Alison Pouliot is an ecologist, writer and photographer who specialises in fungi. She led a touch, sight and smell fungi learning experience at a Biodiversity Conservation Trust and YAN funded workshop near Murrumbateman on 15 May.

Alison displayed a comprehensive range of fungi which was collected from this region especially for the workshop. (All fresh fungi was disposed of at the end of the workshop because Alison told us that as the fungi deteriorated a bacterial smell is generated thus reducing its role as a smelling experience for future workshops).

There are twelve criteria to assess when attempting to classify fungi as there are a lot of dangerous look alikes to edible fungi. Alison's latest book 'Wild Mushrooming' clearly outlines the common edible species and their dangerous doppelgangers. 

Fungi creates vital underground networks and their presence reflects the health of a site.  So next time you walk through an undisturbed site look out for those small brown, white or yellow or not so small colourful fungi.

The Yass Landcare community nursery has a new addition to its growing power - a hot house. So in the future plants can be grown over our colder months.  The whole structure was put together by the Wilson team Kate and Jeremy.  

There is an Australia wide shortage of weld mesh this year due to the Australian and world wide events that we are all aware of - so Jeremy Wilson sent the following email to our weldmesh supplier to explain why we have an urgent need for this vital component of the 2022 Paddock Tree project. 

“We talked about our need for this mesh and I wonder if it will help if your supplier appreciates why we are so keen to get this mesh.

Our Landcare Groups in Yass and Gunning need this mesh urgently as the trees must be planted this Autumn, in April. Autumn planting is essential as our research has shown the seedlings establish good root systems during Autumn and Winter which enables them to withstand the impact of Summer - we know that many seedlings planted in Spring don’t develop a strong enough root system to survive the summer and those that do survive really struggle and often fail to thrive. A good beginning is essential as these trees are planted to last 3 - 400 years.

And they won’t survive without really tough tree guard mesh. These trees are planted out in the paddock and must be protected from cattle, horses and sheep for their first 3 - 4 years of life. The mesh is then re-used for a further 10 to 12 years on new paddock trees.  

You might wonder why we plant trees in the paddock - we plant them about 30 metres apart so they act as “Stepping stones” for wildlife moving from existing vegetation out into the paddock.  These trees provide protection for small vulnerable birds, insects, micro-bats and pozzies for parrots and possums. After about 100 years the trees drop branches which provide the hollows essential for parrots to breed in.  The trees also provide shade for livestock which is becoming critically important as Summers become longer and hotter. We expect the trees will have at least a 300 years life. The attached flier gives more information on the project.

So when you plant your paddock tree this season think of the behind scenes work that has been undertaken not only to grow a healthy Eucalyptus tree to plant, plus the work to consolidate the planting package of weed guard etc plus the vital weld mesh sheep or cattle tree guard, that you as a participating landholder are only co-funding. Below are photos of the first Paddock Tree planted in this project three years ago – the second photos shows what that tree could grow into in a 100 years …  happy planting.

Nan and Mary-Jane Betts are the 2022 recipients of the John Betts Award. Nan was John’s wife and Mary-Jane John Betts daughter. These determined women have been working tirelessly since John Betts death in to regenerate the native grasslands and landscape on their Cowridge property on Black Range Road. 

Nan and Mary-Jane are currently working to have the Derringullen Creek waterway on their property join the nearby Rivers of Carbon project. They have a goal to protect this natural waterway for future generations. However the current corridor of the TransGrid Humelink transmission line threatens to cut across this special site and a large number of mature Box Gum Woodland trees and a 30 year old tree lane is in threat of being felled as part of the Humelink transmission line installation.

The Derringullen Creek waterfall site on Cowridge is a very special place for Nan and Mary-Jane. Over the last few years they have worked tirelessly to fence off over 60 hectares of this waterway which includes several small waterfalls. A pair of wedge tail eagles have built a very large nest in a Eucalyptus Blakelyi at the waterfall site and at the awards presentation they were seen flying high in the thermals.

Fencing off the Derringullen Creek waterway and surrounding riverbank has enabled a large number of Callitris endlicheri seedlings to become established from a significant mother tree.  Nan and Mary-Jane are keen to protect this mature tree as it is the only example of a Callitris endlicheri on Derringullen Creek. This waterway also has mature examples of Eucalyptus melliodora, Eucalyptus blakelyi and Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus bridgesiana which are under threat from the installation of the TransGrid Humelink transmission line.

Several of the property dams were created in the 1800’s by heavy horse and scoop and have been undisturbed due to the volume of fresh water mussels in those dams which are a favourite food source for herons. Underground water fills one of these horse and scoop dams known as the gravel pit and this dam has been fenced off to enable native vegetation to regenerate. 

There are numerous fence line plantings across Cowridge hill top paddocks which were established as part of the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management project. These paddocks provide livestock shelter and reticulated stock water is provided through the property from dam water reserves. Nan and Mary-Jane have also found time to create the JCH Betts memorial drive which includes a range of robust bottlebrush – it felt moving to drive past this living memorial to John Betts.

Mary-Jane is a graphic artist who also studied horticulture and has put that knowledge to good use growing plants from seed and then planting them in the same landscape as the parent plants.  Mary-Jane and Nan have planted numerous trees lanes and small native clusters which provide both stock shelter as well as providing wildlife corridors or stepping stones across the landscape.

Both young at heart women are open to new ideas and ways of doing things. Mary-Jane and Nan have future plans for Cowridge which would see the opening up their property for bird watchers, poets and photographers or just day dreamers. 

The Yass Area Network of Landcare groups has great pleasure in awarding the 2022 John Betts award to Nan and Mary-Jane Betts.