Author Archives: fobif

2012 Autumn Fungi Workshops

Posted on 19 February, 2012 by fobif

The Central Victorian Fungi Ecology Workshop Series is running again this coming autumn. If you would like to know more about this curious kingdom, workshops include interactive displays, illustrated seminars and exciting forest forays deep into our local forests. Full … Continue reading →

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Maniac?

Posted on 17 February, 2012 by fobif

The endearing creature below is a Peron’s Tree Frog, sometimes uncharitably called the Maniacal Cackle Frog, owing to its distinctive ‘machine gun’ cackle. It’s not uncommon for frogs to be seen in household gardens in our district, and for that … Continue reading →

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How can farming and conservation work together?

Posted on 10 February, 2012 by fobif

This question is posed by the Connecting Country 2012 education program, which starts on February 29. The program explores the idea that efficient production and care for nature go hand in hand. It includes workshops, lectures, discussions and field trips, … Continue reading →

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Right plant, wrong place

Posted on 3 February, 2012 by fobif

The flower below is St John’s Wort [Hypericum perforatum], a pretty plant which has been used for over a thousand years as a herbal remedy. Flowers are sparse, but seeds many at this time of the year on Mount Alexander. … Continue reading →

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Government under fire over fire

Posted on 25 January, 2012 by fobif

Following the release of ANU research showing that current fuel reduction practices are not improving public safety [see our post below], the press has reported that DSE has been burning widely in remote bushland, but has neglected to effectively reduce … Continue reading →

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Does fire protect us from fire?

Posted on 20 January, 2012 by fobif

Calls for more ‘fuel reduction burns’ have been insistent for years, particularly since the Black Saturday fires which burned over 2,100 homes and killed 173 people. The pressure for more management burns culminated in the Royal Commission’s recommendation that at … Continue reading →

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Snapshots in time

Posted on 16 January, 2012 by fobif

About 70 people crowded into the small Chewton Town Hall on January 16 for the launch of Ken McKimmie’s Chewton Then and Now, a collection of articles written over a number of years for the Chewton Chat. These articles are … Continue reading →

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Parasites aren’t always bad

Posted on 28 December, 2011 by fobif

The red box tree pictured below, on the east side of the Great Dividing Trail as it passes through the Spring Gully Mine site, is interesting for a couple of reasons. One is that it’s sprung up out of the … Continue reading →

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Connecting Country news

Posted on 24 December, 2011 by fobif

Landcare Facilitator Position Connecting Country will be hosting the newly funded Landcare position for the Mount Alexander Region. The position will be based at Connecting Country’s Office in Castlemaine and is a 12 Month 0.6FTE position, with the possibility of … Continue reading →

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The migratory birds of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Posted on 24 December, 2011 by fobif

In the Box-Ironbark forests quite a few bird species come and go with the seasons. Over many years a lot of people have contributed to surveys for the Birds Australia Atlas or Birdline and similar. These records have now been … Continue reading →

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