News
Welcome Phil Collier to The Naturalist editorial team
Phil Collier, former president of TFNC and contributor over many years to articles in the Tasmanian Naturalist, has joined the editorial team. We thank him for assisting the TFNC in providing his expertise to maintain the quality of our flagship annual publication.
Genevieve Gates Awarded ANHC Medallion
At the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club Christmas BBQ, we had the pleasure of presenting Dr. Genevieve Gates with the 2022 Australian Natural History Medallion. This prestigious national prize was awarded to her for her contribution to mycology, in fieldwork, education, and continuing involvement in citizen science.
Over the years, Genevieve has sent over 4000 specimens to the National Herbarium in Melbourne, including 13 type specimens, and over 2000 to the Tasmanian Herbarium in Hobart, where she also volunteered. She is the author or co-author of nearly 100 species new to science, which have been collected over hundreds of field trips, in all sorts of weather.
As well as her scientific papers, Genevieve is the co-author of ‘A Field Guide to Tasmanian Fungi’. She established the Tasmanian Fungi Facebook site where she continues to give authoritative identification and information to the findings of more than 18,000 members.
In recent years Tasmania has been most successful with Sarah Lloyd winning this same award in 2018 and TFNC member Simon Grove in 2019. All three are congratulated.
Our thanks to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria for administering this award.
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Genevieve is presented with the Australian Natural History Medallion by TFNC President Eddie Gall, 3rd. December 2022 |
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Posted 6 December 2022
Illustrated Checklist of Tasmanian Beetles launched
TFNC members Simon Grove and Lynne Forster, in collaboration with their colleague Nicholas Porch, have published the first in a proposed series of checklists of Tasmanian insects. This checklist is a catalogue of all the described species of Coleoptera (beetles) from Tasmania, including Macquarie Island. The book includes a meticulous up-to-date list of 2,864 species including over 600 endemics and colour plates featuring at least one representative species from almost every family.
The checklist is sold from the TMAG gift shop and through the Royal Society of Tasmania, either from their office (in the TMAG building) or online:
Posted 22 December 2021, updated 11 May 2022
Le Souef Award presentation
At the General Meeting on Thursday 7 April, 2022 members Kristi Ellingsen and Tony Daley were presented with the Victorian Entomological Society’s Le Souëf Memorial Award.
They then gave a lively and informative presentation entitled “Alert not Alarmed - Improving the Public Perception of Insects”.
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Kristi and Tony with the Le Souef Award certificates. Photographs: Keith Martin-Smith |
Kristi gives an animated presentation |
Visit the online Field Guide to the insects of Tasmania: https://tasmanianinsectfieldguide.com
Here is an mp4 of Kristi's Presentation: Alert not Alarmed
Posted 10 April 2022
Els Wakefield Interview
Member Els Wakefield was interviewed on Hobart Print Radio. Hear her talk here:
https://www.printradiotas.org.au/vibes-under-the-sea/episode-35-els-wakefield
Posted 7 April 2022
Congratulations
to TFNC members Kristi Ellingsen and Tony Daley who have won the Entomological Society of Victoria’s Le Souëf Memorial Award.
They have made a major contribution to the knowledge of Tasmania’s insects, and particularly to its public availability. They thoroughly deserve this prestigious award, and the club whole-heartedly congratulates them.
You can find out more about Kristi and Tony and see some of their excellent work on this year’s latest release of their website https://tasmanianinsectfieldguide.com/welcome/about-us/
Posted 20 December 2021
Call for photographs of Dragonflies and Damselflies
Michael Driessen is currently developing a field guide to Tasmanian dragonflies and damselflies.
If you have photos you think may help illustrate it, please forward them to michael.driessen@dpipwe.tas.gov.au. Pictures can be of adults, larvae, metamorphosis or behaviour. If used, you will be contacted and acknowledged in the guide.
Posted 7 September 2021
Informal excursions
In recent times some members of Field Naturalists have been conducting some informal excursions, often mid-week. Don Hird is interested in visiting the Tom Gibson Nature Reserve in the Northern Midlands, not far from the Midland Highway near Epping Forest. The reserve was partly set up as a bettong reserve as they are not adequately represented in the existing reserve system and are now endemic to Tasmania. Don would like anyone interested in joining him to contact him via email. At this stage there is no scheduled date and this can be organised to be convenient for everyone interested. Don’s email is donh1952@gmail.com .
Posted 2 May 2021