Hilltop to Backfence

Celebrating 5 years of ParkCare on Mount Majura

Hilltop to Backfence is a free lecture series presented by Friends of Mount Majura (FoMM) Parkcare Group, which covers a range of local environmental issues and explores biodiversity at our doorstep.
The lectures are held on the third Thursday of the month from February to November 2008 (different dates for March and June).
Time: 7.30pm to 9.00pm
Venue: Blue Gum School Friends Lounge, Hackett shops.
Entry is free, however a gold coin donation to support volunteer work in the Mount Majura nature park would be much appreciated.
Acknowledgement. Friends of Mount Majura would like to thank all presenters for graciously donating their time and acknowledge the assistance of the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust.
Download the program

Along a Trail with Ants (Report on talk and walk)

Dr Ajay Narendra, Australian National University
21 February 2008
Join us for a glimpse into the fascinating world of ants and be surprised about their amazing navigation skills.

Good Mothers and Family Life among the Huntsman Spiders (Report)

Dr. Linda S. Rayor, Cornell University, USA & Australian National University
13 March 2008
TheAustralian huntsman spiders are diverse and fascinating! Learn about their basic biology and their complex social behaviour. Live huntsman spiders of a number of species will be shown. Feel free to bring your huntsman for identification or to donate for further studies into their behaviour.

Research on the Eastern Grey Kangaroo in the ACT (Report)

Dr Don Fletcher, ACT Parks, Conservation and Lands
17 April 2008
Learn about recent ACT research on the ecology of a key native species – the eastern grey kangaroo – and its role in biodiversity conservation. Find out about plans for kangaroo research to commence in 2008, including at Mount Majura.

Tackling Indian Myna – The Cane Toad on Wings (Report)

Bill Handke, Canberra Indian Myna Action Group
15 May 2008
Hear about a community effort to reduce the numbers of Indian Myna (or Common Myna), the success it is having, and how you can help. The introduced Indian Myna aggressively competes with Australian wildlife for nesting tree hollows, thus threatening a number of native bird and mammal species.

Enhancing Bush Habitat at our Doorstep (Report)
Ian Fraser: Precious woodlands of Mount Majura (talk)

Friends of Mount Majura. Guest speaker: Ian Fraser, local naturalist, author and broadcaster
Sunday 8 June 2008
Celebrate World Environment Day 2008 with a walk, talk and tea on Mt Majura. Hear about the processes that threaten endangered woodland and see the projects of Friends of Mount Majura to enhance and protect Mount Majura nature reserve.

Masters of Deception. Fascinating Orchids (Report)

Dr Dean Rouse and Dr Peter Milburn, Australian National University
17 July 2008
When it comes to sex, orchids exploit a whole range of deceptive strategies, of fraud and of disguise. Hear about the bizarre pollination techniques and unique ecology of this fascinating plant group, and discover the species growing on the slopes of Mt Majura and Mt Ainslie including rare and a highly endangered species known only from this area.

Slippery Friends in our Backyards. About Frogs and Frog Habitats (Report)

Beth Mantle, ACT FrogWatch coordinator
21 August 2008
Find out about frogs of the ACT region. What makes them special? How can we help to protect them? Learn how to attract frogs to your own backyard!

A Hollow Existence (Report)

Results of a tree hollow resource survey conducted on Mount Majura, 8 April 2008
Dr. Philip Gibbons, the Australian National University
18 September 2008
Most of the hollow-bearing trees on Mount Majura were standing when Cook sailed into Botany Bay. Over 300 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs rely on tree hollows in Australia. Why do tree hollows take so long to form? What animals use them? And why are 100 hollow-dependant species listed as threatened in Australia?

Signals from another World. The Language of Lizards (Report)

Dr Richard Peters, Australian National University
16 October 2008
Do you know how lizards talk to each other? Find out how a Jacky Dragon starts a ‘conversation’, engages in peace talks and tells others Dragons about its strength.

A Secret Life. Southern Boobook Owls (Report)

Susan Trost and Jerry Olsen, Canberra University
20 November 2008
Susan Trost and Jerry Olsen have studied Southern Boobook owls in Canberra since 1993 and have documented their breeding, hunting, and their conflicts with neighbouring Boobooks and other animals in a number of published scientific papers. Susan and Jerry will talk about this work, and the raptors you are likely to see on Mount Majura hunting or breeding alongside Southern Boobooks.

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