Our next monthly webinar is on Thursday 20th May 7.30-8.30pm (AEST-Melbourne time), with Fungimap committee member Lyn Allison talking about the revegetation of heavily degraded Westgate Park with 300 locally indigenous plant species, and the subsequent growth in fungal biodiversity. An inspirational story of ecological restoration!
Webinars are free for paid Fungimap members (click here if you would like to join), while non-members are asked to pay a donation. The webinars are held over Zoom, and Zoom links will be sent out on the day. Book in at https://www.trybooking.com/BQTSD
A newcomer to the delights to fungi, if not to conservation, Lyn was a teacher then Democrats Senator for Victoria for 12 years to 2008. Since then she has served on the boards of five major not-for-profit organisations and on committees of management of another four advocacy and community groups, including the Friends of Westgate Park (now Westgate Biodiversity) and Fungimap. Lyn specialises in governance and advocacy in these roles.
Westgate Park was a heavily degraded 34 hectare industrial site formed into a park in 1985 after the Westgate Bridge construction. It was sparsely planted and neglected. Twenty years ago, the Friends of Westgate Park started the long project of planting it out with 300 species indigenous to inner Melbourne. Participating in this project sparked Lyn’s interest in fungi with the 60 or so species there, of which she has identified most with a degree of confidence, thanks to Fungimap. Learn more about the inspirational story of Westgate Park and subsequent growth in fungal biodiversity.
Lyn brings a longstanding interest in the natural environment, a good record on persuading governments to support environmental protection, including the successful negotiation of over 500 amendments to strengthen the Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and a lot of experience in strategy and campaigning.