Английская Википедия:Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club
The Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club is an Australian regional amateur scientific natural history and conservation society. It is based in Castlemaine, Victoria on the lands of Djadjawurrung people.
The club's purpose is to: encourage and support engagement with and appreciation of all aspects of natural history in the environmentally diverse and fascinating Mt Alexander region through:
- fostering the study and understanding of the natural environment
- enjoying, preserving and protecting native flora and fauna
- promoting the repair of the environment and protection of endangered species and habitats
- working with other organisations to understand and care for our region.[1]
The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club is a foundation member of the South East Australian Naturalists Association and is an affiliate of the Australian Naturalists Network.
The Club emblem is the Nodding Greenhood Orchid (Pterostylis nutans).
Current Activities
The CFNC holds monthly meetings from February to December on the second Friday of the month[2]. Meetings usually include a guest speaker presenting on a natural history topic. Members and visitors are welcome to attend both the meetings and the Club excursions, which are usually held the day after the monthly meetings. The club also organises vegetation and bird surveys, as well as weed control and roadside clean up days in the local region.
History
The Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club was founded in 1976, after local historian Raymond Bradfield called a public meeting in February of that year to garner interest.[3] Bradfield's proposal was well supported and he was elected the Club's first President.[4] On 21 November 1985, a white box tree (Eucalyptus albens) was planted in the southern portion of Castlemaine's Kaweka Reserve (near Hall St) by Mr Bradfield, to commemorate both the 10th anniversary of the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club and the 25th anniversary of the Western Victoria Field Naturalists Clubs Association.[5]
Publications
The CFNC publishes a monthly newsletter, the Castlemaine Naturalist, from February to December. The newsletter, which was first published in April 1976, contains natural history articles, as well as details of upcoming events and activities. Copies can be found on both the websites of the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club[6] and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.[7]
The CFNC also published and maintains an online plant identification and reference guide entitled Wild plants of the Castlemaine District,[8] which is based on a guide produced by CFNC founding member, the late Ern Perkins.[9]
References
