Heading into the Field in Holbrook

Report on Holbrook Fungus and Grass Identification Workshop

by Alison Pouliot

An enthusiastic crowd turned up for the fungus & grass workshop.
Photo: Elise Wenden

Over thirty people recently participated in a workshop held at the Lankey's Creek Hall to learn about two lesser known areas of biodiversity - fungi and grasses. 

Organised by Elise Wenden, facilitator of the Holbrook Landcare Network and Women in Agriculture the workshop and field foray was one of several activities held throughout the year to engage locals in fieldwork, technical training and conservation activities. Participants from various local Landcare groups attended with some travelling from as far as Young, NSW.

The fungal ecology lecture and field foray were run by Alison Pouliot while Kylie Durant engaged participants in a field walk to identify grasses and gain perspectives on ecology and landscape health.

Volvariella speciosa Photo: Elise Wenden

Even within 15 or so metres of the hall, participants recorded over a dozen fungus species including Gymnopilus junonius, Piptoporus australiensis, Boletus emodensis, Phlebopus marginatus, Hypholoma fasciculare, Macrolepiota clelandii, M. dolichaula, Oudmansiella gigaspora, Amanita xanthocephala, Chlorophyllum molybdites, Lactarius eucalypti, L. wirrabara, Volvariella speciosa, Polyporus arcularius and Geastrum triplex. In the adjoining native grasslands several species of Hygrocybe were recorded along with various dung-loving Coprinus and Panaeolus species.

Holbrook and various other Landcare groups are hoping to develop fungus survey skills further next autumn.

Identifying fungi in the field. Photo: Elise Wenden

 
Here is an article published in the Southern Weekly about the workshop.

Fund-raising for fungi conservation

Perth and Australian Fundraiser for International Society for Fungal Conservation

By Sapphire McMullan-Fisher & Roz Hart

 

We had a successful fund raising day at Star Swamp on Sunday 25 May 2014. Star Swamp is a bushland area close to the coast on Quindalup dunes in the suburbs to the north of Perth. It is managed by The City of Stirling who kindly allowed us to share the use of the Henderson Environmental Centre with the Friends of Star Swamp to hold our lunch and a talk at no charge. This was very generous and allowed all the door takings to be donated to the International Society for Fungal Conservation (ISFC ).

We modified the “Orphans of Rio” graphic to have a more positive spin. Also most people don’t understand the “Rio Convention” (Convention for biological diversity) reference. One Spanish speaker was heard to say “why are they orphans of the river?” as Rio means “river”. Lots of education required!

The T-shirts sales raised money for both ISCF and the local fungi or other conservation group nominated by the purchaser. We managed to raise money for seven Australian groups. The Albany Wildflower Society is supportive of fungi conservation and has some active members who are interested in their lichens.

Fundraising summary:

Group	Raised
ISCF	$34
Western Australian Naturalists’ Club Fungi Study Group	$106
Fungimap	$60
Albany Wildflower Society	$36
Queensland Mycological Society	$18
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria–Fungi Group	$6

Roz Hart, Russell Chambers,Yvonne Broome and Sapphire McMullan-Fisher of the WA Naturalists’ Club at Mt Lesueur, wearing their fungi T-shirts