginners
Tuesday 10 November (Canberra)

Aim: To introduce participants to the characteristics of grasses, and provide the skills and information required to positively identify some common genera. The first half of the day involves presentations, microscope work and identification keys. The afternoon session includes a field trip to an ACT Reserve, where participants will become familiar with field characteristics. By the end of the day participants will be become familiar with at least six abundant and widespread genera of the ACT.

Venue: Australian National Botanic Gardens & an ACT conservation reserve


Workshop Two: Plants of Grassy Ecosystems for beginners
Wednesday 11 November (Canberra)

Aim: To introduce participants to grassy ecosystems, their diversity and ecology. We will use some of the most commonly encountered plant groups: daisies, lilies, orchids, wattles and eucalypts to introduce you to the best identification resources (printed, on-line, and interactive). You will also learn how to access the experts through the identification services of the major herbaria. Along the way we will de-mystify identification 'keys', and introduce you to useful field characters to look for. The afternoon session includes a field trip to an ACT Reserve.

Venue: Australian National Botanic Gardens & an ACT conservation reserve


Workshop Fees - per workshop
(includes catering, transport, information pack, hand lens & GST)

ANPC member: $110/day *Concession (ANPC member): $85/day
Non-member: $120/day *Concession (non-member): $95/day

*Concession is for non-employed: volunteer community group members, full-time students, pensioners.


Registration forms available from the ANPC:
Ph: 02 6250 9509
Fax: 02 6250 9528
Email: anpc@anpc.asn.au


Registrations close: 5:00pm Wednesday 4 November 2009
(numbers are limited so register early)


Workshops supported by an ACT Environment Grant, the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, The Australian National Botanic Gardens and Friends of Grasslands

AVAILABLE NOW: Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia

On Friday 4 September Professor Lesley Hughes, Professorial Fellow, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; and the Australian Representative on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Biodiversity and Climate Change launched Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia, at the Native Seed Forum at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. The following has been taken from Professor Hughes' Speech in launching the book:


"we need many tools in our arsenal to deal with the inevitable impacts, many of them negative, that climate change will bring. This book is one of those tools, and an incredibly important one.

One of the important features of the book is its emphasis on the role of germplasm conservation, in all its forms, for conservation practice, both now and in the future. Ex-situ conservation will never take the place of good in-situ conservation practice, but aims to complement and enhance it, with the ultimate objective being to support the survival and continued evolution of species in self-sustaining populations in the wild.

We won’t be able to save everything, but tools like these will give us a much better shot".

Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia
Edited by C.A. Offord and P.F. Meagher
Published by Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc. (ANPC) in partnership with Australian Seed Conservation and Research (AuSCaR)

Available now from ANPC for AUD $39.95 (plus postage and handling)
Ph: 02 6250 9509 or email anpc@anpc.asn.au

PUBLIC CONSULTATION: NSW State Plan and Native Vegetation Act

Review of the NSW State Plan

The NSW Government is reviewing the State Plan. For more information and to have your say visit the Community Forum Page.
Submissions open until Wednesday 16 September.

Review of the Native Vegetation Act 2003

The Minister for Climate Change and the Environment is seeking written submissions on the review of the Native Vegetation Act to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives.

To provide comments download the Discussion Paper or email inquiries to NVact.review@environment.nsw.gov.au Written submissions can be sent to: Mr Tom Grosskopf Director Landscapes and Ecosystems Conservation Branch Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water PO Box A290 SYDNEY SOUTH, NSW 1232
Submissions close 23 September 2009

INTERNATIONAL: Draft GSPC targets for 2010 - 2020

At its last meeting, the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity requested that a revised and updated Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) be developed going beyond 2010, taking into account current and emerging environmental challenges on plant diversity, within the broader context of and consistent with the new CBD Strategic Plan. In May 2009, the CBD Secretariat, together with the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC) organized a GSPC Liaison Group Meeting, which was hosted in Dublin by the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. At this meeting a first draft of a revised GSPC, including an update of the current targets for the period 2010-2020, was developed.

The revised GSPC is now available on the CBD website for peer review, and can be accessed at: www.cbd.int/gspc/gspcreview. Comments are invited until 1st October 2009.

CONGRESS: Biennial BGANZ Congress, Plan(e)t Priorities: Regional Realties, Mackay, 8 - 11 October 2009

The BGANZ (Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand) Congress hosted by Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens aims to recognize the role and responsibilities of Botanic Gardens as a resource for the future preservation of species, and to support the global effort to retain significant and regionally important plant materials. A series of guest speakers, workshops, keynote presentations and discussion groups will explore these issues.The Congress is expected to attract 200 people from across Australia, New Zealand and further afield. Registrations close 30 September.

CALL FOR ARTICLES: Australasian Plant Conservation

Australasian Plant Conservation is a forum for information exchange for all those involved in plant conservation. Each edition contains a range of articles on plant conservation issues which reflect the interests of the range of ANPC's membership. Regular features include lists of the latest relevant publications, websites, conferences, field work and workshops. It is currently received by more than 700 individuals and organisations within Australia and worldwide.


The ANPC is currently seeking articles for the next edition of the bulletin Australasian Plant Conservation with the theme of Local Government and Plant Conservation. If you know of or are involved with any Local Government projects where the main objective is native plant conservation (eg. threatened species/ecosystems, revegetation/rehabilitation,remnant vegetation management) - please consider promoting these projects through the ANPC. The deadline for articles is 27 November and author guidelines can be found at: http://www.anbg.gov.au/anpc/pdffiles/APCGuideContrib.pdf

To view previous issues:
http://www.anbg.gov.au/anpc/australasian_plant_conservation.html#previous%20issues

Contact the ANPC Project Manager for more information (02) 6250 9523 or anpc@anpc.asn.au

NEW PUBLICATION: 'Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia, strategies and guidelines for developing, managing and utilising ex situ collections'

Edited by C.A. Offord and P.F. Meagher

Published by Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc. (ANPC) in partnership with Australian Seed Conservation and Research (AuSCaR)

Launch, Friday 4 September, 2009 at the Native Seed Forum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.

In 1997 the ANPC produced the 'Germplasm conservation guidelines for Australia - an introduction to the principles and practices for seed and germplasm banking of Australian species'. Given the advances in germplasm conservation over the past decade and a call to document these, the ANPC recognised the need to update the guidelines. In partnership with AuSCaR, the ANPC has produced 'Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia, strategies and guidelines for developing, managing and utilising ex situ collections' (2009). The new publication provides up-dated guidelines and standards for the capture, storage and use of wild plant germplasm for long-term conservation in Australia, including the recovery of threatened plant species and the conservation of genetic diversity in the face of climate change. The guidelines will also be useful for shorter-term projects in the restoration and revegetation industry and community sectors.

For more information on 'Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia' please contact the ANPC office 02 6250 9523 or anpc@anpc.asn.au

CONFERENCE DATE CLAIMER: Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc., 8th National Conference 2010

From planning conservation to achieving restoration

28 September to 1 October 2010, Perth, Western Australia


(photo: David Coates)