Table Of Content

8 y 9 . BookReviews among Australian elapid snakes. Conservation ofAustralian elapid snakes of the genus Denisonia. RoBbieorltosgon1P6,an4d51S-i4l6ve1iraC(2005)Theterrestrialverte- SwJaonurGn,alSohfeaHeGrpeatnodloSgayd’li1e7r,R17(12-010745).AFieldGuideto bratefaunaofthe MurrayScroll Belt. Interimreport Reptiles ofNewSouth Wales. (Reed New Holland: fromyearoneofa fieldsurveyconductedduringthe Sydney) spring/summerof2004/5, includingacompilationof Val J, Foster E and Le Breton M (2001) Biodiversity comparable historic data. Unpublished report to survey ofthe Lower Murray Darling. Unpublished Parks Victoria and the Mallee Catchment report lor the Natural Heritage Trust. Environment ManagementAuthoritybyWildlifeProfilesPtyLtd. Australia,Canberra. RoJboehrntssoonnPP,G,BeYnennettALA.F.MiLlluemdsgdeeGnAL,F,LiSlillyvwehiirtaeCPEK, WiRlespotinleSsoafnAdusStwraalnia.G(R(e2e0d03N)eAwCHoolmlpalnedt:eSyGduniedye)to and Priddle HJ (1989) Fauna ofthe mallee study area, north-western Victoria. Arthur Rylah Institute forEnvironmentalResearch,TechnicalReportSeries No.87. Shine R (1983) Food habits and reproductive biology Received1June2006;accepted18December2006 WOODLANDS Woodlands: a disappearing landscape A DISAPPEARING LANDSCAPE by David Lindenmayer, Mason Crane and Damian Michael Photographs by Esther Beaton With contributions from Christopher MacGregor and Ross Cunningham Publisher: CSIROPublishing, 2005. 150pages, hardcover; colourphotos. ISBN0643090266. RRP$39.95 The wonderful woodlands ofsouth-eastern structural components of the woodlands, Australia are not at the forefront of peo- paying attention to many different aspects ple’s minds when conjuring up images of ofthe woodlands, both biotic and abiotic. Australia’s world-renowned natural envi- This book takes you from the canopy to ronment. the ground layer, exploring the world For a long time, woodlands have been beneath the bark ofancient gums, the cool relegated down the list ofpreferred vegeta- mud of swampy wetlands, and the fine tion communities. The very zen-like struc- construction ofa Willie Wagtail’s nest. As ture ofwoodlands, and the gentle land- soon as you read this beautifully presented scapes in which they occur have, sadly, special interest book you’ll be planning contributed to their downfall. Their park- yournextpicnic orbushwalk. like appearance drew anglophiles of the This book targets a wider audience than 1 th and 1 ,h centuries, and the ease with the scientific community- it has its roots in which they could be cleared made them science, but appeals to the general commu- susceptibleto furtherdegradation. nity through the use of stunning pho- This is where Woodlands: a disappear- tographs,diagramsandeasyto followchap- ing landscape comes in. The book takes ters and subheadings. My favourite photo is you on a journey through Australia’s ofaCunningham’s Skinkbaskingon arock woodland heritage, and the seasonal and beneath a brooding stormy sky (page 81). 38 The Victorian Naturalist BookReviews The authors go farbeyond the stereotypical wondrous landscapes. These actions are aesthetic appeal ofournatural environment, summarised well on page 132, and include evidenced by the attention paid to inverte- steps such as ‘Consider the size and shape brates. Witchetty grubs, centipedes, jewel ofplanting’ and ‘Leave dead saplings and spidersandgoldenorbspidersarejustafew trees as well as fallen branches and logs ofthe many invertebrates featured in the within restored areas - they will have colourful photographs, as well as being dis- importanthabitatvalue’. cussedinthetext. Woodlands: a disappearing landscape This book does not aim to be a scientific has broad appeal, but in its final chapters reference, although it does draw on some funnels a range ofinformation into a very excellent resources, imploring the readerto precise direction, which is to ensure that studyfurther. Thebibliography spansseven future generations can enjoy woodlands as pages, and is broken into subheadings much as we do. It would be ideal for including Mammals, Frogs and Reptiles, landowners who wish to learn more about and Plants, with the largest section being and enhance the woodlands on their prop- Background Scientific Literature. The final erties, and would be well received by any two chapters, (Woodland Management and naturalist. Conservation and The Future) are the most RebeccaJ Steer pertinent, as the authors venture beyond Botanist,BiosisResearchPtyLtd dire forecasts and faint messages ofhope. 449DovetonStreetNorth Instead, concise, proven actions are provid- Ballarat,Victoria3350. ed for those striving to do more for these As iffor a thousand years: a history ofVictoria’s Land Conservation and Environment Conservation Councils by Danielle Clode Publisher: VictorianEnvironmental AssessmentCouncil, Melbourne2006 ISBN1741524636RRP$2000 The Land Conservation Council (LCC) the institutions themselves, have a high (1971-1997) and its successors, the riskofbeing sanitised ‘spin’. Clode avoids Environment Conservation Council (ECC) this by skilfully interweaving insightful (1998-2001) and the Victorian Environ- and frank comments ofboth the political mental Assessment Council (VEAC) and other players (e.g. Ministers (2002-present) are a ‘uniquely successful Borthwick and Kirner, Calder) into a read- public land planning system like no other in able ‘story’. The socio-political milieu in the world’ (p. 136), so a good history of which the institution was created is very decision-making about the most appropriate well covered andthe contextofsubsequent useofpublic landisbothvaluable andtime- changes is well explained. After the Little ly. Clode’s scholarship is accessible, data- Desert debate ofthe late 1960s (to clear or rich,informativeandreadable. not to clear?). Bill Borthwick became Histories of public institutions, particu- Minister ofLands, Soldier Settlement and larly those commissioned or published by Conservation (my how we have changed). Vol. 124(1) 2007 39