Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Open house on Forest Fire Management Vic activities

Posted on 10 October, 2018 by fobif

Forest Fire Management Victoria has invited people to come and discuss their management activities including:

The Joint Fuel Management Plan (previously Fire Operations Plan)
Domestic firewood
Planned burning and other fuel management activities
State forest and crown land management

When: Thursday 18 October 2018 from 4.00 – 7.00 pm

Where: Ray Bradfield Room, Castlemaine VIC (next to Victory Park)

For further information visit https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au or email loddonmallee.plannedburning@delwp.vic.gov.au

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TOGS exhibition starts soon

Posted on 1 October, 2018 by fobif

Our ‘Creatures’ Flickr album now has 116 terrific photos. The closing date for submitting photos was 1 October. The collection ranges from small invertebrates such as nymphs and spiders to larger creatures such as wallabies and echidnas.

We are now in the process of selecting photos for the TOGS exhibition which will run from October 12 till 29 November. Thanks to the 21 people who contributed photos to make this a successful project.

Some of the latest contributions.

Striated Pardalote in display with nesting material. Muckleford. Photo by Arlen Truscott, 26 September 2017

Swooping Juvenile Black Shouldered Kite. Newstead. Photo by Arlen Truscott, 20 June 2017

Australian Wood Ducks. Porcupine Flat. Photo by Steph Carter, 29th October 2016

Posted in News, Photo Exhibitions | 1 Comment

Alison Pouliot’s new book on fungi

Posted on 1 October, 2018 by fobif

The Allure of Fungi by Alison Pouliot has recently been published by the CSIRO.

Alison’s press release:

“Although relatively little known, fungi provide the links between the terrestrial organisms and ecosystems that underpin our functioning planet.

The Allure of Fungi presents fungi through multiple perspectives – those of mycologists and ecologists, foragers and forayers, naturalists and farmers, aesthetes and artists, philosophers and Traditional Owners. It explores how a history of entrenched fears and misconceptions about fungi has led to their near absence in Australian ecological consciousness and biodiversity conservation.

Through a combination of text and visual essays, the author reflects on how aesthetic, sensate experience deepened by scientific knowledge offers the best chance for understanding fungi, the forest and human interactions with them.

Although relatively little known, fungi provide the links between the terrestrial organisms and ecosystems that underpin our functioning planet.

Features:

An interdisciplinary exploration of fungi, their role in nature and relationships with different cultures
Engaging personal anecdotes take readers on a journey of discovery into the world of fungi and fungus enthusiasts
Combines text and evocative visual essays in an amalgam of history, science and art.”

The Allure of Fungi has 280 pages, 82 colour photographs and costs $49.99. Purchasing details can be found here.

Alison has been a speaker at Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests and Connecting Country events and has run local workshops on fungi and photography in central Victoria for many years. She is a worldwide expert on fungi, an excellent photographer and an inspiring teacher.

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Extension of closing date for VEAC report submissions

Posted on 27 September, 2018 by fobif

A few weeks ago we included a post on The Victorian Environment Assessment Council draft report on its Central West Investigation.

The report recommended that a significant part of the Wombat forest be included in a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park. A further recommendation was that the western part of the Wellsford State Forest be absorbed into the Bendigo Regional Park, and the eastern and northern section of the forest be created as a nature reserve. The main impact of these latter changes would be the protection of the Wellsford from logging. Readers will remember that Vicforests was proposing renewed logging in this magnificent box ironbark area.

Although the report does not directly cover the Mount Alexander shire we think that it is important for as many people as possible to forward written submissions supporting the positive features of the report.

The closing date for submissions has been extended from 31 October to Monday 10 December.

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Fryers Ranges walk: 15 September

Posted on 19 September, 2018 by fobif

Sunday saw a modestly sized group of 14 walk a circuit in the Fryers Ranges behind Taradale led by Christine Henderson.

The walk was conducted at a relaxed pace with plenty of stops for plant and wild-flower photography and identification. We were fortunate to have two experts in David Elliot and Richard Piesse among the group.

Lots of wattle were in flower especially Rough Wattle (Acacia aspera) which was especially prolific.

Highlights included Hill Flat Pea which was just emerging, lots of White and Pink Heath, a patch of Slender Dodder Laurel found by Richard and numerous clumps of the rare Elphinstone Grevillea right beside the track. Let’s hope it isn’t eliminated in the next round of track widening.

Noel Young sent us this list of bird calls he heard along the way: Choughs, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Spotted Pardalote, Crimson Rosella, Thornbills, Scrubwrens, Pallid Cuckoo, Fantail Cuckoo and Horsefield’s Bronze-cuckoo.

Thanks to Christine for a most enjoyable walk. Continuing with the floral theme next months walk is in the Muckleford forest led by Geoff Nevill and focusing on orchids.