Come & enjoy a day in the country and learn about fungi in a unique way…
- Presenter Alison Pouliot, a natural historian and environmental photographer.
- Learn how symbioses between plants, fungi and other organisms affect nature, conservation, landcare and farming.
- Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included.
BIBBARINGA FUNGUS WORKSHOP
AN INTERACTIVE & EDUCATIONAL LOOK AT FUNGI IN OUR ECOSYSTEM
Saturday 2nd May 2020 – Dirt matters, a journey in the mycobiome.
Sunday 3rd May 2020 – The Bizarre & Beautiful, a deeper exploration of a curious kingdom.
At Bibbaringa woolshed – “Bibbaringa” 1268 Wymah Road, Bowna (35km north Albury)
Come & enjoy a day in the country and learn about fungi in a unique way…
~ Presenter Alison Pouliot, a natural historian and environmental photographer.
~ Learn how symbioses between plants, fungi and other organisms affect nature, conservation, landcare and farming.
~ Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included.
$125 for Saturday or Sunday and $200 for two days
PROGRAM
SATURDAY 2 MAY 2020
Dirt matters – A journey in the mycobiome
The need to produce high quality food while minimising environmental damage is one of the biggest challenges for Australian agriculturalists. Healthy biological soils are crucial to plant health including our food crops. In turn, human health depends on high food quality and hence good soil health.
We now know there is a greater biomass of living microorganisms within than above the soil. Modern agriculture with its intensive use of chemicals, fertilisers and mechanical disturbance has largely eliminated these organisms. However, innovative biological farmers are turning things around through ‘ecological intensification’ – that is, by fostering the microbes within soils with the aim to replace anthropogenic inputs and tilling practices. Central to this is an understanding of how symbioses between plants, fungi and other organisms function.
This workshop provides an overview of the vital significance of fungi in soils and the important roles they play in providing soil architecture, retaining water, increasing nutrient availability and maximising ecosystem resilience. Greater attention to fungal-plant relationships can help us move beyond current expensive and unsustainable farming practices. This is especially pertinent in the context of a changing climate and water scarcity.
The workshop includes an interactive and illustrated seminar on the major fungal groups, the basics of fungus identification, fungal ecology, and the natural and cultural history of fungi. Fungus specimens from the local area will be displayed, discussed and examined during the workshop.
PROGRAM
10:00am Exploring the fungus display
10:30am Introduction to fungal ecology – seminar, images & specimens
11:30am Morning Tea
12.00pm Interactive fungus identification session with specimens and fungus resources
1:00pm Lunch
1:45pm Fungus foray in local environments
4:00pm Finish
SUNDAY 3 MAY 2020
The Bizarre & Beautiful, a deeper exploration of a curious kingdom.
This workshop will take participants deeper into the fungi kingdom with a close look at the ecology of fungi as well as the major characteristics used to identify fungi in the field. Participants are encouraged to bring along their own specimens for identification but will also get to handle and identify a range of different species provided. The workshop includes a display of local specimens, an illustrated and interactive seminar and a foray into various local habitat types.
The workshop includes an illustrated seminar, a display of local specimens, an interactive specimen identification session and a foray into various local habitat types. The role of fungi in agricultural soil processes and the importance of fungal conservation will also be discussed.
The workshop is targetted at a broad audience with little or no understanding of fungi but would possibly be of most interest to naturalists, conservationists, Landcarers, farmers, or anyone wishing to understand the ecological significance of fungi. Supplementary notes will also provided.
PROGRAM
10:00am Exploring the fungus display
10:30am Introduction to fungal ecology – seminar, images & specimens
11:30am Morning Tea
12.00pm Interactive fungus identification session with specimens and fungus resources
1:00pm Lunch
1:45pm Fungus foray in local environments
4:00pm Finish
Book at TryBooking.com/BHWYG