Work/Training Schedule for the
Student's Volunteer Botanical Internship Program

Week and day

Date

Event

Week 1

Induction Training

Tuesday

2-Jan

Registration and official welcome. Introduction to the CPBR, the ANBG and the ANH.
Outline of the roles of integrated Gardens and Herbarium; scientific, educational, reference, leisure, conservation.

Orientation tour of ANBG site and CSIRO sites.

Tour of Australian National Herbarium

Introduction to general principles of biological collections and herbaria (on CSIRO site).
Introduction to vascular Herbarium; practical on mounting and handling of vascular plant specimens; navigating the Herbarium

Wednesday

3-Jan

INTRODUCTORY HERBARIUM TRAINING

Mounting of vascular specimens. Navigation in the Herbarium; specimen retrieval and put-away

Computing overview. The Internet; electronic mail; botanical sites on the Web (including AVH, CPBR homepage and the WA Herbarium’s Florabase)

Thursday

4-Jan

Specimen mounting and other herbarium tasks

Lecture: "Plant nomenclature and description." Names of Plants: scientific names - why have them and what do they mean?
The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, type specimens and differences of taxonomic opinion

Friday

5-Jan

Regular work in teams

WORKPLACE ESSENTIALS

EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) and OHS (Occupational Health and Safety).
All jobs now require a basic knowledge of EEO and OHS principles. This session will explain the obligations on employer and employees.

Specimen mounting and other herbarium tasks

Week 2

Technical skill development

Monday

8-Jan

Workshop: "Map reading" - Latitude and longitude; grid references; geological maps; exercises

Formation of work teams of 2 or 3 people each; commence assigned work

Tuesday

9-Jan

COLLECTING TECHNIQUES & Fieldbooks: practical session on "ordinary and difficult" collections, bulky material, soft and aquatic specimens, what data to record, site assessment, insect/mould control. Demonstration of GPS unit

Discussion session: Permits, protocols, collecting ethics

Regular work in teams

Wednesday

10-Jan

Lecture: "Revision of the Melaleuca uncinata complex"

Lecture: "Taxonomic Techniques: Dendrobium orchids – a case study"

Lecture: "Molecular systematics"

Thursday

11-Jan

FIELD TRIP: Eucalypts - field identification.

Friday

12-Jan

Regular work in teams

Week 3

Field trip

Monday

15-Jan

Library tours - ANBG, CSIRO and Herbarium libraries.

Introduction to Jervis Bay - briefing on Jervis Bay field trip

Workshop: "Principles of plant identification".

Tues - Frid

16-19 Jan

JERVIS BAY FIELD TRIP: Four-day trip based at the Uni of Canberra’s Field Station at Jervis Bay.
Vascular plant collecting techniques; vascular plant identification; use of floras, handbooks and electronic interactive keys; area management issues

Tuesday

16-Jan

Travel via Kangaroo Valley to Jervis Bay Field Station

BOODEREE BOTANIC GARDENS - Botanic Gardens management and bush tucker interpretive walk

Wednesday

17-Jan

BOODEREE NATIONAL PARK

Lecture: “Reserve Management Issues at Green Patch”

Site tour: “Bitou Bush and native vegetation management”

Vegetation Survey Exercise

Thursday

18-Jan

Vegetation Survey Exercise continued

Vascular plant identification: Identification of material from morning fieldtrip. Tips for identification in selected families and ‘difficult' groups; using printed and electronic keys.

Group reports – short presentations on survey results

Friday

19-Jan

ESCARPMENT VEGETATION - Barren Grounds Bird Observatory and Nature Reserve and return to Canberra.

Week 4

Communication and job skills

Monday

22-Jan

Regular work in teams

Tuesday

23-Jan

Communication Skills 1: Writing for non-scientists, seminar presentations - slides, overheads, and speaking.

Growing Native Plants project overview

Wednesday

24-Jan

Regular work in teams

JOBS AND FUNDING IN SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION

"Where the jobs are". Three speakers, addressing job opportunities in the public sector, conservation agencies, and private sector consultancies.

CVs, Job Applications and Scientific Grants - how to write them.
Developing a CV; first publications and developing a publication list; putting your job application together

Thursday

25-Jan

Regular work in teams

Friday

26-Jan

AUSTRALIA DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Week 5

Cryptogams and CSIRO

Monday

29-Jan

Overview of Bryophytes, Lichens and Fungi - Session 1.
Talk on recognition of major groups, introduction to Cryptogam collection.

Regular work in teams

Tuesday

30-Jan

Overview of Bryophytes and Fungi - Session 2.
A half-day fieldtrip ANBG site.

Regular work in teams

Wednesday

31-Jan

Lecture: "Lichens: ecology, economics, taxonomy"

Lecture: "Fungi: ecology, economics, taxonomy"

Lecture: "The Bryophytes"

Regular work in teams

Thursday

1-Feb

Visit Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) and CSIRO Microscopy Centre

Regular work in teams

Friday

2-Feb

Regular work in teams

Week 6

Advanced curation

Monday

5-Feb

Regular work in teams

Tuesday

6-Feb

Regular work in teams

Lecture: "Weeds in Australia"

Wednesday

7-Feb

Discussion session: "GMOs: friend or foe?"

Lecture: "The Final Frontier: towards sustainable management of Papua New Guinea's gaharu resource"

Thursday

8-Feb

Regular work in teams

Friday

9-Feb

Regular work in teams

Job application deadline

Week 7

Seminar presentations and completion of tasks

Monday

12-Feb

Regular work in teams

Tuesday

13-Feb

Intern Seminar Presentations I

Tour of ANBG Plant Records and Seed Store

Regular work in teams

Wednesday

14-Feb

Intern Seminar Presentations II

Regular work in teams

Thursday

15-Feb

Return of job applications; demonstration interviews of Interns

Friday

16-Feb

Formal presentation of Internship Certificates

Farewell BBQ