Future Events

Members night.

Wednesday 12th of April 2023, 05:20 PM (2 weeks from now)

Contact: Angela Brandt | brandta@landcareresearch.co.nz | 021 121 5657

Members are invited to bring items of botanical interest to the monthly meeting and talk about them. Items may be short slide shows, books, photographs, plants or any plant related object that has a story attached. You are invited to get in touch with Angela Brandt (brandtaATlandcareresearch.co.nz) or Stella Fish (sls.fishAToutlook.com), who are organising the meeting, to chat about what you’re thinking of bringing or to let them know you want to present a slide show.

Burns Reserve – one of Dunedin’s hidden gems!

Saturday 15th of April 2023, 09:00 AM (2 weeks from now)

Contact: Robyn Bridges | 021 235 8997

The 87 hectares of coastal podocarp forest which makes up this reserve, lies on the flanks of Signal Hill high above Ravensbourne, Maia, Burkes and St Leonards. Though established in 1907 by residents concerned at the amount of deforestation on the West Harbour Hills, the Reserve had, until recently, been largely forgotten. Its flora includes good specimens of the original podocarp forest and a fabulous swath of Easter Orchid, Earina autumnalis and Earina mucronata, growing on a prominent rocky outcrop. The views of Taiaroa Head to Taieri Mouth are spectacular.

Meet Botany Department carpark 9am Saturday 15th April 2023. Rain date Sunday 16th April 2023.

Fungal Foray to Waikaia.

Saturday 6th of May 2023, 12:00 AM (1 month from now)

Contact: David Orlovich | david.orlovich@otago.ac.nz

Waikaia Forest at Piano Flat is an isolated remnant of the mixed beech forests (red beech - Fuscospora fusca, mountain beech - Fuscospora cliffortioides and silver beech – Lophozonia menziesii) that once covered much of the area. The area supports a unique invertebrate fauna with several rare species being found there. Beech trees are dependent on various mycorrhizal fungi for their survival and growth. We plan to look at the fungal diversity of this forest in conjunction with Prof. David Orlovich of the Otago University Botany Department as part of his ongoing research. The trip is dependent on a DoC permit, so will be confirmed closer to the date. For further details and to arrange carpooling contact David Orlovich.

AGM and Photographic Competition.

Wednesday 10th of May 2023, 05:20 PM (1 month from now)

Contact: Gretchen Brownstein | brownsteing@landcareresearch.co.nz

The photographic competition is a popular and eagerly anticipated event for anyone interested in botanical photography. Enter your best photos and learn what makes a good photograph and how to improve your photographic skills from our panel of expert judges. Your photographs may be chosen for the BSO Calendar so this is your opportunity to have one month of fame. Start organising your entries now and don’t wait until the last minute.

Takahē, scouts for fungal diversity.

Wednesday 14th of June 2023, 05:20 PM (2 months from now)

Contact: Lydia Turley | 021 062 3602

Speaker: Josie McGovern. The study of dung has long been a revelatory science. Analysing the dung of certain organisms is a great way to gain insight into local fungal diversity. Takahē are a unique flightless bird, endemic to New Zealand. They exhibit a heavy grazing behaviour that encourages interaction with fungi and fungal spores. DNA metabarcoding of takahē dung collected from Orokonui ecosanctuary can teach us many interesting things about dispersal and fungal species important to our forests.

Ferntree Reserve, Dunedin.

Saturday 17th of June 2023, 09:00 AM (2 months from now)

Contact: John Barkla | mjbarkla@xtra.co.nz | 027 326 7917

Join us on an easy morning’s walk through Ferntree Reserve and adjoining streets. The small reserve, nestled between Taieri Road and Ferntree Drive, has a interesting array of naturally-occurring natives as well as planted natives and exotics. On its western boundary the reserve adjoins Dunedin’s oldest house, Ferntree Lodge. The walk should take no more than a couple of hours and is graded easy. Meet and park at the southwestern extension of Helensburgh Road near the entrance to Leslie Groves Hospital at 9 am. Leaders John Barkla and Sharon Jones.

Naturally uncommon ecosystems in Otago.

Wednesday 12th of July 2023, 05:20 PM (3 months from now)

Contact: Gretchen Brownstein | brownsteing@landcareresearch.co.nz

Speaker: Scott Jarvie, Otago Regional Council. Naturally uncommon ecosystems are defined as having a total extent of less than 0.5% (i.e., <134 000 ha) of Aotearoa New Zealand’s land area. These ecosystems are rich in threatened species, but many are poorly understood and nearly two thirds are classified as threatened, primarily from human associated threats, with a large proportion of these ecosystems being found on private land in lowland and coastal regions. This talk provides an overview of naturally uncommon ecosystems in the Otago region and discusses recent work to establish programmes to monitor extent and condition, focussing on inland saline (salt pans) and coastal turfs. In addition to the overview on naturally uncommon ecosystems, I will briefly touch upon work for a regional threat classification for indigenous vascular plants in Otago.

Taieri River Track.

Saturday 22nd of July 2023, 09:00 AM (3 months from now)

Contact: Angela Brandt | brandta@landcareresearch.co.nz | 021 121 5657

We’ll follow the track from Taieri Mouth to the John Bull Gully picnic area for lunch (4 km), and then return. The track passes through several vegetation types, including estuarine salt marsh, carr (wooded fen), podocarp forest, and open shrubland. A highlight will be stands of regenerating kahikatea, as well as Hall’s totara, tree ferns, and miro.

The track is in good condition but is undulating, and cuts downhill to the picnic area alongside the river. Bring good walking shoes, water and lunch, and clothing for the weather. Meet at Botany car park at 9:00 a.m.; expected return by 3:30 p.m. 37km drive each way. If the weather is very poor on the Saturday, we’ll switch the trip to Sunday. Contact Angela Brandt.