President’s Report – 2014

PRESIDENTS REPORT 2014

Research supported by the Foundation

Four new grants were awarded this year

To Rebecca Jordan, University of Melbourne for the project Understanding climate adaptation and its implications for revegetation in Eucalyptus microcarpa

To Michelle Leishman, Macquarie University, for the project Phylogenetic analysis of smoke-promoted germination in eastern Australian flora

To Noushka Reiter, Australian Network for Plant Conservation for the project Establishment of an ex-situ collection and seed orchard for the endangered Grampians Globe-pea

and to Paul Rymer, University of Western Sydney, for the project Moreton Bay fig: distribution of native genetic variation and threats from cultivation.

Further details can be found on the Foundation’s website

One final report was received this year:

From Melinda Perkins, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton: Techniques for improving Phytophthora resistance in potential new floricultural crop Newcastelia interrupta.
It can be found on the Foundation’s website

 

Communication with members

 

Two new Newsletters were sent out by Ian Cox, one in January and one in July. Newsletters were added to the website six months after they were provided to members.

The Foundation website has been updated so that each page is responsive, ie can be viewed successfully on devices ranging from smart phones, to tablets to laptops or desktops with screens up to two and a half A4 pages wide (50 cm or 2000px). A social networking blog site has been set up, and our funded researchers encouraged to use their site to make their research more immediate to you. To see the current blogs go to the AFF home page  http://www.aff.org.au and click on Blogs. You are asked to leave a comment on the blogs that you like, to encourage our researchers.

Succession planning

The Council is attempting to develop plans to ensure an orderly hand over of activities when any of the members of the present executive, Jenny Jobling (Treasurer), Ian Cox (Secretary) or Peter Goodwin (President), wish to resign. Each of these members has served on the executive for eight years.

Finally I should like to thank all of you for your contributions over the year, most particularly members of the executive, members of the Finance Subcommittee, of the Scientific Committee, and members of Council. A special thank you to all donors and benefactors of the Foundation: without you the Australian Flora Foundation could not function. Particularly noteworthy are donations of $5,000 from APS NSW, $5,000 from SGAP Qld Region and $1,000 from APS Newcastle.

Peter Goodwin

24th November 2014