Event Calendar

The July meeting of Roleystone Organic Growers will be all about Phytophthora (pronounced Fyt-of-thora) dieback.

Phytophthora cinnamomi, often known simply as Dieback is a plant pathogen which is spread in soil and causes root rot in infected plants preventing them from absorbing water and nutrients which eventually causes the death of the plant. It can be easily spread in contaminated soil or plant material being moved from one area to another.

Dieback acts like a Biological Bulldozer in bushland by killing many susceptible plant species. Over 40% (or 2,300) of the native plant species and half of the endangered plant species in the south-west of Western Australia are susceptible.

When Dieback spreads to bushland, it kills many susceptible plants, resulting in a permanent degradation of the native vegetation. It can also change the composition of the bushland by increasing the number of grasses and reducing the number of wildflower species. Native animals that rely on susceptible plants for survival are reduced in numbers or are eliminated from sites infested by Dieback.

Our speaker, Roleystone resident, Dr Ian Colquhoun is Alcoa's Mining Environmental Research Manager in Mining Environmental Department, in the area of dieback. He is also the chairperson of Roleybushcare and the Dieback Working Group. He has been working in this area for 20 years. Dr Colquhoun says "dieback is one of the most worrying issues threatening bio-diversity from Perth to Esperance." "The Environmental Protection Authority has got it ranked up with climate change and salinity as a major issue." "Dieback is widespread, but it's not everywhere and it's critical that people know that it's not everywhere." There are large areas out there that are free of dieback, and what we have to do is manage those areas to make sure that dieback doesn't get in to those sites."
Dr Colquhoun will be discussing what Phytophthora dieback is, where it is, how the pathogen spreads, which plants are affected, what individuals can do to prevent it, and what the latest research is in this area.

Cost is $3. Enquiries to Lisa 9399 2312.