Protecting our Remnant Grasslands

Now with less than 1% of the grasslands of Victoria's volcanic plains remaining, we will explore the grasslands and their inhabitants through a presentation by expert and local ecologist & botanist. Learn techniques to ID different grasses, and how management of grasslands can manage fire risks during summer. Paul Foreman is a highly regarded and skilled ecologist and botanist and with many decades of experience in land management and nature conservation across a range of sectors and in a range of roles throughout Victoria and many other parts of Australia. Paul grew up in northern Victoria and has lived and worked in and around central Victoria for most of his life. In the past Paul has had various technical, strategic and senior management/leadership roles within State and Local Government, as well as Trust for Nature and Bush Heritage Australia – including facilitating the acquisition of Terrick Terrick National Park and Chairing a grassland technical advisory group for a decade. In more recent times, he has been running his own consulting business (Blue Devil Consulting), he has helped establish Biolinks Alliance (an NGO promoting Landscape Science) as the inaugural Chair and as an ecologist, and he has been Deputy Chair of Landcare Victoria since 2020. Paul has an undergraduate degree in Forestry (University of Melbourne), a Botany Masters (in Northern Plains Grassland ecology) from La Trobe University, and recently completed his PhD. in Historical Ecology (viz. Temperate grasslands) also at La Trobe. As this is also the Creswick Garden Lovers weekend, we encourage you to also explore the private gardens of Creswick. We will have a limited selection of tubestock of native grassland forbs and grasses for sale. Light refreshments will be available. Please specify any food allergies when making your booking. This free event is made possible through a Community Grant provided by Hepburn Shire Council.