TREAT

SEED COLLECTOR'S DIARY

By Helen McConnell

The unusually dry year has produced massive flowering across the Tableland with the latest fury of colour being from the Blackbean (Castanospermum australe) and Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyena). All you photography buffs head to Russell and Topaz Roads to capture the magnificent Queensland Maple and Bull Oak (CardweIlia sublimis) or Bromfield Swamp for more Maple in all their glory.

We are now collecting good amounts of the bronze winged fruits of the Tulip Oaks (Argyrodendron spp) delightfully designed like miniature helicopters ready to spin on the breeze. Interestingly 'Argyro' means 'silver' and 'dendron' translates to tree, apparent in the silvery metallic look in some forest patches. To see these fruits on the forest floor, visit the Malanda Scrub Tulip Oak walk at the Malanda Falls.

We collected over 25 different species of fruits from the family Lauraceae over the past 12 months including Litsea leefeana, Beilschmedia bancrofti, Endiandra insignis and Neolitsea dealbata, reflecting its importance as a family group in our rainforests. The majority of seeds from cassowary pats collected on the coast were also from the laurel family. Good collections from the family Myrtaceae were also made, most noticeable were Bumpy Satinash [Syzygium cormiflorum] with its large white and pink fruits that grow on the trunks.

5b or Mabi forest is doing it tough in the drought with the understorey shrubs (eg. Hodgkinsonia frutescens) showing signs of stress and some trees just up and dying. Driving beside patches of Mabi forest one can see clearly into the forest magnifying the effect of the drought. In Tolga Scrub the Flying Foxes can be seen flapping their wings in the heat in an attempt to cool them and their young. Across other parts of the Tablelands the drought is also affecting epiphytes such as Asplenium australasicum (Crow's Nest) and Platycerium bifurcatum (Elkhorns).

Overall its been a very successful year for seed collection with all the important framework species being collected along with those more unusual species to thrill our plant enthusiasts and add to our diverse plantings.

Inside this issue

Report on the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Cairns

Nursery News

Fruit of the Month

Bye for Now

TREAT's Christmas Party

Tree Planter's Meeting

Tree Identification and Seed Propagation Workshop

Caring for Country / Helping to Heal Country Program Part 3

First Planting

TREAT Planting Plan for 2003

Report on the Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Cairns

By Nigel Tucker

During the week of December 2-6, NigeI Tucker and Tania Simmons attended the Annual Conference of the ESA. This was a very interesting meeting attended by many of Australia's and New Zealand's most talented ecologists. Conference themes included restoration, fragmentation, climate change, frugivorv and dispersal. Tania elegantly presented the results of CTR's small mammal studies at Donaghys Corridor, where genetic analysis revealed 16 long-distance movements through the restored area and confirmed the appearance of four F1 hybrids whose parents had originated at either end of the corridor, (and obviously met in the middle). These results generated much interest and comment.

A very interesting presentation was given by Dr. Amy Jen