BIODIVERSITY: UN General Assembly backs resolution for an 'IPCC-for Nature'

New York/Nairobi, 21 December 2010
A new international body aimed at catalyzing a global response to the loss of biodiversity and world's economically-important forests, coral reefs and other ecosystems was born yesterday by governments at the United Nations 65th General Assembly (UNGA).

The adoption, by the UNGA plenary, was the last approval needed for setting up an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).The independent platform will in many ways mirror the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which has assisted in catalyzing worldwide understanding and governmental action on global warming.

The new body will bridge the gulf between the wealth of scientific knowledge on the accelerating declines and degradation of the natural world, with knowledge on effective solutions and decisive government action required to reverse these damaging trends. Its various roles will include carrying out high-quality peer reviews of the wealth of science on biodiversity and ecosystem services emerging from research institutes across the globe in order to provide gold standard reports to governments. These reports will not only cover the state, status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystems, but will also outline transformational policy options and responses to bring about real change in their fortunes.

FULL RELEASE

NEW PUBLICATION: Eucalypts

Eucalypts

A celebration

John Wrigley and Murray Fagg

Published: November 2010, Allen & Unwin

A superbly illustrated celebration of the beauty and diversity of Australia's most iconic and best-known trees.

'The tallest and most stately trees I ever saw in any nobleman's ground in England cannot excel in beauty those which nature presented to our view.' First fleet surgeon Arthur Bowes
Eucalypts are a familiar part of our landscape and an integral part of the Australian identity. We have farmed them and used them to build houses, furniture, roads and bridges since the beginning of white settlement. We have been inspired by them, painted them, made films about them, written books about them and of course Aboriginal Australians have long made musical instruments from them. Though a small number are found as native plants in several other countries, Eucalypts are a very Australian tree.


This book celebrates their diversity, their beauty and the role they play in our history, culture and economy. It looks at their evolution, biology, horticulture and ecology, together with their classification and the botanists involved. Through historic and contemporary images, it examines the many ways in which they have served Aboriginal, colonial and contemporary Australians in both practical and aesthetic ways. Eucalypts have quite literally been the building blocks of our nation and this beautiful book tells their complete story for the first time.

Available from Allen & Unwin

NEW BOOKLET: Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest

On 9 December 2009, the Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest was listed as a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). These native woodlands occur on the Cumberland Plain of the Sydney region. The woodlands now exist only as small remnants within its range. To accompany the listing the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has prepared an information booklet Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest: A guide to identifying and protecting the nationally threatened ecological community, EPBC Policy Statement 3.31. The booklet is designed to assist land managers, owners and occupiers as well as environmental assessment officers and consultants to identify, assess and manage the Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest. It also highlights the EPBC Act implications of its listing. The booklet can be downloaded at: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/cumberland-plain-shale-woodlands.html

ANPC: Position Vacant (Office Manager)

The Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC) is a non-profit incorporated body with a membership of government and non-government institutions, botanical gardens, researchers, educators, land-managers, community groups and individuals with an interest in and a commitment to plant conservation.

Location: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Employment conditions: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010
Classification: Social and Community Services Employee Level 4 (Salary range: $40,104 to $43, 255 pro-rata, negotiable)
Hours of Employment: Part-time 22.8 hrs per week (3 days - flexible)

Job Description: To manage the office administration required in the national office of the ANPC and maintain liaison with membership, clients and the Committee. This includes: budgetary and financial matters; liaison with a wide range of organisations, clients and Committee members; keeping good records of the organisation and its membership; database management; website management; administrative support for events; and assistance with supervising volunteers.

Applications close: Thursday 6 January 2011
Application: Your application should address the selection criteria and include contact details of two referees.

The position description and selection criteria can be downloaded from our website.
For more information contact the office on 02 6250 9509 or email us anpc@anpc.asn.au

MYRTLE RUST JUMPS TO EUCALYPT SPECIES

The plant fungal disease Myrtle Rust (Uredo rangelii), recently introduced to Australia and naturalising on the Central Coast of New South Wales, has now been recorded as infecting plants of three eucalypt species in the wild: Eucalyptus agglomerata (Blue-leaved Stringybark), E. deanei (Mountain Blue Gum, Round-leaved Gum), and E. pilularis (Blackbutt).

Myrtle Rust is a member of the Eucalypt Rust/Guava Rust disease complex, native to tropical America, that infects members of the plant family Myrtaceae. Some variants of the complex have a history of infection of plantation eucalypts in the Americas. Until very recently Myrtle Rust in Australia had been found only on non-eucalypt members of the family Myrtaceae, and there had been some hope that this variant of the complex was not amenable to eucalypt hosts. To date, Myrtle Rust in Australia has been recorded on 25 species of native plants, eight of them in the wild.

Background on Myrtle Rust is available at: http://www.anbg.gov.au/anpc/resources.html#Key_issues, and at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust. Weekly updates are available by free subscription at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust/update

COMMUNITY SMALL GRANTS: Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands

Communities in Landscapes SMALL COMMUNITY GRANTS are now open for expressions of interest from community groups and schools in Box Gum Grassy Woodland areas.

Communities in Landscapes (CiL) has invited community groups in the Central West, Lachlan and Murrumbidgee catchments to apply for grants to boost biodiversity in their local area. Industry & Investment NSW (I&I NSW) CiL project officer, Tony Cox, said grants up to $3000 (GST included) are available from CiL’s Community Small Grants Scheme.“The aim of the project is to benefit the critically endangered box gum grassy woodland environments which sustain a variety of important native plant and animal species, “Mr Cox said. “These woodlands contain valuable resources which can provide economic and environmental benefits to the whole community.“Healthy box gum woodlands contribute to the productivity of farms by providing shelter and pasture for stock, habitat for animals and insects which eat pests and pollinate crops and in the management of rising water tables and salinity.“As part of the big picture CiL is working with landholders to develop cross-property plans and now we’re looking to community groups to complement the work we’re doing at that larger scale.”CiL aims to identify and protect more than 55,000 hectares of endangered box gum woodlands which can be identified by their main trees species - white box, Eucalyptus albens; yellow box, E. melliodora and Blakely's red gum, E. blakelyi.Financial support is available to projects which raise awareness or support good management of box gum grassy woodland and the species it supports.

Applications for the CiL Community Small Grants Scheme close on December 24 with forms available from http://cil.landcarensw.org.au/smallgrants or community woodlands officer, Kristy Lawrie, 0457 953 778.

RESEARCH GRANTS: Australian Flora Foundation for funding in 2012

The Foundation expects to support between two and four projects at $5000 - $12,000 each in 2012 with possible extension into 2013.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Applications for grants to support original scientific projects on the biology and cultivation of Australian plants are invited from research workers in Australia.

Applications are in two stages. Preliminary applications of two A4 pages should indicate the purpose of the project, the likely costs and the research protocol. The institution or company to which the applicant is attached, a contact phone number and email and postal address must be included. Please use the form provided at http://www.aff.org.au/AFF2_Call_for_applications.htm . Preliminary applications will be accepted until 21st March 2011.

ANPC: Call for articles for APC 19(4), March-May 2011, Plant conservation on Aboriginal / Indigenous lands

Australasian Plant Conservation (APC) is the quarterly bulletin of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc. (ANPC). Our members, and the wider readership of the bulletin, come from disparate sectors: science, policy, land management, community groups, the revegetation/restoration industry, and ecological consultancies. The Network, and the bulletin, provide an all too rare opportunity for these sectors to talk to each other and share the rich and growing body of practical and scientific knowledge. We try to transmit new science results in plain language, and to draw out the practical lessons of local projects and case-studies to make them relevant for others. A style-guide is available from the Editor.

In APC issue 19(4), March—May 2011, we aim to look at plant conservation activities on land owned and/or managed by Aboriginal / Indigenous communities. This includes land that is held under native title, various Land Rights regimes, land in the Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) network, and traditional lands that communities are helping to manage. Relevant plant conservation activities include native vegetation management to retain habitat value and component plant species; conserving species traditionally used as food or medicinal plants or for cultural purposes; and actions related to the recovery of plant species or ecological communities listed under state and national environmental laws. Articles may focus on any aspect of plant conservation, including planning, partnerships, education and on-ground activities.

We also hope to have overview articles on the recognition and value of traditional knowledge, and we would be interested in articles on good practice in work between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and organisations on conservation issues. Articles should be no longer than 1200 words. Where possible, they should be illustrated with one or two photographs that have been cleared with the appropriate people for publication, and have appropriate captions and photographer credits.

The deadline for articles will be 12 February 2011. If you would like to submit an article, please contact Rosemary Purdie, Editor, Australasian Plant Conservation, by email (Rosemary.Purdie@environment.gov.au).

TRIN: Interactive Field Day, 9 December, Cairns

When: Thursday 9 December 2010, 9.30am till 4pm

Where: Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University, Cairns QLD

Join us for a hands-on experience with the latest range of biodiversity technology and identification products focused on Northern Australia. Product developers and scientists will be on hand to engage with users at a variety of interactive booths and talks, including:
identification keys for mangroves, rainforest plants, orchids, rodents, corals and other talks on PDA technology, knowledge exchange, rainforest tree barcoding, and mammal decline and other resources and applications that support biodiversity management, such as DERM mapping and GIS, Australia’s Virtual Herbarium, Australian Plant Name Index, Australian Plant Census and Australian Plant Image Index.

For further information and to register go to: www.taxonomy.org.au/fieldday2.html

CONFERENCE: 23rd Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference – Call for Papers now open!

The 23rd Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference will be held at The Sebel Cairns, Queensland from 25 – 30 September 2011.

Abstract submission for the 23rd Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference (APWSS 2011) is now open. The theme for APWSS 2011 is "Weed Management in a Changing World". They invite you to submit an abstract on one or more of the following sub-themes:
Threats and risks in the Asian-Pacific region
Sustainable weed management in the Asian-Pacific region
Weed solutions for the Asian-Pacific region
Economics of weed control in the Asian-Pacific region

Super Earlybird discounted registration is also now available. To save AU$150 on your registration, register online now. To submit an abstract, register or for further information please visit http://www.apwss.com/ or contact apwss@eventcorp.com.au.

ANPC: Annual General Meeting, 26 November 2010

When: Friday 26 November 2010

Where: Land and Water Board Room (opposite the Herbarium)

CSIRO, Christian Road, Black Mountain, Canberra

All financial members are welcome and if you would like to participate via phone conference please contact the office at least a week before the meeting. Please RSVP to the ANPC Office by Friday 19th November.

Nominations for 2 normal Committee positions are now open. These are to be in writing, signed by 2 members of the Network and accompanied by a written consent from the candidate. Please send nominations to the Secretary by the close of business on Friday 19th November (Secretary, ANPC, PO Box 1777 Canberra City 2601 or faxed to ANPC at 02 6250 9528).
For clarification of the duties of the positions please contact the Secretary, Phil Ainsley (ph: 0428 560 085, email: phillip.ainsley@sa.gov.au), or for membership status of nominees or nominators contact the ANPC office anpc@anpc.asn.au.

TRAINING: Managing Constructed Wetlands & Aquatic Plants

This is a 2 day Wetland Education and Training (WET) Program offering a hands on, experiential approach. It will focus on case studies and learning techniques for the rapid identification of aquatic plants as well as best practice for wetland design and construction. Also included are hydrology, pollution, safety, access and maintenance.

Where: Sydney Olympic Park Cost - $600
When: 17-18 November

For more information http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/173588/WET-Nov2010_Final.pdf