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Mr Bob Dixon

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Dr Bob Dixon

Position:
Manager, Biodiversity and Extensions
Phone:
(+61 8) 9480 3628
Fax:
(+61 8) 9480 3641
Email:
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Background:

Following training in horticulture in the UK, including a studentship at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, I worked in Kings Park Botanic Garden for a year. I then enjoyed 7 years working as the Nurserymen at Perth Zoo where I gained many skills in the propagation of native plants. Following this I took up the position of Horticultural Advisory Officer in Kings Park advising the general public on the cultivation of native plants, by telephone, illustrated talks and publications. This included a ‘team effort’ compiling Kings Park Bushland Management Plan 1995-2005 - the first plan in Western Australia which did not include prescribe burning. Later I was seconded for a couple of years as Acting Bushland Manager to manage Kings Park Bushland including the challenging Scarp Restoration Project; again a great team effort with staff and contractors.

My present position as Manager Biodiversity and Extensions involves advising Government Departments and other land managers, including mining companies, on managing natural ecosystems in particular managing environmental weeds. I am also involved in the translocation of several declared rare species back into natural and degraded ecosystems, the long term goal is to establish self sustaining populations. My extension duties also include liaising with voluntary organisations such as the Environmental Weed Action Network and Australian Association of Bush Regenerators. I also developed the Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardener program in 1997, was responsible for the initial training, and continue to support and supervise the group. Awards include co-recipient of Golden Gecko award for environmental excellence (2000) and Australian Native Plants Award (Professional Category) 2009.

All of the following projects are dependant on the assistance of the Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners.

Major projects:

Translocation of Declared Rare Flora

I have been involved in a number of ground-breaking translocation projects throughout the state of Western Australia. All of these translocations are dependent on the assistance of the Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners.

  1. Translocation of the Critically Endangered Corrigin Grevillea Grevillea scapigera. Read more...

  2. Translocation of four species of Declared Rare Flora from the Scott Coastal Plain Ironstone Community to the BHP Billiton Beenup Rehabilitation Project. Read more...

  3. Translocation of the Sticky Eremophila Eremophila resinosa. Read more...

  4. Translocation of the Critically Endangered Bancrofts' Symonanthus Symonanthus bancroftii. Read more...

  5. Translocation of Verticordia lindleyi subsp. lindleyi. Read more...

Environmental Weed Control

I have been involved in a number of successful environmental weed control projects in natural and degraded ecosystems. Examples include perennial Veld Grass Ehrharta calycina control, Buffel Grass Cenchrus ciliaris control on Airlie Island, control of many bulbous species e.g., Freesia and Sparaxis, Bridal Creeper Asparagus asparagoides and Vulpia species. A number of herbicides are also trialled in conjunction with the Bushland Manager in Kings Park. Recent findings include control of difficult bulbous/cormous species such as Allium triquertrum, Babiana angustifolia and Ixia maculata using 2,2-DPA or Propon. We are presently investigating the effect (off-target damage) of several grass selective herbicides over a range of native grasses. A range of techniques, including glasshouse herbicide trials, are being conducted to control Wards weed Carrichtera annua on translocation sites containing the rare sticky Eremophila, E. resinosa. 

I have recently been involved in the following weed control projects:

  1. Research and develop integrated control of Ruby Dock: Acetosa vesicaria in the Pilbara. Read more...

  2. Integrated Weed Management Research and Development at Telfer Mine, with an emphasis on Kapok Bush (Aerva javanica) control. Read more...

Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners

I developed the Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners program in 1997, was responsible for the initial training, and continue to support and supervise the group. Based on similar groups in the United States of America and Canada, the Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners were the first such organisation in Australia.

The aims of this incorporated volunteer group are: to provide a public gardening advisory service on the cultivation of Western Australian native plants; to increase public knowledge of the beauty, diversity and importance of native flora through educational activities, presentations and special events; and, to assist Kings Park and Botanic Garden in research conservation and restoration projects. All activities are sympathetic with the activities and goals of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority.

Members undergo an intensive training course and commit to 50 hours volunteer service per year. Volunteer Master Gardeners also play a major role in the translocation of rare flora, which often involves site visits. Some members assist in the laboratory with propagation, growing on and maintenance of container grown plants, while others are involved in plant breeding projects and seed technology.

The group has planned, planted and maintains a bush garden adjacent to the Biodiversity Conservation Centre using indigenous species from Kings Park for educational and aesthetic purposes. This garden is well visited and an excellent example of what can be achieved without summer watering and costly fertilizers. Many of the plants have produced copious amounts of seed and are now regenerating from seed stored in the soil seedbank. The group also assists in promoting the use of native plants through Backyard Botanicals.

Publications:

Over 230 publications, mostly un-refereed, have been written. A selection of these are included below.

Refereed publications:

  • Godefroid, S., Piazza, C., Rossi, G., Buord, S., Stevens, A.D., Aguraiula, R., Cowell, C., Weekley, C.W., Vogg, G., Iriondo, J.M., Johnson, I., Dixon, B., Gordon, D., Magnanon, S., Velentin, B., Bjureke, K., Koopman, R., Vicens, M., Virevaire, M., Vanderborght, T. (2011) How successful are plant species reintroductions? Biological Conservation 144: 672-682.
  • Dixon, I. R. (2006). Control of Arctotheca calendula amongst the critically endangered Corrigin Grevillea Grevillea scapigera on translocation sites in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia p 288-90. Proceedings of the 15th Australian Weeds Conference, eds C. Preston, J.H. Watts and N.D. Crossman (Weed Management Society of South Australia, Adelaide).
  • Dixon, B. and Krauss, S. (2004).The Grevillea scapigera case study. Chapter 9. In Vallee, L., Hogbin, T., Monks, L., Makinson, B., Matthes, M. and Rossetto, M (2004). Guidelines for the translocation of threatened plants in Australia (2nd. Edn) pp. 65-69. Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Canberra.
  • Krauss, S.L., Dixon, B., and Dixon, K.W. (2002). Rapid genetic decline in a translocated population of the rare and endangered Grevillea scapigera (Proteaceae). Conservation Biology 16: 986-994.
  • Meney, K., Dixon, B. and Moonie, P. (2002). Control of bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides on Kings Park Scarp and limiting factors on its growth and spread. Thirteenth Australian Weeds Conference, Perth, W.A. (Eds. Spafford Jacob, H., Dodd, J. and Moore, J.H.) p. 113-116.
  • Dixon, I.R., Dixon, K.W. and Barrett, M. (2002). Eradication of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) on Airlie Island, Pilbara Coast, Western Australia. In Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species p. 92-101. IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (Eds Veitch, C.R. and Clout, M.N.).

Unrefereed publications:

  • Dixon, B (2010) Translocation of Eremophila resinosa, is it working and have we improved our cultural practices. Proceedings Ecological Society of Australia Conference, Canberra.
  • Dixon B (2010) Controlling weeds on translocation sites, strategies, solutions and probable short term costs to the environment. Abstracts< Australian Network for Plant Conservation, 8th National Conference, Perth.
  • Turner S, Bunn E, Dixon B, Merritt D (2010) Seed ecology of threatened species: Implications for long term management. Proceedings Threatened species research forum, Perth.
  • Dixon, B. (2010) Translocation of four rare ironstone endemic species onto a pre-mined area at Beenup in SW Australia. In Soorae, P.S. (ed) GLobal re-introduction perspectives: additional case studies from around the globe. IUCN/SSC re-introduction specialist group. Abu Dhabi, UAE, Pg 301-305.
  • Dixon, B. (2010) Translocation of the resinous Eremophila from test tube to a degraded bushland site in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. In Soorae, P.S. (ed) GLobal re-introduction perspectives: additional case studies from around the globe. IUCN/SSC re-introduction specialist group. Abu Dhabi, UAE, Pg 311-315.
  • Dixon,B. and Krauss, S. (2008). Translocation of the Corrigin grevillea in south Western Australia. Page 229-234 in - Ed. Soorae,P.S. (October 2008) Global re-introduction perspectives: Re-introduction case studies from around the globe.ICUN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Bunn, E. and Dixon,B. (2008). Re-introduction of the endangered Bancroft’s Symonanthus in Western Australia. Page 224-228 in- Ed. Soorae,P.S. (October 2008) Global re-introduction perspectives: Re-introduction case studies from around the globe.ICUN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Dixon, B. (2007). Managing translocation sites for rare species to achieve better long-term outcomes. In proceedings of the MEDICOS X1 2007 Conference 2-5 September, Perth, Australia. Eds. D. Rockich, G. Wardell-Johnson, C. Yates, J. Stevens, K. Dixon, R. McLellan and G. Moss p 75 and 76. Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia.
  • Anthony, J.M. and Dixon, I.R. (2007). Acetosa vesicaria-The case of the mistaken wildflower. In proceedings 9th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions p 202,17-21 September, Perth, Western Australia.
  • Easton, S.D. and Dixon, I. R. (2007). Effectiveness of 2,2-DPA in controlling Babiana, Ixia and Allium in native bushland. In proceedings 9th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions p 155,17-21 September, Perth, Western Australia.
  • Dixon, B. (2006). Freesia control in Kings Park Bushland. In proceedings of Ecology, biology and management of invasive bulbs seminar, Monday 26 June 2006, Perth. Department of Environment and Conservation.
  • Dixon, B. (2007). Fire and the management of geophyte weeds in south-west Australia. In proceedings of Ecology, biology and management of invasive bulbs seminar, Monday 26 June 2006, Perth. Department of Environment and Conservation.
  • Dixon, B. and Krauss, S. (2006). The Corrigin Grevillea: 12 years of recovery. Western Wildlife vol.10:2, p.1, 4&5.
  • Dixon, B. (2005). Managing Phytophthora cinnamomi on a rare ironstone multi-translocation site in Western Australia. Australasian Plant Conservation vol. 13:4, 18-19.
  • Dixon, B. and Moonie, P. (2005). Research from Kings Park: Quizalofop-p-ethel herbicide on native seedlings. Australian Association of Bush Regenerators (W.A.) Newsletter vol. 13:1,4.
  • Dixon, B. and Moonie, P. (2004). Potential off-target damage to indigenous flora in Kings Park bushland following the application of Fusilade 212 and Fusilade WG for the control of Ehrharta calycina perennial veld grass. Australian Association of Bush Regenerators (W.A.) Newsletter vol. 12:5, p. 1, 4&5.
  • Hammersley, L., Moonie, P. and Dixon, B. (2004). Eliza’s changing face: a restoration challenge in Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Australasian Plant Conservation vol. 12:4, 8-9.
  • Dixon, B. (2003). Spring flowering plant: Red and green kangaroo paw. Leaves Calling p. 3., Newsletter of the Australian Institute of Horticulture W.A. Branch.
  • Dixon, B. and Hobbs, R. (2002). Effect of fire and fire regimes on flora diversity in urban bushland. In Burning Issues (Ed. Zelinova, R.) Proceedings of a workshop on fire management in urban bushland p. 14-21. Presented by the Urban Bushland Council, 8 Nov. 2002, Landsdale Farm School, W.A.
  • Dixon, B. and Moonie, P. (2001). Looking at the bigger picture; restoration works in a vertical world. Proceedings of the State Landcare Conference, 11-14 Sept. Mandurah, W.A.
  • Dixon, B. (1998). Best management practices for the control of perennial veld grass Ehrharta calycina. In Managing our Bushland, conference proceedings 16-17 Oct. p. 147-148. Urban Bushland Council W.A. Inc.
  • Dixon, I. R. (1996). Control of bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides and the distribution of Asparagus declinatus in Kings Park bushland, 1991-1995. Plant Protection Quarterly Vol. 11:2, 61-63.
  • Dixon, B., Keys, K., Hopper, S. and Wycherley, P. (1995). A fifty year fire record of fire management in Kings Park bushland. Fire in urban bushland. Conference proceedings 25 Aug., Urban Bushland Council, Cockburn Environmental Centre, W.A.