May 10, 2024 | Events Category
Rainforest Connections 2024 will be the first dedicated rainforest conservation conference in over two decades! It will be held in beautiful Ballina NSW from 4-7 June 2024.
Rainforests are some of Australia’s most special places so this is an exciting opportunity to bring together many of the people working with communities to restore these precious ecosystems. Head to Rainforest Connections and hear inspirational stories of decades-long transformations and real world examples of how grassroots movements bring people together, whether Landcarers, individuals or small community groups.
Attendance is encouraged for professionals and students that want to be at the forefront of rainforest conservation management and innovation. The conference will provide a vital platform to build relationships, form collaborations and most importantly lead to constructive, innovative and effective multi-disciplinary environmental outcomes in our unique rainforest environments.
The diverse range of presentations will feature case studies of on-ground action, species recovery programs, and cutting-edge environmental research as well as specific tools, techniques, challenges and strategies for managing rainforest habitats. The important connection between nature and culture will be highlighted and include presentations supporting this connection.
The program for the conference has now been released, and speakers have been announced, so head over to https://rainforestconnections.com.au/program for more info or to register.
Feb 15, 2024 | Events Category, News
Mark those calendars and keep the 13-17th October free because the ANPC will be holding the 14th Australasian Plant Conservation Conference (APCC14) in Toowoomba, Queensland.
We’re looking forward to seeing you all in the Garden City!
Keep checking our newsletter and social media channels for updates when more information becomes available.
Dec 22, 2023 | Events Category
There is a need for horticulturists and practitioners managing Myrtle Rust susceptible collections to collaborate, share ideas and workshop problems.
To address this the ANPC, UNSW and the BGANZ Collections and Records Management group (BCARM) are collaborating to co-ordinate a quarterly series of informal virtual get togethers, commencing in February 2024.
This series will be exclusively focused on practical aspects of managing and maintaining a conservation collection of Myrtle Rust susceptible species and will have an open forum structure. The series will be open to any practitioners across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand managing collections impacted by Myrtle Rust including local council nurseries.
As part of customising the content and schedule we are seeking your feedback in this short survey.
The first session “Fundamentals of managing a Myrtle Rust sensitive collection” will be held on 22 February 2024 at 2pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
REGISTER HERE!
For more information about Myrtle Rust visit the dedicated ANPC resource page.
We hope to see you there.
Sep 15, 2023 | Events Category
Beyond the Guidelines: designing resilient, persistent plant translocations.
This workshop was held on 16 November 2023 as part of the 3rd International Conservation Translocation Conference held in Fremantle, Western Australia.
It focused on aspects of planning and practice that can improve the likelihood of establishing healthy, resilient and recruiting plant populations, that will persist over the long term. The talks included practical examples of sourcing seed or other germplasm types, selecting recipient sites (macro and microsites), post planting management techniques and genetic health assessments. They also addressed creation of populations that are resilient to disturbance. The sessions covered the following 3 themes:
– pre-translocation
– planting
– post-translocation.
Download the flyer and program here
Recordings from the workshop are available on the ANPC Youtube channel here
Download or purchase the ANPC’s Translocation Guidelines here
Jun 1, 2023 | Events Category, News
In collaboration with the Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW, the ANPC held ‘FLORA AFTER FIRE – winners, losers and lessons‘ via Zoom webinar on Wednesday 16 August 2023.
This free online symposium was focused on the post-fire recovery of native vegetation.
A range of speakers covered three themes:
1/ plant and fire relationships
2/ impacts and observations (case studies)
3/ lessons and actions moving forward
Download the program here.
Speakers from across Australia discussed plant and fire impacts, with special emphasis on Black Summer impacts and recovery. Topics and speakers included:
- Post-fire epiphytic orchid surveys – Prof Jeremy Bruhl and Dr Heidi Zimmer
- Rainforests in SE NSW and the Western Dorrigo – Mark Graham
- Plant disease after fire – Bundjalung Country – Dr Geoff Pegg
- Kangaroo Island seed production area for restoration – Dr Jenny Guerin
- Improving the evidence base to support decision-making – Dr Libby Rumpff
- Planning for post fire restoration and reintroductions – Dr Melinda Pickup and Dr Tein McDonald
- Threat assessments and revised threatened species listings – Prof Tony Auld and Tom Le Breton
- Planned Actions of the NSW Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre Environment Node – Assoc. Prof. Rachel Gallagher
Recordings of the presentations will be available soon!
Jul 26, 2023 | Events Category, News
Myrtle Rust threatens an estimated 350 Australian plants, killing new growth, buds and flowers, meaning severely impacted species can no longer reproduce. Worst affected species will disappear from the wild. Myrtle Rust is having such a devastating impact on some native plants, that scientists, community groups and First Nations groups in Australia and New Zealand are working together to devise an Australasian response. In June 2023 over 100 experts from around the globe met in Sydney to share knowledge in the inaugural Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference, supported by the Australian Network for Plant Conservation.
Download the Summary of Proceedings of the Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference here [PDF link]
Attendees were buoyed by the breadth of work and dedication to preventing Myrtle Rust extinctions. They were simultaneously unanimous in the sentiment that stronger leadership, greater coordination, and long-term funding were the crucial missing elements. Priority next steps include improved sharing of resources and of research and its outcomes, and refining priority species and actions for conservation efforts to maximise the involvement of researchers, communities and land managers.
Several key themes emerged from the 50 presentations given during the conference, giving rise to potential simultaneous directions to tackle Myrtle Rust incursions and extinctions:
International guest speaker Dr Richard Sniezko from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, presenting on developing disease resistance tree populations for restoration. Credit: Dan Turner
