Green Space Our Place - Our Volunteers Voice - Issue 25 - December 2019

Green Space Our Place

Our Volunteers Voice

Green Space Our Place

Volunteer program overview

Cattana Wetlands news2019 ISSUE 25 DECEMBER

Snapshots 2019

Front Page: Filmmaker Chelsey Johnston (front) with volunteer Prue Fitzpatrick setting up to capture footage for our promotional video.

Back Page: Cycas media new fronds unfurling.

From the Editor

In this issue: •

From the Editor - Page 2

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Volunteer Profile - Jenn Muir Page 3

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Green Space Our Place - an

overview of our program - Pages 4-7

tagxedo.com

Welcome, Well here we are, another year gone by!

With Green Space Our Place now in its sixth year, I decided to write an overview of our program, to give you the ‘bigger picture’ so to speak - see Pages 4-7.

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Discover Sugarworld - Pages 8-9

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Cattana Wetlands and Jabiru News - Pages 10-11

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Snapshots 2019 - Pages 12-17

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Giving something in return for efforts - Pages 18-19

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Ancient cycads of the Jurassic era - Pages 20-21

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Friends moth night - Page 22

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Around the Gardens - Page 23

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Catching up with Friends - Pages 24-25

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Volunteer Comments - Pages 26-27

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Trees of Cattana Wetlands guide - Page 26

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Little Taccas expands to Sugarworld - Page 27

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Migratory birds - Pages 28-29

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Feathered Friends - Page 29

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Critters in the Gardens - Pages 30-31

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Did you know?...Page 31

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Guidelines for mulching - Page 32

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Conservation of fungi - Page 33

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What makes fungi put their heads up? - Pages 34-35

Editor - Volunteers Supervisor, Louisa Grandy Proof readers - Michelle Walkden and volunteers Sandy Long and Jenn Muir Contributors - Botanic Gardens Curator Charles Clarke; and Volunteers Barry Muir, Jenn Muir, Dr David Rentz AM, Tom Collis, Val Schier and John Peter.

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We are very pleased to announce that we have released a promotional video that can now be seen on our website

https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/community-environment/ green-space-our-place.

It was wonderful to see our volunteers enjoying the experience of being filmed, sharing their stories and supporting us to promote the program. Stay tuned for some individual volunteer interviews in the future.

Sarah (G) and I presented at the Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) Queensland NQ regional form with some fantastic feedback from patrons:

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“Interesting concept around volunteering delivered by very passionate speakers.”

“Alternative approach to council and community connectivity.”

“This almost made me shed a tear. What a feel good story and real life case. I want to volunteer.”

“Interesting ideas. A council that is committed to the cause.”

“Loved hearing about this initiative. Holistic approach which sounds fantastic - achieving so many positive community outcomes - amazing achievement by the team.”

Yes we were pleased! A huge ‘Thank you’ to YOU for helping us create such a positive and engaging program.

Have a wonderful Christmas. We look forward to seeing you in the new year - I wonder what we will create together in 2020!

Louisa

Many of you may know Jenn Muir through her love of birds, presenting at the Volunteers Information Sessions and contributing articles for our magazine.

Jenn joined the Down ‘n’ Dirty group in 2016 after looking for volunteer opportunities at the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Jenn said she and husband, Barry, fell in love with the Botanic Gardens when they visited Cairns in the early 2000s and had to be a part of it when they retired here.

She has since become a member of the Gardens’ ‘Friends’ committee, and a great supporter of our program, volunteering to proofread the magazine as well as contributing each quarter.

“Barry and I met in Perth, Western Australia and most of our early outings were nature oriented: spot-on for me.

“We enjoyed bush camping under the stars and caving in huge caves on the Nullarbor, and challenging non-tourist caves in south-west WA and I continued my longterm childhood interest in bird behaviour.

“For both of us, strong interest in nature was, and still is, a long-term devotion. We were always a part of a group or club, such as the WA Speleological Group (caving) and WA Naturalists Club, in our early years.”

WA National Parks “Down the track, when Barry was an ecologist for the WA National Parks Authority, I assisted in public relations with National Park rangers and their families, many of whom led isolated lives in the bush.

“As an historian, I researched and wrote histories of some of WA’s National Parks, including Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park in south-west WA which has a fascinating history. Some of WA’s most well-known early settlers were involved in some way with the Leeuwin-Naturaliste region.

“During those years, I researched and wrote about other WA history aspects, and searched out photographs and footage for film and book producers/authors on behalf of WA State Library’s Battye Library. It was a great way to earn a crust.

“The film I particularly enjoyed researching for was ‘From Neck to Knee to Nude’ by Albie Thoms Productions, an interesting history of bathing costume and beach behaviour. It was aired on TV using footage I found, including some taken in the late 1880s on Rottnest Island off Perth’s coast. I remember the women

Louisa Grandy covered in lovely early, light summer dresses.

“A book I most enjoyed researching for was ‘No Sundays in the Bush: an English Jackaroo in Western Australia 1887-1889.

From the Diaries of Tom Carter’. Tom Carter was one of WA’s foremost early ornithologists (right in my scene), and I had to thoroughly read the absorbing manuscript full of birding and WA history, so I could understand the author and select pictures that illustrated his time.”

Being keen on writing, Jenn also wrote numerous articles on nature for various sources.

Muir Environmental adventures Later, Barry and Jenn went out on their own in the environmental consulting world by establishing Muir Environmental, a very successful small business.

“We worked on contracts in WA and south-east Asia such as Indonesia, North Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma) Thailand.

“I loved the fieldwork. It was such an enriching experience living with local people in isolated regions of these countries, recording the wildlife (especially the birds) and writing the fauna sections of the reports. I also fully edited and compiled all our reports and managed the business.

“During that time, we did environmental studies for clients in East Kalimantan and North Sulawesi. Both mine sites were very isolated. To reach the East Kalimantan minesite you flew, return, from Balikpapan by helicopter. This was made more fun as our pilot was an Australian, with whom we could chat via the radio headphones.

Seeing the beautiful pristine rainforest from above was unbelievable.

“To reach the North Sulawesi site, it was a long boat trip from Monado, around the northern tip of North Sulawesi and down the east coast to a tiny town, then by 4-wheel drive to a tiny village, then on to the minesite. Needless to say these experiences alone were pretty special. But it just got better!

“At the East Kalimantan site, my bird studies included daily observations of the feeding regimens of several species, including pigeons, hornbills and barbets in a large, fruiting fig tree. At this fig tree I ‘met’ an amazing bird, the endangered Helmeted Hornbill, the only time I’ve ever seen one.

“At the North Sulawesi site, I worked on a regional biological survey with a team

of Monado University biologists. The surrounding habitat was rich in fauna and we recorded a long bird list.

“The area in which we worked in North Vietnam was so isolated that no bird studies had been done according to Hanoi University’s Professor of Ornithology.

He was delighted when I showed him my report and bird list. So was I when he told me I had found a new species of Sunbird (closely related to North Queensland’s Olive-backed Sunbird) that had never been recorded. It was strikingly beautiful in crimson and deep blue. I hope one day I will hear that the new Sunbird was named Nectarinia jenniferi - after me of course.”

Many adventures to share Jenn and Barry have had too many incredible adventures to share in this article. When you see them, as them about: • Their trips in Myanmar and their visit to the Shwedagon, a wonderfully peaceful series of privately built Buddhist temples, and their breakfast with the Buddhist Abbot.

• Thailand, working with a mammalogist based on a bamboo raft in the middle of an enormous reservoir built amid steep mountains for a hydro-electric system that never worked!

• Birdlife International Global Birdwatch and Rio Tinto.

• Volunteering at Perth Zoo to educate and enhance the experience of zoo visitors following an intense 10-week study course.

• Over 30 years as member of Birdlife Australia and leading birding outings for adults and a ‘Birds in Schools’ program for Birds Australia.

• Their travels camping and caravanning around Australia.

“In my retirement, along with Barry, I want to reach as many people as I can with the wonders of nature in the hope that they will appreciate, value, and protect it for the future. Knowledge and understanding is the key. We need nature for our survival.”

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Green Space Our Place

Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteers

An overview of our volunteer program We have registered over 700 volunteers since the beginning of the first group at Cairns Botanic Gardens in 2009, and with so many new faces, we thought we should give an overview of our volunteer program.

Louisa Grandy

supervisor and due to the growth of this group I was offered a change of role in 2013 to become a Volunteers Supervisor to enhance and grow what we already had in place.

Green Space Our Place was created with the vision

Council management had good insight in recognising to build collaborative partnerships between Council the importance of having dedicated positions and and community through volunteering programs, to the right people to deliver this program, not only with promote and develop our region, and connect and the right skills but passionate about what they do. create opportunities to enrich lives.

This is one of the main reasons why this program is

To create this vision we have weekly supervised successful and encourages our volunteers to return programs and we support individuals and groups to again and again. enhance local parks and reserves.

SUPERVISED GROUPS In just six years ... this program has grown from one To begin with, I began by looking for opportunities or staff member and 22 volunteers to four employed gaps where volunteers could support Council staff positions and over 300 active volunteers. and enhance their activities.

It began with two ‘Friends’ members wanting to be Cattana Wetlands was created by a team of Council hands-on in the Botanic Gardens and their enthusiasm officers, but as it developed they did not have the attracted more participants. time to service it regularly. This attracted a new Known as Down ‘n’ Dirty, this group is one of the group, the Jabirus volunteers, who were keen to most popular groups with an average of 20 people take ownership and weed vines and enhance their attending each week, taking part in a variety of wetlands. gardening activities including lots of mulching! Another idea that took off like a rocket was the Although mulching is physically demanding, this Children’s Nature Activities Program – ‘Little Taccas’ activity always seems to draw large attendance with the idea to connect children (five and under) numbers. We still don’t know why but on a 34 degree and their parents with the Botanic Gardens through day, in high humidity, we had 29 volunteers turn up to nature play. move 30m3 mulch!

This program has been extremely popular not only At the time I was the Botanic Gardens horticultural with the participants but also the volunteers.

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Our first volunteer Peter has been with the program since its inception in 2014. His grandkids had moved south and he was missing them. He is such a gentle grandfather figure and the kids love him; a great asset to the group We have created a safe place for children to grow and gain confidence and make friends while learning about the environment.

Sarah Gosling joined the program in 2015 and brought with her a combination of experience in gardening and working with the community. The new position was created to support our existing programs and develop new programs such as the land management group Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’.

Sarah began this group with the idea of creating an opportunity for volunteers to manage areas of land such as swamp forest along Saltwater Creek and along the base of Mt Whitfield. The program’s central location has been particularly attractive to people with limited transport, such as the newly arrived migrants registered through CentaCare and other groups.

Nursery Horticulturalist, Ryan with volunteer Joel.

Tracks ‘n’ Trails was our next group to develop.

Council departments. We met with the outdoor The network of tracks in the Botanic Garden’s departments and gave an overview of our roles to natural reserves inspired an idea that would benefit ensure they understood we were here to enhance the Gardens and enhance Council officers’ activities. their work.

Here was a new opportunity to create further One of the success stories of working with another employment and engage more volunteers. department has been working with Stratford’s native Christian Cluver was ideal for the position. He had the skills in track maintenance and carpentry as well as a friendly outgoing nature to engage the track users. What began as a three-month trial became a full-time position creating an environment where students can gain employable skills, and locals using the tracks, a chance to help out.

plant nursery. Horticulturalist Ryan Zirhul shares our vision and has created an engaging area for our volunteers. The volunteers understand the bigger picture of what they do – propagating plants for revegetation throughout Cairns and learn about the native flora.

Another area capturing volunteer numbers is One of our aims has been to work closely with other through engagement and promotion of the Botanic Gardens. Last year volunteers were asked if they wanted to support the Botanic Gardens and visitors by providing advice at the visitor centre and offering history tours of the precinct.

We also work with the Friends of McLeod St. Pioneer Cemetery.

These activities provide variety in our program and gives volunteers a chance to use other skills.

PRODUCE GARDENS

Volunteers Support Officer Christian completing a track inspection with volunteer Daniele.

Community Gardens bring people together to grow fresh food at little or no cost in neighbourhoods across the region. They are a fantastic space to meet new people, learn new skills, get active and experience the satisfaction of growing nutritious fruit and vegetables.

Continued next page

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Trundle Terrance Pocket Garden volunteer Natasha (centre) with GSOP volunteers officers Sarah Gosling and Sarah Olds.

In 2012 Council had adopted the Community Gardens Policy and Cairns Region Community Gardens Guidelines to address the growing demand for community gardens and to provide guidance, a framework and an approval process for establishing a community garden on Council land.

Draper Place Pocket Garden volunteers Mary, Novi and Jim picking a load of rosehips. residents in their local parks and reserves.

Sarah had been volunteering in the Tracks ‘n’ Trails program since 2017 and fits the team well. She is an enthusiastic community member; highly spoken of in all areas where she volunteers - Surf Life Saving and the State Emergency Service - and works well Community Gardens was handed over to Green with community engagement.

Space Our Place in 2016. This addition to the Activated areas include Stratford’s Jalarra Park, program gave us ‘food for thought’ so to speak.

Kamerunga’s Barron Waters Park and Smithfield’s Sarah had always wanted to have a smaller style Rainy Mountain Dog Park, as well as Edmonton’s produce garden to engage her neighbourhood so South Side Mountain Bike Club track. we trialled a new model in her suburb that would REASONS FOR SUCCESS set a level of standard for others.

This variation of produce garden is a different model as the participants are registered as volunteers with Green Space Our Place and all materials are supplied by us under an management agreement.

PARK ENHANCEMENT Another area Green Space Our Place manages is park enhancement. Although we had enthusiastic residents already volunteering their time in many parks and reserves throughout the Cairns district, we couldn’t offer time to support their weekend activities.

We realised from the very beginning the importance of having good governance and procedures in place.

Using the Volunteer National Standards as our guide we have five key directions to meet the needs of both Council and our volunteers We find that if we deliver a high standard in each of our key directions - promotion, management, recruitment & retention, support, celebrate & recognise, they support and build each other.

For example, continually promoting our volunteers’ activities through a quarterly magazine and a website With the engagement of Sarah Olds, a part time filled with photos of smiling happy volunteers, staff member, we have been able to offer weekend creates a high level of recruitment and retention. tree plantings and ongoing working bees to engage Of course the catchy names we have given our 6

groups such as Down ‘n’ Dirty seem to grab people’s attention initially.

We have created good governance practices to ensure consistency in our delivery, and that we meet • the needs of our volunteers and the organisation.

to commit; attending at times to suit their needs.

This flexibility seems to create a stronger commitment to attendance; All-inclusive environment - our program is open to all;

We provide a consistent approach in recruiting our volunteers and we support our volunteers by developing their skills and creating an all-inclusive place for them to engage with other members of the public, while ensuring they are covered by insurance in all activities.

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Direct supervision and support - we are there to guide, and support and educate our volunteers in their activities.

Each year we recognise our volunteers with monthly education / information sessions, an annual field trip and end-of-year celebration offering ‘Years of Service’ certificates, and of course, catering is the key – people love good food!

no more frustrations due to being passed from one department to another with enquiries regarding volunteering on Council land.

Green Space Our Place gives Council on all levels,

from elected officials to various Council officers, an opportunity to engage and connect with the One of our top priorities is to give something in community in a positive way. return for all that our volunteers contribute.

We give residents a direct contact in Council; so

It has gained such a strong following and our volunteers keep returning, even those who have We are always looking for ways to improve and gained work due to the skills they obtained through enhance our programs. Over the years we have the programs. One of our past members returns to conducted surveys which have shown that the three mulch with the Down ‘n’ Dirties on her day off! main reasons people volunteer are to exchange Being involved in the program contributes to an knowledge, meet people and learn skills. individual’s personal growth as well as developing However we have found through feedback that our skills and competencies that enhance employability. success is also due to the: Volunteering programs create energy within the • One on one introduction - our enthusiasm for community that not only supports Council activities the program is infectious and engaging; but also makes Cairns a great place for residents • Flexibility of the program - people do not have and visitors.

Barron Waters Park - tree planting is great way to bring the community together and is popular with all ages.

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Discover Sugarworld

The Sugarworld Friends and Volunteers meets once a month and are always delighted in the discovery of something new flowering or fruiting among the huge variety of tropical orchard plants on display.

We have had a successful year with general pruning, transplanting sugarcane varieties to a new garden bed and the joy of sharing new tropical fruits at morning tea.

If you would like to join this group phone 4032 6648 and have a chat with Louisa.

Pictured: a perfect place for morning tea and a social chat after a couple of hours in the garden.

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The huge Raintrees are one of the main features of the Sugarworld Gardens.

President of the Friends, Fran Lindsay, talking about the sugarcane varieties on display.

Fran and Janice pruning the Miracle Fruit plants.

A couple of hours spent weeding Syngonium vines filled 18 bags.

Lois sampling one of the sugarcane species.

Jim gives the new sugarcane garden a drink.

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2.

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CATTANA - new signs etc and support from groups

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6.

Cattana Wetlands and Jabiru News This year Cattana Wetlands has had a few upgrades with the support of the Jabiru volunteers.

A new signage suite (4) was developed in collaboration with the volunteers along with plant labels placed around Jabiru Lake (5). A new jetty (pictured below with Jabiru volunteers enjoying their morning tea) was installed on Jabiru Lake. Planting took place early in the year near the car park (2) and Vito has continued with the bench timber restoration prior to the wet season (3).

Green Space Our Place has also received support from the Balaclava After School Care ‘Little Jabirus’ (1) and a group of students from Hong Kong who were so keen they spent two hours weeding in rainy conditions (6).

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Snapshots 2019

Ric, Lee, Del and Sandy weeding in the reserve area.

Alex living up to the Down ‘n’ Dirty name.

Karen weeding in the Bromeliad garden.

Robyn, Graeme and Jenny.

Pat and Graeme 12

Kylie pruning the Visitor Centre garden.

Bevin cleaning up the Bromeliad garden.

Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteers after a morning weeding in Fitzalan Reserve.

Down ‘n’ Dirty

Cairns Botanic Garde

ns

Christopher returning for another load of mulch in the Aboriginal Plant Use Garden.

Joanne and Botanic Gardens horticulturalist Ben planting the entrance to the new boardwalk.

Are we finished yet?! Ric and Stella after moving 30m3 mulch with their fellow volunteers.

A well-deserved break after working in the bamboo grove.

There is always time to lend a hand.

Lee, Peter and Jeff (front) planting after installation of the new boardwalk.

Erica and Veronika pruning in the Botanic Gardens.

Sonja planting Licuala palms as a part of the revegetation program for the Rainforest Boardwalk reserve.

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s l i a r T ’ n ‘ s Track

As a part of their fitness program, the Navy supported our Tracks ‘n’ Trails volunteers by carting the raw materials up the Yellow Arrow track! Our volunteers (right) were able to then repair the track - Hiromi on site with the newly repaired surface and Patricio on the plate compactor.

Below - Patricio, Hiromi, Liliana and Xanthe with their newly repaired steps.

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Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’

Many hands-on volunteers make the control of weeds easier.

A huge group came to weed at Salties reveg site in November including Maisha Bora and Gapforce international volunteers.

GSOP officer Christian gives a brushcutter maintenance demonstration to Patricio.

Vincent finds a snake skin.

James takes a selfie with GSOP officers, Sarah O and Sarah G.

There is plenty to discover among the weeds. Rob taking photos of a hairy caterpillar.

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We welcomed 20 African migrants from the Maisha Bora group in November. They have been taking part in many of the program’s activities.

Stratford Nursery

Council officers Ryan and Sarah transplanting tree seedlings at Stratford Nursery.

Chelsea

Robyn 16

Kaye

Lesley

Barron Waters Park

Volunteers Support Officer Sarah Olds (left) has been organising regular working bees at Barron Waters Park, pictured with Rhiana, Vicki, Cr Jessie Richardson and Irene.

Frosty weeding and feeding the trees planted in March.

Barron Waters Park volunteers enjoying a break after their working bee.

Mary

Anna weeding around new plantings.

All ages join in to water the trees: Christine, Ben and Sarah.

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Giving something in return for efforts

Lots of fun was had and the creative juices were flowing at the Tropical Floral Arrangement workshop in November.

Each year we organise information sessions in return for our volunteers’ contributions. For our final session, Cairns Botanic Gardens hotriculturalist Chris Thompson offered his time to teach 25 participants how to arrange those huge colourful blooms we see in our gardens and at the markets and floral shops. We supplied the heliconias, gingers, costus, orchids and the volunteers bought along a selection of foliage.

Everyone went away pleased with their creations and some wondered “Are you going to do it again next year?” Chris is keen, so I’m sure we will.

Lee and Val 18

Christina

Yanti and Mary

Chris adds the finishing touches

Lyn

Dorothy and Hiromi

Alex

Chelsea

Karen

Diana

Yumico and Thomas

Jenny 19

Cycads

Male cone of a Queensland Cycad, Cycas media.

Tom Collis

Ancient plants from the Jurassic era Cycads are ancient palm-like plants that evolved over 300 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Cycads were around long before flowering plants and instead of flowers, cycads produced cones to hold their seeds. In the Cairns region a common species is the Queensland Cycad Cycas media, and like all cycads it produces cones on separate male and female plants. The male cone looks like a large pineapple and after shedding large amounts of pollen it eventually falls over under its own weight. Female cones grow on a separate plant and remain on the cycad for nearly 12 months until the seeds ripen.

protect the slow-growing plants from being eaten by herbivores. Livestock grazing on newly emerged leaves quickly succumb to the toxins and the results are usually fatal. However, some native animals such as White-tailed Rat, Musky Rat Kangaroo and Southern Cassowary have been observed eating the seed coats of Hope’s Cycad with apparently no ill effects.

Over many generations Aboriginal people have removed toxins from the seeds and retrieved the highly valuable starchy food. Treatment involved many steps, the first being pounding the seeds and then drying them. The seeds were then put into a basket and the Most of Australia’s cycad species prefer sunny positions poisons leached out in a running stream for up to a and grow in open country, but in the Wet Tropics there week. The treated seeds were ground, mixed with water are two species that live in the rainforest. One of these and cooked in a fire into a type of damper. is Hope’s Cycad Lepidozamia hopei, and at 18m is the Sailors on Captain Cook’s Endeavour observed the tallest cycad in the world. There is a specimen around remains of cycad seeds on a fire used by Aboriginal this size beside the Blue Arrow track in Mt. Whitfield people in Cooktown in 1770. The sailors wrongly Conservation Park. Common in the understory of assumed cycads were safe to eat and after collecting rainforests is the Zamia Fern Bowenia spectabilis, a slow- and eating untreated seeds they became violently ill. growing plant with spectacular shiny fern-like leaves.

Although called a fern, it is actually a type of cycad and Native cycads are popular with gardeners, and to prevent over-collecting, are protected in Queensland under the at a maximum height of 2m, is the smallest.

Nature Conservation Act 1992. Any native cycads that Cycads are very poisonous and contain toxins that are sold must be tagged with the appropriate permit.

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Female cone of the Zamia Fern, Bowenia spectabilis at the base of the plant.

Ripened seeds of a female Cycas media.

Compound leaf of Zamia Fern Bowenia spectabilis.

Seeds on a female Cycas media.

Close-up view of leaflets unfurling on newly emerged cycad fronds.

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Friends’ Moth Night popular with all ages The Friends of Cairns Botanic Gardens annual Moth Night was held in the Botanic Gardens in August in perfect night conditions; warm, windless and dry, with more more than 50 members of the public attending, including several children.

Moth Night is an international event with over a dozen countries taking part. It was organised in the northern hemisphere during July. Of course, it is mid-summer in July in those climes and moths are at their peak abundance at that time.

The Friends decided to hold their Moth Night a month later this year so it would be closer to spring and maybe a few more moths than usual would be active.

“It seemed to be a good move but we feel it would have been even more productive if it were not so dry,” said Friends patron and entomologist, Dr David Rentz, AM. “A good rain a couple of weeks prior to the event might have prompted more insects to emerge from their winter slumber.”

Moth-ers assembled at 6pm in the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre for a short talk and to meet and view a couple of drawers of local moth specimens.

“When the attendees were finished checking the two light sheets, we wandered around observing and photographing insects that were active in the habitat. Most folks agreed that spiders outnumbered the insects. Several large Wolf Spiders and Huntsmen of various sizes were out and about. Lacewing eggs and a few caterpillars as well as nymphal katydids were also discovered,” Dr Rentz said.

Keen ‘entomologist’, five-year-old Ava enjoying the display at the annual Moth Night, and (inset) identifying moths on the light sheet.

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Around the Gardens Curator Charles Clarke

effects of strong winds, particularly those generated by cyclones. Furthermore, tall trees growing in swamp forests are often unstable (due to the soft, waterlogged soils) and readily topple once the surrounding forest has been degraded.

1. What the forest should look like.

The last two years have produced several examples of this, with large, otherwise healthy trees collapsing across the old rainforest boardwalk. In some places, the loss of so many large trees has allowed more sunlight to reach the forest floor than would normally be the case, and this has encouraged the growth of many weeds. The worst of these by far is New Guinea ‘Flame of the Forest’ (Mucuna bennettii), which is smothering mature trees and palms at a number of sites.

Ecological restoration of degraded vegetation is vital to In recent months, the Green Space Our Place volunteers successful habitat management and conservation these have been busy taking out as many of the easy-to-access days, not surprisingly, as there are very few parts of the natural world that have not felt the impact of humanity.

Whether by accident or design, many important patches of tropical rainforest in Australia have been significantly degraded and if we want these patches to recover and survive, we usually need to give them a helping hand.

The vegetation along the Rainforest Boardwalk at Cairns Botanic Gardens is a prime example. This small remnant patch provides a fascinating insight into the type of vegetation that once dominated the area where the city of Cairns is now situated, and the most obvious species here is the Alexandra Palm, Archontophoenix alexandrae (1). This type of forest usually occurs on boggy, permanently moist 3. A few drops of rain and the weeds are back! soils, and even when this area looks dry (as it does now), you don’t have to dig very far until you reach the water table. weeds (3) along the new Rainforest Boardwalk as they can, and have backed this up with an intensive tree planting scheme to help the forest along the boardwalk recover as quickly as possible. The tree planting exercise already looks like it is going to be a success – despite the lack of recent rains, the young trees and palms are growing quickly (2).

2. A patch that has been cleared and replanted.

One of the problems with managing remnant patches of this type of forest is the fact that the canopy trees are often quite tall (25-40m), and when the forest around them is cleared, the remaining tall trees become vulnerable to the

The ecological restoration of the vegetation along the Rainforest Boardwalk is likely to take several years and requires regular, intensive efforts by Cairns Botanic Gardens staff and volunteers to ensure that the weeds are gradually eliminated. The good news is that a survey of the entire patch by Gardens’ staff showed that most of it is not badly affected by weeds – most of the problems are along the boundaries of the site and along watercourses.

Our plan is to start by clearing up the infestations along the Rainforest Boardwalk, then expand into other areas that that are not so easy to reach. In some places, the weeds are so extensive that their removal will result in ugly, open patches of bare ground. These are the sites that will be revegetated, so that eventually the forest should be more resilient in the face of future disturbances.

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Catching up with Friends Farewell to David Warmington

Val Schier

Friends of Cairns Botanic Gardens, past and present came along to the farewell afternoon tea for David Warmington on 10 July. David joined the Gardens a few months before the Friends was established in 1989 and has worked closely with us for more than three decades. In his speech David thanked the Friends for the huge contribution they have made to enhance the Gardens, including the tens of thousands of dollars that has enabled the purchase of exotic plants, ferns and palms. We will miss David and wish him all the best in his retirement.

New Curator and projects Jade Vine Strongylodon macrobotrys.

The Friends’ funded the structure built to display the Jade Vine.

The vine put on a great show this year!

We’ve welcomed Charles Clarke as the new Curator and are getting to know him as he’s moved in to share our office in Friends House! Charles has come up with a number of projects that the Friends might fund. The most exciting of these is to install three circular vertical gardens on the brick wall in the Conservatory to enable a spectacular display of specialised plants such as pitcher plants and orchids. We have also supported the proposal to landscape and enhance the orchid display area in the Conservatory, create a native orchid display area on mesh, and move the Nepenthes to a spot where it’s sunnier and more suitable for them. The Friends Committee has also given in-principle support to enabling Gardens staff to attend conferences that will build their skills and knowledge and allow them to make a greater contribution to developing the Gardens. And we’ll fund another seat in the Gondwanan garden too.

Monthly talks Lorraine has organised a wonderful program of talks this year. Members and guests have learnt about crocodiles, the northern Bettong, spices and cycads, growing vanilla, the wildlife of Costa Rica, the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and how to restore corals on degraded reefs. Committee member Barry has undertaken another of his interesting talks, this one on how plants defend themselves from predators. There’s been a very successful workshop on honey and backyard bee keeping and a well-attended Moth Night. Attendance at these monthly talks usually exceeds 40 so it’s clear the events are popular.

Events There was a fabulous line up of performers and a perfect evening for Jazz Under the Stars this year. The event was a huge success raising over $11,000.

Big thanks go to our major sponsors: Global Foliage Management and NuLeaf. Please support them as they’ve supported us. We backed up the next day with Carnival on Collins where the ‘Gardeneers’ had their popular plant sale and the Friends sold cakes, shop items and posters, and offered tours of the Conservatory.

Birdwing Butterfly caterpillars can be seen munching on a vine outside the Friends’ Shop.

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New donation box Many people want to make a donation after they have been on one of our free guided walks so Friends have purchased a new donation box that has been installed near Friends House. It’s a lovely design based on bamboo and it will soon pay for itself with donations.

Lorraine and Lee at Jazz Under the Stars.

Friends’ Garden Guide Bill in the Conservatory.

The Gardens’ Tabebuia flowers attracted all ages.

Del placing out the ‘Jazz’ signs.

Lothar setting up the light display at Jazz Under the Stars.

Lorraine and Sarah serving at the Friends Stall at the Carnival on Collins.

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VOLUNTEER COMMENT

Gary Abbott “I’ve volunteered all my life and in many different types of volunteering and your program is the best at supporting its volunteeers!”

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Trees of Cattana Wetlands guide ‘A Walking Guide to the trees of Cattana Wetlands’ was written for any person who has an interest in knowing a bit more about the tropical trees they find in Cattana Wetlands (CW) and also around Cairns.

Author Sharren Wong was born in Western Australia where she lived for most of her life, studying Botany at the University of Western Australia where she gained a Batchelor of Science.

After university, she worked in a local plant nursery where she became the first female manageress (1996) in this industry in WA. A car accident prevented her from continuing in the industry and after raising her children she returned to university and gained a Diploma of Education from Murdoch University. She taught in high schools for 12 years teaching mainly science and maths. Later she worked in a family operated business for many years and eventually stepped into operations management.

When her husband retired, they moved to Cairns in 2012. Surrounded by a ‘sea of green’, it was here that she once again embraced her love of botany. Joining several volunteer groups was a way of learning about this new environment and learning to live in the tropics. She became a founding member of a new volunteer group, Jabirus, working at the then recently opened Cattana Wetlands. It was here that she re-engaged with her roots and the seeds were planted that have led to the writing of this book.

The trees featured in this book are common in the greater Cairns area and anyone interested in knowing more about the local flora will be sure to find this book of interest. Based on the trees in Cattana Wetlands, it is easy to read and full of photos and information for anyone interested in knowing more about the trees found in this tropical, coastal area.

There is a section on the different types of environments to be found and information on how to enjoy the area. The body of the book is a pictorial display of the main features of the trees - flowers, fruit and leaves - as these are the things that will be found on the ground as the canopy of trees increases in height and becomes out of reach and sight all too soon.

Included is some natural history about the trees, where they grow, their main features, how they have been used, and if they are a known food source for birds, bats and butterflies.

A comprehensive table at the back of the book includes the family and botanical name, common name, flowering and fruiting times, if it is bird, bat or butterfly food and if it may be of interest in another way, for example as a medicinal use or is known to be poisonous. It also features a fold-out ‘mud map’ of the area including lakes and tracks.

The book is currently on sale at Cairns Books (Central Shopping Centre), Collins Bookshop in Smithfield and the Botanic GardensVisitor Centre or contact Sharren 0414 293 074.

VOLUNTEER COMMENT

Volunteer Peter and Little Taccas discovering the pond.

Little Taccas expands to Sugarworld The Little Taccas children’s nature activities program will branch out to include Sugarworld on a fortnightly basis in 2020.

We wanted to expand the opportunity and with our newest recruit, Sarah Olds, joining the team, we could do exactly that!

This program connects children five years and under and their parents with nature through nature-based activities.

Volunteer Christina shares a story.

You will have the option to join either Botanic Gardens or Sugarworld.

Booking dates open for both programs on Monday 17 February. A form will be available from 8.30am at https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/facilities-sportleisure/botanic/little-taccas. We are also looking for volunteers who could support us in delivering the program.

Making floral arrangements is popular with everyone.

Little Taccas exploring the gardens.

Joan Wakley Thank you so much for all these shared moments caring for the environment.

I live in Geneva, Switzerland and spent last July and August in Cairns to welcome the birth of a baby girl. I became a ‘Grandma’ for the first time.

This is how I had the pleasure, through volunteering, to meet wonderful people. I was very impressed by the teamwork and participation of everyone during activities, doing their best to enhance public sites.

Between some revegetation work at Cattana Wetlands, maintenance at the Botanic Gardens and potting in a nursery, I also had the opportunity to learn the nameS of a few native plants.

Volunteering with Green Space was definitely a beautiful experience and I would be delighted to join the team again in the future.

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Migratory birds: Papua New Guinea to Tropical North Queensland

JENNIFER H. MUIR Now is the time migratory birds come to Tropical North Queensland (TNQ). Each year they migrate between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia. But it’s not a holiday: they have other things in mind – breeding and feeding.

Some species such as Dollarbird, Eastern Koel, Channelbilled Cuckoo, Metallic Starling and Torresian ImperialPigeon (aka Torres Strait Pigeon/Pied Imperial-Pigeon) arrive here between August and September. Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfishers arrive mid-November. By early April, most have returned to their non-breeding grounds in PNG and parts of Indonesia. In this article, we look at Torresian Imperial-Pigeon and Metallic Starling.

You know when Torresian Imperial-Pigeons (TIPs) are here because of their distinctive call: a deep, loud, falling ‘who-whooo’. You can also hear them blundering about in palms and other trees as they feed and move around.

They are beautiful, elegant birds with their clean white plumage, black lower wing and tail feathers, and black barring under the lower abdomen and tail.

They feed on fruits of rainforest trees and palms, and are often seen around Cairns in spring and summer.

TIPs used to breed in enormous numbers on TNQ islands along the Great Barrier Reef. The parents would take turns to fly to the mainland for the day to feed, then return ‘home’ to their nests for the night (for some, an 80km or more round trip), while the partners remained with their nests to protect the eggs and young.

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In the 1960s sporting shooters shot the birds in their thousands as they crossed in large flocks between their nests and the mainland. Most of the shot birds fell into the sea and drowned. As a result, their numbers were decimated.

Of course, this en-masse killing also caused the deaths of most eggs and nestlings, as one lone parent could not adequately care for its young as well as feed on the mainland. Thus the loss of these birds was much greater than just the thousands that were actually shot. Often, the impact of such human behavior is much greater than is at first obvious.

Then, in February 2011, Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasi devastated vegetation (including nesting trees) on the breeding islands. If we destroy large numbers of a wildlife population, it can take many years to recover, if at all. Then if a catastrophe such as TC Yasi follows such destruction, the damage may be so great on top of the already depleted numbers that recovery may fail, or be considerably compromised.

Since TC Yasi, many TIPs have been breeding on the mainland, and a long-term study is under way to map the breeding sites and record the population’s progress as it slowly recovers in our region.

The Metallic Starling is a partial migrant as some individuals remain in TNQ through winter. They ‘hang out’ in rainforest, forest edges, parks and gardens feeding on a wide range of fruits, including palm fruits. They are often seen in the Cairns region in spring/summer.

Feathered Friends Photo: Jennifer H. Muir

Close to sunset, compact fast-flying flocks dart about in amazing unison missing cars by suddenly parting and swerving like little pointy missiles, as they zoom just above the Cairns Esplanade.

If you’re walking, you may hear the woosh of their wings as they swerve around or above you in rapid unison.

Metallic Starlings nest communally, with much frenzied activity, in numerous basketball-sized fibrous nests they build in preferred trees.

They chatter constantly to each other so each bird knows where everyone else is, particularly when zooming about in flocks. There is safety in numbers as it confuses predators.

Adult Metallic Starlings (sexes similar) are glossy black with a beautiful irridescent green and purple sheen best seen in sunlight, and striking scarlet-red eyes. The adult is at the front in both of these photos.

Juveniles (pictured below) have dark eyes, brown backs and darkly streaked underparts.

As they mature and moult to the typical glossy adult plumage, their eyes change colour through buff-brown, yellow and orange, to red.

The youngster to the left (pictured below) still has some of its immature plumage on its back and underparts, but also has red eyes. Once their eyes become red, some immatures start breeding.

Black Kite Black Kites are regularly seen soaring effortlessly in the wind; their long, forked tails constantly adjusting to manoeuvre the bird as it searches for food on the ground below. They are, effectively, Australia’s vultures.

It’s their propensity for scavenging that’s allowed Black Kites to flourish around Cairns, where the suburbs and canefields are home to a diverse range of wildlife, and there is much flattened fauna on the roads to provide a regular feed. They’re also lured to rubbish tips, where they squabble over scraps.

Black Kites readily congregate around fires, where great numbers wheel about in the smoke, scanning ahead of the firefront to find small creatures frantically fleeing the flames, or picking up the burnt remains of those that weren’t quick enough to escape.

Accordingly, some people call them ‘firehawks’. They’ve even been known to deliberately spread fires by picking up burning sticks, then dropping them well ahead of the fire front.

Some ingenious kites have also been seen dropping baits into water to lure fish to the surface, then acrobatically swooping down to snatch a meal.

JOHN PETER & GOLO MAURER BirdLife Australia 29

Critters in the Gardens

DR DAVID RENTZ AM

Size has little to do with it!

Every northern gardener is familiar with the Green Tree Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina). These ubiquitous insects attack any intruder in their territory (including Green Tree Ants from other colonies!). They bite but do not sting. They can inject a nasty acid into the wound. In some ways, these insects are beneficial from a gardening standpoint.

They are quick to overtake any insect that threatens their territory, either by dismembering it and taking the ‘meat’ to their nest or just tossing it off the plant. In this way they maintain a pristine environment.

leaves tightly with silk. A single colony may have several nests on a tree but there is only one queen.

This large longicorne beetle (above), probably Agrianome spinicollis, settled down on a wait-a-while after having been attracted to light. Within a short time, it was set upon by an increasing number of Green Tree Ants. You can easily see (1) that the ants just have a hold of it. They are not injecting any toxins from their rear ends. The beetle could easily fly away but it is stationary. Is it in a state of shock or does the bite of the ants have an affect on its nervous system? I see this repeated over and over - a stationary insect with Green Tree Ants holding it down until it is dead. Then they dismember it and take it away to their nest.

However, there is a downside. If they happen on scale insects, they actually promote their presence by guarding them and moving them to more favourable parts of the plant. In ‘return’ the scale insects’ honeydew, which is rich in undigested sugars, is avidly eaten by the ants.

This bibionid fly (2), probably Plecia ornaticornis, is Several butterfly species have caterpillars that live undergoing the same treatment. The ants could easily commensally with the ants. They are tolerated by the ants tear it to shreds but they do not. They hold it down until because of the honeydew that they also provide. However, it is dead, then they dismember it. The same with this the caterpillars feed on ant eggs and pupae. When the large moth (3). The ants just seem to have it pinned in adult butterfly emerges from its pupal stage, it is set upon place. This situation remains until the moth appears to by the ants but it has special scales that are effective in not be lifeless and then it is dismembered. Gruesome but it allowing the ants to get a grip. The butterflies don’t hang works! around. They are quick to fly off and avoid the aggressive Any protein will do. Here a road-killed Slaty Grey Snake is hosts, but they will be back when it is egg-laying time. set upon by Green Tree Ants. It took several days before The large ant nests are held together by silk that comes the ants made progress but the snake was discovered by from the ant larvae. Worker ants pull the leaves together Kookaburras and the bird flew off with the dead snake and other ants hold the larvae as ‘tools’ and bind the dropping the ants as it flew away.

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Feathered Friends

1.

2.

3.

4.

DID YOU KNOW...?

-B

ar ry

Mui

r

In North Queensland, we have over 100 species of lizards. One of these is the introduced Asian House o ck e Gecko (pictured), which Asian House G probably ‘hangs out’ at your place on your inside and outside walls.

Its been in Australia since the 1960s, and is now prolific in Queensland between Cooktown and Brisbane, as well as in Darwin.

The world’s most widespread lizard, it has ‘hitchhiked’ its way around the world as a container ship ‘stowaway’. Females can store sperm for up to 12 months, and lay round, hard-shelled eggs that dehydrate less rapidly than the eggs of other reptiles. Thus one ‘eggnant’ Asian House

JENNIFER H. MUIR

Gecko female can pioneer a new population.

Their camouflage is another survival advantage.

On brown or white surfaces, they can rapidly change colour to match, and appear ghostly pale and patternless at night. They feed mainly on invertebrates attracted to lights.

You’ll know they’re around by their distinctive ‘tchak…tchak…tchak’ call from behind your air conditioner or wall hanging.

Some also live in forests and eucalypt woodlands in greater numbers than native geckos. They have introduced two species of mite into Australia and can host an Australian mite that, due to increased numbers, may impact on other Australian lizards and snakes.

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Guidelines for applying mulches Research into the use and application of mulches has led to new recommendations. Jennifer Stackhouse from Greenworld, Vol 32 November-December 2014 reviews the current application rates.

The mulching of garden beds, soil areas and even air circulation around plants and also allow water from the tops of pot plants has become the norm for rain or irrigation to reach the soil below. Fine mulches gardeners in Australia. Mulches are applied to reduce thickly applied can prevent water from reaching soil weed growth, retain soil moisture, keep soils cooler on and may lead to the formation of water-repellent soils hot days and, when organic materials are used, to add under mulches. Weed seeds are also more likely to nutrients to soils for better plant growth. germinate in fine mulches rather than thicker mulches.

When the practice of mulching was popularised in the A thick layer of fine mulch can stop moisture from 1980s and ’90s, it was considered that the thicker the reaching the soil, but a surprising finding from Kevin’s mulch layer the better it would be. However, ongoing mulching trials was that mulches with a high proportion studies of the links between mulches and soil moisture of fine particles lose moisture faster than nearby bare have shown that there is an optimum thickness for soils. This is due to capillary action within fine mulch, mulches and an optimum particle size for materials which allows water to be drawn from the soil below and lost to evaporation. The best mulches have more used as mulches. than 80 per cent of their particles larger than 5mm.

Much of this research and trialling has been carried out by Kevin Handreck during his time as a research Fine organic mulches can be beneficial as they break scientist at the CSIRO and continued in his work as a down, particularly when applied to productive plants private consultant. Kevin is based in Adelaide and has such as fruit trees and vegetables. Kevin’s current published extensively on soils and potting media. He recommendations are to apply a fine layer of organic was instrumental in the development of the Australian mulch or a soil conditioner to soil and then cover this Standard for Potting Mixes, which was introduced in with a thin layer of course mulch. He recommends that mulches should be applied at no greater depth than 1996.

Much of Kevin’s advice on the correct use and 50mm. application of mulches on garden beds is contained Importantly, fine mulches should be water repellent, in his book Good Gardens with Less Water (CSIRO rather than water retentive, to prevent them removing Publishing, 2008). moisture from the soil. His advice is don’t add wetting His basic advice is that chunky mulches give the best agents to mulches. results. These chunky mulches resemble the mulches Finally, Kevin advises gardeners to observe the natural found naturally occurring on forest floors. environment where a plant grows to best understand Mulches containing particles above 2-3mm allow good its need for mulch.

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Conservation of Fungi

Barry Muir

Fungi are of great economic importance, both in Russia), Paris, Kunming (China), Xalapa (Mexico), and positive and negative effects on the environment and Cuba now house both preserved collections and living on us. communities of fungi.

We know that fungi are essential to crucial activities like decomposition, recycling and nutrient transport; and over 96 per cent of all plants on the planet are dependent on fungi for their (and our) survival.

Digitisation of data now allows cross-referencing research. One of the most important sites is http:// mycoportal.org/portal/index.php. It is primarily American (New York Botanical Garden) data at present, but Fungi produce a myriad of antibiotics and other drugs institutions all over the world are now contributing. that humans use for health and well-being. Humans Citizen scientists like you and I are collecting vast also use yeast fungi for purposes such as cheese making, amounts of data. baking and brewing. On the other hand, some are Despite the huge difficulty in identifying many fungi, important plant and animal pathogens, costing millions some are very distinctive and obvious, and these can of dollars a year in food spoilage and diseases. be mapped for geographic distribution using citizen Either way, they must be considered in biodiversity scientist data. Even the recording of those of uncertain conservation and in land-use planning and management. identification is useful because it alerts specialist researchers to become aware of where certain groups The same threats that put plants, animals and us at of fungi occur. risk, for instance There is website help on these too: Mushroom habitat loss, loss Observer (North America) at http://mushroomobserver. of symbiotic org/ and iNaturalist (Australia) at http://www.inaturalist. hosts, pollution, over-exploitation, org/ are valuable resources. and climate Fungimap (Australia) at http://fungimap.org.au/ based in change also Melbourne, is a nationwide, citizen scientist organisation impact on fungi. dedicated to Australian fungi. Fungimap maintains the Yet fungi are not National Australian Fungimap Database (NAFD) and often discussed, includes over 6,500 images of positively identified fungi considered, or that can be used as reference. It also produces a useful Gold Tuft Fungus acted upon by book, “Fungi Down Under”.

Cryptotrama aspratum. the conservation You may also community, and be interested to the conservation of most fungal species is largely ignored, even the wild forms of those that we already know that the IUCN initiatives use for antibiotics and other purposes. are funded from Because fungi are not obvious and not well understood, the Mohamed bin they tend to be overlooked. Despite an estimated Zayed Species 5 million species of fungi on the planet, only 34 are Conservation listed as endangered under the International Union for Fund (Mohamed Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Book program. bin Zayed Al This neglect is changing. In 2009 five specialist fungi Nahyan is the study groups were set up by the IUCN Species Survival Crown Prince Commission. In 2010 a Society for Fungal Conservation of Abu Dhabi) was formed, and in 2012 the World Conservation and through an Congress called for greater emphasis and priority in the IUCN-Toyota conservation of fungi.

Motor Company Consequently, the role of botanic gardens as Partnership. repositories for fungi conservation is now recognised So, small steps have been taken and there is big-organisation and the botanic gardens in Kew (England), New York, support, but don’t underestimate what you and I can do Melbourne, Denver, Komarov (near St Petersburg, towards this vital research – before it is too late.

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Leucocoprinus ‘shotgun’ approach

Pluteus ‘bell-curve’ approach

Ramaria ‘wait and see’ approach

Tremella ‘opportunistic’ approach

What makes fungi put their heads up?

BARRY MUIR

The wet season will soon be upon us, and with it, the fungi! Every gardener and photographer has observed the seemingly erratic and unpredictable appearance of our mysterious fungal friends.

includes many of the species that are seen only once or twice a year.

With the ‘bell-curve’ fungi, a few appear quite early after rains commence. They then gradually increase in number over the wet period or season, eventually reaching a peak in abundance, and then gradually decline in number until only one or two new specimens appear, despite the continuance of suitable weather. Pluteus is a genus that often behaves this way.

In Tropical North Queensland daytime and night-time temperatures, and even rainfall periods, may be either very consistent or erratic or extended, especially in the summer (January to March) wet season. Some fungi seem to ‘know’ when it is going to rain and pop up in advance of actual rain falling. In other words, they are not following rainfall The ‘wait and see’ approach, as I have named it, seems to but are ‘forecasting’ rain. be popular with some coral fungi like Ramaria. Only after There are four basic occurrence ‘types’ of fungus fruiting a lot of rain, over an extended period, do they appear. If (Figure 1), depending on when certain species first appear the wet period does not last long enough, or is punctuated after commencement of rainfall, and how long they persist, with occasional dry days, they simply fail to appear at all. provided conditions are suitable. In what I have termed This does not seem to relate to the degree of saturation of the ‘shotgun approach’, (Leucocoprinus is an example), the soil or wood on which they grow. They just take their almost all the fungi fruit-bodies appear within the first 24- time getting up the enthusiasm. Exactly what triggers 48 hours of suitable conditions and never or rarely appear individual species to fruit is yet to be determined but again, until, perhaps, the following wet season. This group probably relates to the availability of nutrients.

Figure 1

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Finally, there are the ‘opportunists’ like Tremella. These fungi pop up almost every time there is a shower of rain, almost regardless of quantity of rain or duration. Tremella (a jelly fungus which is a parasite on other fungi) and Phallus multicolor, the Orange Crinolene Stinkhorn so common in the Tropical Fruit section of the Cairns Botanic Garden, seem to follow this pattern.

In the Cairns region these fruiting types fall in a pattern with respect to the amount of rainfall, as shown in Figure 2. Responses may differ in locations with different rainfall patterns. In the example below, the rainfall ‘event’ is 400mm of rainfall over eight days. A similar pattern occurred from mid-December 2018 to mid-February 2019, when 1760mm of rain fell over 50 days almost without a break.

In Figure 2, there is a small circle on the bottom left (labelled ‘Refer Notes’). These fungal species precedes the commencement of rains, although a shower or two may occur. Some fungi, such as Calvatia, may Figure 2

Calvatia

begin to grow although there has been no or very little rain. My observations indicate these events are always preceded by a sudden and rapid drop in air pressure, heralding the rains yet to come. If the drop in air pressure is slow, over two or more days, they are not triggered to fruit, but a sudden drop such as an impending storm can elicit rapid growth.

These are probably the species observers think of when they say some fungi “seem to know” when rain is coming – quite simply, they do! Many animals use a similar pressure-sense, such as bees that change their behaviour or ants that undertake mating swarms just before rainfall.

JOIN THE FRIENDS

Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns Membership details - phone 4032 3900 or email info@botanicfriendscairns.org.au After joining you can support the Friends in many ways: as a committee member, in the Friends Shop, as a tour guide or assisting with events.

Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens Contact Fran Lindsay frantastic10@bigpond.com

Newsletter Contributions: Please submit articles (must be volunteer or nature based) by first week of February for the next quarterly publication in March.

Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au Please note articles are subject to editing.

Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with all events or visit our websites: - Green Space Our Place - Cairns Botanic Gardens - Friends of the Botanic Gardens

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Green Space Our Place

Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus 9am-noon Tuesdays - Esplanade ‘Sandpipers’ 9am-noon First Tuesday of the month - Friends of McLeod St Pioneer Cemetery Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty volunteers 9am-noon Thursdays - Stratford Nursery 9am-noon Thursdays - ‘Weedbusters’ 9am-noon Thursday (once a month) - Sugarworld Friends and volunteers Fridays - Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’ 9am-noon Wednesdays and Fridays - Tracks ‘n’ Trails 9am-noon Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas Visitor Enhancement Volunteers - rostered hours to suit History Tour Guides - Tuesday and Thursday 10am Plant Collection Database volunteers - hours to suit individual

Interested in becoming involved with your local park, reserve or tracks in your community? Contact us to register as a Council volunteer and be involved in beautifying your park (enhance planting, weed management, litter clean-up), reporting on issues (graffiti and vandalism, anti-social behaviour, maintenance issues) and building community participation (networking activities) with Council support.

If you are interested in supporting any of our weekly groups or volunteering in your local area contact Volunteers Supervisor Louisa Grandy 4032 6648 or email greenspaceourplace@cairns.qld.gov.au

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Green Space Our Place