What are fungi doing for our bushlands? With Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher

Fungi are critical for all our environments. Find out what fungi are doing for our bushlands  from Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher. Her talk covers the many important ways fungi contribute to our bushlands. Fungi are nutrient recyclers, form critical symbiotic relationships as partners of plants and as lichens, and many animals depend on fungi. Come along to hear more.

Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher is an ecologist who has special interest in the conservation of biodiversity, particularly macrofungi and mosses in an Australian context. This focus is significant given that Australian fungi are different from those in other countries in the same way that our plants, animals and other species differ. Sapphire is also an internationally recognised fungi specialist, this includes as a representative on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Specialist Groups.

Sapphire has worked with many community groups to help them understand the importance of fungi in maintaining healthy bushlands and raise the profile of local fungi. To support this, Sapphire helps train people in how to make good collections of fungi and cryptogams to support the describing of Australasian taxa and has produced field identification materials for different regions. She has produced more than 20 publications on fungi. This includes a number of publications related to the impact of fire on fungi and of fungi on post-fire rehabilitation of land.