Our activity for May
The P&H Group activity for May will be a Grass Workshop on Saturday, 27 May, commencing at 10am to be run by Ross Rapmund, the manager of the Hornsby Shire Council nursery. He is very knowledgeable about native plants, especially local flora. He regularly gives grass workshops for the council. Ross will include a discussion of native lawn substitutes too.
This will be held at the home of Pip and Tom Gibian, 37 Carters Road, Dural, who have a number of grasses planted in their garden. All these grasses have appreciated the heavy rain recently.
We frequently disregard grasses but there are a wide range of grasses to consider, in excess of 20 species in the Newcastle to Wollongong – sea to Blue Mountains area, I believe.
Please note that there is limited space within the property for all to park and Pip recommends you park on their side of the road only (the soil opposite is very soft and you could be bogged) and warns that you take care where the road turns just beyond their entry.
Our next Meeting
This will be held in Gumnut Hall on Saturday, 24 June at 2.00pm. Our speaker on this occasion will be Deidre Jinks whose subject will be Rainforests. Deidre is a botanical consultant whose business is called ydney Rainforest. Tropical forests comprise approximately 7 percent of the earth’s dry land surface (2% of total surface) and sustain over 50 percent of all species. The Amazon River basin contains 20% of the world’s fresh water. Yet unfortunately rainforests are being plunderedin many parts of the world including Brazil and Indonesia in particular.
Botanical Art Presentation by Jann Mulholland at Our Last Meeting
Creating a Botanical Sketchbook for Plant Identification
Botanical artist, Jann Mulholland, talked to us about creating a sketchbook image in the field for plant identification at our April 2017 meeting.
Jann’s presentation covered a variety of topics, including plant names and classification; materials and equipment; what to record; leaves; flowers; stems; and fruits and seeds.
Most illuminating were plant identification pages from her own workbooks, many of which she has worked up into stunning pieces of botanical art.
Then came our most challenging part of the meeting: we all attempted a botanical sketch from a specimen, adding colour with watercolour paint and pencils. (It is regretable that we are unable to add an image showing an example of a sketchbook page. – now added )
It is to be hoped that some members may find an interest in painting our flora, some to assist them with the identification and classification of the plant they have found, and others simply to enjoy the experience.
Calendar
May 2017
Thu 4 Deadline for Calgaroo news / articles
Wed 10 Propagation at Bidjiwong Community Nursery at 10am
Sat 20 APS NSW Quarterly Meeting/AGM at Kariong – activities from 9.30am (see below)
Sat 27 Our activity for the month will be a Grass Workshop run at Pip Gibian’s home at 37 Carters Road, Dural by Ross Rapmund, the manager of Hornsby Shire Council nursery (See page 1)
June 2017
Sat 3 Deadline for Calgaroo news / articles
Wed 14 Propagation at Bidjiwong Community Nursery at 10am
Sat 24 Our Meeting at Gumnut Hall, Gumnut Place, Cherrybrook at 2pm. Deidre Jinks will speak to us about Rainforests.
APS NSW Quartlerly Meeting / AGM
This meeting will be hosted by the Central Coast Group at Philip House, 23 Old Mt Penang Road, Kariong, on Saturday, 20 May. Arrive when it is convenient for the program runs for up to six hours. Please park at Mt Penang Gardens Information Centre car park in The Avenue, Kariong. The carpark is a five-minute walk from the meeting venue. If you have mobility issues park at Philip House car park.
09:30 am Early arrivals can be directed to pre-meeting activities – a visit to one of Mt Penang Gardens, the Wildflower Place at Erina, or the Japanese Gardens, East Gosford
10:30 – 11:30 Registration at Phillip House, plant sales, morning tea. ($5 entry fee)
12:00 – 1:00 Welcome by John Aitken and AGM
2:30 – 3:30 Olga Blacha is guest speaker on Attracting Birds with Native Plants.
1:00 – 2:30 Lunch and there will be Sausage sizzle, soup and colds drinks available for purchase.
President John Aitkin advises that the AGM notification, proxy forms, Minutes and Agenda and the 2016 Annual Report are now on the front page of the website. Also, please be a bit patient if you are downloading the annual report as it is a very large file.
Visitors at our P&H Meetings
We welcome visitors to our meetings so don’t hesitate to bring a friend and please introduce them. Please speak to anyone whom you don’t recognise as they may be an unaccompanied visitor and a potential new member. Please introduce them to other members too.
Something New
Looking on-line at the web sites of suppliers of Grevilleas I noticed reference to Grevillea ‘Honey Barbara’ which is said to be a cross between G. ‘Honey Gem’ and G. ‘Sylvia’ . It arose spontaneously in a garden near Grafton and was registered in 2008 so not quite as new as I first thought.
It is said to be about 3m high by 2m wide and relatively compact. The large orange flowers are spectacular and grow to 15cm in diameter from April to September but there may be some all year round.
The experts advise pruning off dead flowers and then providing slow release native fertiliser in Spring and Summer. Like most Grevilleas it appreciates well drained soil in full sun for much of the day although it copes with some shade from a tree’s overhead canopy.
Graham Ross includes this Grevillea in his latest 5 Best Australian Plants and Angus Stewart also rates it highly. The image is from Daleys Fruit On-line Nursery at Kyogle who along with others have it for sale.
Eucalyptus cinerea (Argyle Apple)
*Sarah Cains
Common around the Goulburn area and into the Southern Highlands, this lovely gum grows into a small or medium sized tree, crooked, with a spreading crown. It displays leaves of various shapes. The juvenile leaves are opposite one another, round and have no leaf stalk. Mature leaves are alternate on the stem, have a short leaf stalk, and are broadly lanceolate.
The photo shows juvenile foliage of Eucalyptus cinerea. Florists love these leaves for their pure silver colour and dusty bloom, their rounded shape and their unusual habit of growing straight off the stem with no leaf stalk or petiole. Stalkless leaves are described by the botanical term, sessile. In nature, if the tree is injured eg after fire, bunches of sessile leaves rapidly flush straight from the trunk. This is called epicormic growth. It enables the tree to feed itself or photosynthesise (make food from the sunlight) whilst the canopy regrows. Growers providing for the cut flower market exploit this natural habit by cutting the trees to force growth of these leaf stems for picking. In photo right, the leaves have matured to a typical, lanceolate ‘gum leaf’ shape and have developed a petiole. They retain their dusty bloom and silvery colour into maturity.
Another trait which can be noted in these pictures is the way eucalypt leaves begin life growing directly opposite one another along the stem. Later, they move to alternate positioning. As trees mature, all stems and branches twist, which moves leaves to an alternate arrangement along stems. Twisting is common to eucalypts and can easily be seen in branches and trunks of older trees. The habit makes for difficult and hazardous work for those who cut the trees for timber. Branches and trunks spring when they fall or are cut and the tension is released. This jams saws and causes the tree to ‘jump’, easily causing injury – so be careful!
White flowers appear in mid spring to early summer.
*Sarah Cains is the Editor of the APS Southern Highlands Group in whose newsletter this article was first published.
Ed. When I read the Southern Highlands Group newsletter I was reminded of the E. cinerea that I planted in our first garden in Baulkham Hills about 1974 just after I joined SGAP (APS). Like Sarah I was attracted to the silver grey foliage and to the first evidence of the differing shapes of the juvenile and mature leaves. I went on to plant another E. cinerea in our garden in Castle Hill. It really is a delightful tree.
For those who love Eucalyptus trees visit the APS web site http://austplants.com.au/ and view the Upper Hunter Group’s newsletter, Gumleaves, for April 2017 and learn about E. pumila (Pokolbin Mallee). Furthermore you may see the NSW Government’s recovery plan for this Eucalypt by visiting http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspeciesapp/project.aspx?ProfileID=10309
As mentioned before we do invite members to provide articles or details that we may be able to develop into stories for Calgaroo. If it is about plants – may be a new cultivar or hybrid, gardening or the climate in which we garden, it is appropriate for Calgaroo. We can search the web for an illustration to go with it, if necessary.
Bees Learn New Tricks from One Another in World-First For Insects
*Genelle Weule
They may have tiny brains, but it turns out that bumblebees can not only learn to use tools by observing others, they can improvise and make the task even easier.
Read more at:
*Genelle Weule presented this on the ABC Science Show.
Ed. I was searching the ABC Science Show files for articles appropriate for my Aged Care Facility newsletter when I saw reference to the above article. Before I had returned to it I saw it in Caleyi, the newsletter of APS Northern Beaches Group whose Editor is Jane March. Thank you to Jane.
Historical Anecdotes
The Cumberland Conservation Newsletter for April carries a series of historical anecdotes drawn from the Sydney Gazette of 1803. These and other stories may be seen at www.environmentblacktown.com Wayne Olling is editor of this newsletter.
Habitat Stepping Stones
For those who desire to provide habitat stepping stones for birds, that is help with shelter and food, there is a web site at
http://www.habitatsteppingstones.org.au/ at which you will find excellent advice.
Information is specific to a Council area such as The Hills or Parramatta and there is a video featuring Angus Stewart speaking of help for birds with particular reference to Banksias.
If you want to take it further you can pledge help and gain benefit at nurseries.
The Banksias shown are B.ericifolia and B. spinulosa , both indigenous to our area. The images are from Brian Walters on the ANPSA web site which may be accessed at http://anpsa.org.au/ To see reference to your favourite plants visit the Gallery on the site.
The APS NSW Display at the Sydney Royal Show 2017
We congratulate the team led by Leonie Hogue of APS Sutherland Group for this splendid display. May it attract new members!
The Hills Council Living Sustainably Walks and Workshops
The following Living Sustainably program is planned at the Community Environment Centre, Annangrove Park, Currie Avenue, Off Annangrove Road, Annangrove or as otherwise advised.
Bird attracting garden – Tuesday 9th May 10.00am to 11.30am
Create a diverse and attractive garden while at the same time establishing an important habitat for our threatened smaller birds and other small native animals. Dural Library.
Compost enhancement – Thursday 11th May 10.00am to 11.30am
Discover ways to make your compost work more efficiently and effectively for you. Different methods to construct and keep a healthy, productive compost pile and bin included.
Habitat walk, Fred Caterson Reserve – Saturday 13th May 10.00 to 12 noon
Learn about the diversity of plants which provide food and shelter for local wildlife. Join in this easy stroll through the lower end of the rejuvenated Fred Caterson Reserve.
Mushroom growing – Thursday 18th May 10.00am to 1.00pm
Discover all about growing your own gourmet mushrooms at home. Learn the basics of growing mushrooms in bags, logs and in the ground with very minimal outlay.
Spiral garden – Thursday 25th May 10.00am to 12 noon
Create an attractive and functional garden bed for your herbs and other small veges. Gain first-hand experience in the construction and design of a spiral garden.
Bush walk, Ted Horwood Reserve – Saturday 3rd June 10.00 to 12 noon
View stands of tall trees, flowing waterways, flowering plants and shaded sandstone gullies along this bushwalk. Medium grade. Celebrate World Environment Day 5th June.
Honey bees – Saturday 10th June 10.00am to 1.00pm
Learn the basics of honey bee keeping and how to sustain healthy bee practices – such as sourcing bees, locating hives, preventing diseases, honey flow and honey extraction.
Taxonomy and Naming of Lomatia tinctoria
French naturalist Jacques Labillardière first described this species as Embothrium tinctorium in 1805, with the species name, Latin tinctoria “used in dyeing”, relating to a product in the fruit that can be used for dyeing. At the time, Embothrium was a wastebasket taxon to which many proteaceae were assigned. It was given its current binomial name by Robert Brown in his 1810 On the natural order of plants called Proteaceae. An alternative name, Tricondylus silaifolius, published by Joseph Knight in his 1809 On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the natural order of Proteeae, was rejected, after Brown’s 1810 description of the genus Lomatia was officially conserved against Salisbury’s 1809 Tricondylus.
L. tinctoria is one of three species of Lomatia within the family Proteaceae and is found in north-eastern Tasmania. It is a woody shrub reaching 1.5m or rarely 2m high. The leaves are strongly lobed (pinnate or bipinnate) and about 8cm long. The normally white inflorescences (the pink form is very rare) appear in summer. The common name, Guitar Plant, refers to the shape of the fruit.
L. tinctoria does best on acidic well drained soils and tolerates sunny or shady locations. It is readily propagated from seed or cuttings. Ref. Wikipedia
A rare pink flowered form brought from Tasmania by John Knight, President and Newsletter Editor of APS South East NSW Group
Ed. John’s item sparked my interest in seeking more details of Lomatia tinctoria.
The Hakeas
Hakeas are variable from small trees to prostrate shrubs with various coloured and shaped flowers. One of the most delightful is Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’, the parentage of which was a mystery for some years. It was discovered growing in the Burrendong arboretum in the 1980s.
What we have is an attractive hybrid hakea known as B. ‘Burrendong Beauty’ that is now in general cultivation. It is a medium sized, spreading shrub reaching about 1.5 metres high by 2-3 metres wide. The leaves are fairly stiff, about 40 mm long and elliptical in shape. The pink flowers occur in globular-shaped clusters in the leaf axils in winter.
Flowering is prolific and as the flowers open the cream styles emerge to give a ‘pincushion’ effect. Apparently the hybrid sets little seed. This is a very spectacular plant that is best suited to areas of low summer humidity and is likely to be difficult to maintain in humid areas where dieback is common.
This significantly detracts from the appearance of the plant. The plant requires well drained soil in an open, sunny position. It is tolerant of at least moderate frosts.
Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’ has been grown successfully from cuttings. It is not known whether grafting has been attempted with this plant but, if successful would be a way to grow this very attractive cultivar in a wider range of climates. Many Hakea species have been successfully grafted onto H.salicifolia root stock.
Ed. The description of the Hakea and the history of the search for its parentage is by Brian Walters in the ANPSA web site at
https://anpsa.org.au/plant_profiles/hakea-burrendong-beauty/
You may visit Gardening with Angus at
http://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/
A True Story from Mittagong
*Sarah Cains
There is a group of Mittagong gardens near bushland containing many native plants and attracting lots of native birds. The owners have been collectively delighting in the antics of a family of magpies which, have been enjoying their mini ecosystem. A nearby gardener became frustrated by curl grubs appearing in mown grass and sprayed his lawn with a pesticide. Soon after, a dead magpie was found – and then another and another, until the whole family was found, all dead. The sad native plant growers took the birds’ bodies for analysis and, yes, you guessed correctly. The poison laced curl grubs had wriggled to the surface and made an easy meal for the birds which then died from ingesting the toxic pesticide.
*Sarah Cains is the APS Southern Highlands newsletter editor in which this story first appeared. It is a lesson we should all learn – seek a poison toxic to the grub but non-toxic to birds. If a poison harmful to people, animals and birds is unavailable seek another option.
Boronia cultivar
Boronia ‘Blue Waves’ is a cultivar of B. heterophylla which is normally a lovely pink colour.
This cultivar is a hardy shrub with aromatic leaves and masses of pale mauve blue bell shaped flowers in spring. Prune after flowering to keep the shape.
It is ideal for pots and containers with native potting mix or a well drained soil. B. heterophylla likes plenty of light but prefers dappled sunlight with protection from scorching afternoon sun. B. ‘Blue Waves’ is probably similar although some sources suggest full sun.
Is any member growing it? Is it hardier than most Boronias?
Leading Science Expert Warns World Facing Water Crisis
*David Twomey
A leading science writer has warned the world faces an acute water crisis within ten years, affecting food supplies, megacities and industry globally.
“World water use is already more than ten trillion tonnes a year. While the human population has tripled since 1950, our water use has grown sixfold,” said Julian Cribb, author of Surviving the 21st Century (Springer International 2017).
The book focuses on the ten greatest threats to the human future, one of which is resource scarcity, and what we can do about them. “Rising demand from megacities, mining, agriculture and the fossil fuels sector in particular is combining with climate change to threaten major water scarcities across the world’s subtropical, arid and semi-arid regions. “When this affects the food supply there will be vast migrations of people – like the world has never seen before.”
Mr Cribb said that scientific studies show:
- groundwater is running out in practically every country in the world where it is used to grow food, posing risks to food security in northern India, northern China, Central Asia, the central and western US, and the Middle East. Most of this groundwater will take thousands of years to replenish.
- the icepack on high mountain chains is shrinking, emptying the rivers it once fed in practically every continent.
- around the world, large lakes are drying up, especially in Central Asia, China, sub-Saharan Africa and the South American Andes.
- 50,000 dams break up the world’s major rivers, sparking increased disputes over water between neighbouring countriesmost of the world’s large rivers are badly polluted with chemicals, nutrients and sediment.
“The water crisis is sneaking up on humanity unawares. People turn on the tap and assume clean, safe water will always flow. “But the reality is that supplies are already critical for 4.2 billion people, over half the world’s population. “During times of drought, megacities like Sao Paulo, La Paz, Los Angeles, Santiago, 32 Indian cities and 400 Chinese cities are now at risk.”
“Other than in water circles, these warnings seem to have passed largely unheeded by governments and the population at large,” Mr Cribb said. “The sense of urgency necessary to prevent a world water crisis is not there.” “Especially overlooked is the impact of water scarcity on the world food supply.” “As cities and energy corporations combine to rob farmers of the water needed to grow crops, the global irrigation sector is stagnating at a time when it needs to double food output to meet rising global demand for food. “This will directly impact the availability and price of food to city people everywhere.
*David Twomey is editor of Eco News in which this article first appeared. The above is a section of the full article which may be seen at the following URL:
http://econews.com.au/53531/leading-science-expert-warns-world-facing-water-crisis/
Climate Change Leaves Mark on Tasmania’s Pristine World Heritage Area
*Dr Tony Press
A year after fires burned in Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) the scorched area remains a disturbing reminder that climate change is happening here and now, the Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance says.
New photographs and video footage, from an aerial survey of the Lake Mackenzie area released, show few signs of recovery in the burnt area that included ancient ecosystems of pencil and King Billy pines and large cushion plants that had lived for more than 1000 years. More than 19,000 hectares of TWWHA was burnt after lightning strikes started a series of blazes last January.
“What’s striking is that 12 months on you can see that much of the fire-damaged area will not grow back. That’s consistent with what the experts have been telling us, but it’s still shocking to see for a firefighter like me to see as I’m used to observing burnt bush regenerate,” Alliance spokesman Jim Casey said. “This truly is a breathtaking part of Australia that’s as beautiful as the tourism campaigns would have you believe – and losing even one part of that is a tragedy.”
Hobart’s Dan Broun, a wilderness photographer and avid bushwalker, was one of the first on the scene to document the damage following the fire. He has returned the region several times since.
“These areas are globally unique and very beautiful on many levels. I went up with a respected colleague one year ago on behalf of many who love that area to document what was happening to a place many of us have such a close attachment to,” Mr Broun said. “What we’ve found is the damage to significant plant species is absolute in many areas. With a warming climate and poor land management we are surely witnessing an era of intense crisis for alpine Tasmania.”
Mr Casey said the fires that ripped through Tasmania’s wilderness this time last year were operating under a changed climate. “The fingerprints of climate change are all over this. It’s not something that’s far off, it’s happening here and now,” Mr Casey said. “Megafires, like the one we saw in Tasmania last year, are becoming the new normal. They are large, hard to predict and that makes our job as firefighters more dangerous.”
A Tasmanian Government-commissioned report prepared in the wake of last year’s fires found the risks of bushfire to the TWWHA will increase in coming years under the influence of climate change.
“The cost of not addressing the root cause of worsening bushfires is high, and growing ever higher,” Mr Casey said. “The climate is becoming more volatile and it is not only creating the precursor weather conditions for the fires but is also supercharging the storms that often ignite them.”
New research shows time between megafires or “fire storms” is shrinking. Tasmania has experienced two megafires in the past five years. The 2013 Dunalley bushfires destroyed hundreds of properties inflicting insurance costs of just shy of $89 million.
The Tasmanian Fire Service estimate the bushfires cost $52.6 million to fight.
*Dr Tony Press prepared the report for the Tasmanian Government and it was subsequently published in full by EcoVoice which may be visited at info@ecovoice.com.au
Other Newsletters
For those who want to know more about Fungi read articles and see the images in the May 2017 edition of Caleyi, the newsletter of APS Northern Beaches Group. Visit the APS NSW web site – you will need your APS membership number, to enter the Members Only section to see the article. The editor of Caleyi is Jane March who provides an excellent newsletter each month.
And for those who would like to read of a trip to WA by Kevin Stokes and see his images of lovely flowers from WA follow the directions above and choose APS Central Coast Group’s newsletter for May 2017. The editor of this newsletter is Elsie Bartlett who also provides a great newsletter each month. By the way, Kevin has been a member of the Newcastle branch of APS since 1975.
If you have the time there are many more newsletters well worth reading. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have difficuilty accessing them.
Having been born in South Australia I sometimes check on-line news of APS SA. I discovered that APS SA held a show at the Adelaide Showgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, 29/30th April where they had some 900 species or varieties and a total of 11,000 plants for sale. I believe our shows in the past contributed to our strong membership in those days.
On their web site is the following view of the role of their Society. “Conservation is possibly the most important part of the Australian Plants Society SA. We are actively involved in several conservation initiatives. In one project we are managing a site that has the only remaining significant population of a rare and endangered plant. At another site, we are returning some coastal habitat to what it was a hundred years ago, and that includes the mangrove forests. We are the only organisation to tackle the massive weed infestation at a site near Cape Jervis, and restore that area to its original condition. All these projects include weed eradication, seed collection, direct seeding, tubestock growing, revegetation work, survey work and much, much more. For those that are involved, it can be extremely rewarding.” We wish them success.
Another contribution to APS SA members is access to APSquery to facilitate their selection of native plants. (See next page)
Australian Native Plant Selector – APSquery
The SA region of the Australian Plant Society has now released an interactive database called APSQuery to help select Australian native plants to meet specific requirements. Be aware that SA conditions are different to those of the Sydney region so that caution should be exercised if using the Selector here. They state:-
“The program is available in several versions – depending on whether the extensive collection of over 10,000 photos is included.
Over 8,500 plants are included in the interactive database. The database was created and is maintained by Society members and has a bias towards plants suitable for South Australian conditions with a Mediterranean to semi-arid climate. With prudence it can be applied to southern Western Australian and Victorian conditions, but may be less accurate for eastern seaboard and tropical environments.
To download or purchase the latest version of APSquery, go to Australian Native Plants Selector website.”
Fungal threat: Secret Wollemi pine population offers hope for species’ survival
What should I find when I looked at the SGAP (Queensland) website – the coverage last year in The Sydney Morning Herald of the story of the Wollemi Pine by Marcus Strom.
He began, “It was the botanical equivalent of finding dinosaurs alive – but now the Wollemi pine faces a new threat to its fragile existence.” He was referring to a fungal threat.
The ancient population of Wollemis is also missing middle-aged trees, which is concerning the botanists. “It’s like getting to a community and there are a lot of retirees and toddlers,” Dr Zimmer said.
So in secret, Dr Heidi Zimmer, Dr Cathy Offord and their colleagues in 2012 planted a grove of trees in a second location to see how well the species coped with being moved in a process botanists call translocation. She and her team planted 191 trees at 30 sites with varying degrees of light and moisture. Of those, 29 have died, most of these due to infection from Botryosphaeria fungi. These were mostly in damper and darker locations. Most of the others are thriving, giving botanists valuable information about the best conditions for them to grow. “They’re doing much better in the higher-light sites,” Dr Zimmer said.
Dr Zimmer recommends future translocations should happen at sites with good light availability under protective tree canopy. She also recommends planting seedlings in future, “to account for the possibility that previously undetected genetic variation may emerge from seeds.”
Dr Offord said that with the lessons learned from the experimental site, the next step will be to establish bigger populations in national parks.
She said: “Low genetic diversity might mean Wollemi pines will be less able to evolve in response to change, such as environmental change or exposure to disease. For example, we know the Wollemi pine is particularly susceptible to high temperatures.
“To help the Wollemi pine in the face of predicted climate change, we will select cooler translocation sites – sites which are predicted to remain within the Wollemi pine’s known temperature tolerance range [between -10 and 35 degrees] for the next 100 years.”
We suggest P&H members who need to renew their membership complete the form in the centre of Native Plants for NSW and post it to Pip Gibian at her address above or choose the direct deposit option, follow the directions carefully and advise Merle Thompson and Gordon Brooks by email. Alternatively just pay Pip at the next meeting. Please ask if you are unsure of your membership status which is shown on the address label affixed to APS publications received quarterly. Note the fact that you may now renew for three years. A simpler membership renewal system will be introduced soon.
Schools buzz with new bee conservation initiative
David Twomey
Primary schools across Australia are building a nationwide network of bee hotels to help conserve our native bees, improve education about the importance of biodiversity and ultimately, increase Australia’s food security.
The Weleda Bee B&B Hotel initiative has now launched with more than 70 schools on board, and registrations are now open for more schools to get involved.
The project gives schools an opportunity to turn their kitchen garden into a place for native solitary bees to take shelter and rear their young. The ‘bed’ is the bee hotel and the ‘breakfast’ is the school garden.
Bee specialist Dr Megan Halcroft said that conserving our native bees was essential for Australia’s biodiversity and ultimately our food security. “Currently one in every three mouthfuls of food we eat in Australia is produced with the aid of insect pollinators, predominately the European honey bee. “And, they are under threat across the globe due to pesticide use and land clearing. “We can’t continue to rely on the European honey bee as our primary pollinator. “If we don’t take action in supporting our native bees by providing food sources, habitat and investing in research, we risk declines in food quality and increases in food prices.
“The good news is that the answer is buzzing in our backyard. “Our solitary native bees are great pollinators – in some cases superior to the European honey bee,” added Dr Halcroft.
Gardening and bee enthusiast Costa Georgiadis said that it was important Australians better understood our native bees, and that teaching school children is a great place to start. “Many Australians don’t even know that Australia has native bees, let alone more than 1600 species. “To put this in perspective, we have less than 850 species of native birds. “I’m a huge supporter of the Weleda Bee B&B Hotel project as it takes school kitchen gardens to the next level. “Essentially schools are creating an outdoor classroom to learn about biodiversity, and the role we can play in boosting our bee populations. “By educating our next generation we will help protect our native bees for years to come. “In addition to education, these bee hotels provide somewhere for our native solitary bees to rear their young. “Understanding the importance of habitat is the first step toward protecting it and then regenerating it. “Every little action matters,” added Mr Georgiadis.
To install more bee hotels in schools across the country, organic and natural skincare company Weleda Australia will be putting $1 from every product sold at participating stores towards the project, from now until May in stores and until June on www.weleda.com.au.
Managing Director of Weleda Australia, David Johnston, said; “Weleda is passionate about the Bee B&B Hotel program as it goes to the heart of our company’s reason for being and our active commitment to conservation and protecting ecology.”
Parramatta and Hills District Group
Email: apsparrahills@gmail.com
Website: https://austplants.com.au/Parramatta-And-Hills
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APSPARRAHILLS/