Mistletoe: it’s not a tree, a shrub, or a vine, but an oft maligned parasitic plant.
Many think of them as poisonous, introduced plants that ‘kill’ their trees, but mistletoe are actually native – with 91 different kinds found across Australia – and provide a wide range of benefits for other native creatures.
Providing abundant fruit and nectar, nutritious leaves, secure nesting sites and a steady stream of nutrient-enriched litter, mistletoes represent an important resource for a wide range of plants and animals and have been described as an ecological keystone species.
Indeed, without mistletoe, species of mammals and birds could be lost from our environment – current research has suggested that when mistletoe was removed from an environment, the number of woodland-dependent bird species in the area decreased by more than a third.
Keen to find out more?
The East Gippsland Landcare Network certainly are and are excited to announce that Dr Dave Watson, Professor of Ecology at Charles Stuart University, is coming to East Gippsland to lead those interested further into the world of the mistletoe.
Dave currently leads a group of researchers working at the interface between community ecology and landscape-scale restoration.
As well as noticing the importance of mistletoes for woodland birds, his studies have led him to realise the mismatch between recently modified landscapes and the slow responses of many biological processes (that are vital for organisms to live) to adapt when parts of their habitat are destroyed, leaving behind smaller, unconnected areas.
Keen to learn more about these long-term effects, Dave has studied habitats, wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes, and mistletoe ecology and evolution worldwide.
And in two, free workshops he will provide his latest findings to East Gippslanders.
Thanks to funding from the State Government through the Victorian Landcare Grants Program, Dave will be in Bengworden today, and Lakes Entrance on February 8.
Each day will start with an indoor presentation in the morning followed by an onsite visit to discuss these fascinating plants in-situ.
Everyone is welcome, but bookings are essential – free places can be booked via Humantix or you can contact the East Gippsland Landcare Network for more information.
