​THE AUSTRALASIAN MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Join the fight against invasive myrtle rust!
The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) (hosted by CSIRO), is a national open access repository for biodiversity data. This March, the ALA is supporting our biosecurity data partners to raise awareness and increase reporting of invasive myrtle rust through citizen science. In collaboration with the Australian Network for Plant Conservation and the Gum Tree Guardians project, we encourage members of the public to report myrtle rust sightings using their preferred citizen science app, such as iNaturalist and NatureMapr. The goal is to improve the geographic and taxonomic representation of myrtle rust data, which is made open and accessible via the ALA to support researchers, policy makers, landholders, and other data users to create a more detailed picture of Australia’s invasive species landscape.
Myrtle rust is an invasive fungus that infects plants in the Myrtaceae family, which includes 1,500 species of Australian native trees and shrubs such as eucalyptus, tea trees, bottlebrushes, paperbarks, and lily-pillies. Myrtle rust also affects many exotic Myrtaceae species that are commonly used in gardens and urban parks. It causes deformed leaf, flower, and fruit development, which can hinder reproduction and growth in affected plants. Consequently, myrtle rust threatens both local Myrtaceae species and the native animals that rely on them as a food source. Myrtle rust is currently recorded in large areas of Queensland, north and eastern New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and in the Northern Territory. There is strong concern that myrtle rust will continue to spread to other areas of Australia and contribute to the decline of Australian biodiversity.
As part of the citizen science initiative to increase myrtle rust awareness and reporting, we are encouraging interest groups in or near myrtle rust affected areas to consider collecting and submitting observation records. Here are some suggestions for how your group or organisation can participate:
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Encourage your members/network to sign up to a citizen science app, like iNaturalist or NatureMapr and use the ALA Myrtle Rust Reporting Guide to help identify and capture the critical information to report possible myrtle rust sightings.
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Post on social media about the and tag the ALA ( Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | LinkedIn), iNaturalist (X (formerly Twitter)) or NatureMapr (Facebook | X (formerly Twitter| Instagram).
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Please share the ALA’s Blog post about myrtle rust
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Please share the ALA’s Myrtle rust reporting guide (also attached)
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Alternatively, you can follow the ALA on social media and share our posts across your networks.
Here are some suggestions if you would like to do more:
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Organise a bioblitz or field day to report myrtle rust sightings and/or survey local Myrtaceae populations in your area.
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Encourage your members to follow best hygiene practices when gardening or bushwalking to avoid accidentally spreading pathogens like myrtle rust.
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Encourage your members to check out citizens science projects like the Gum Tree Guardians to connect with experts and learn more about myrtle rust in Australia. Several of Australia’s leading myrtle rust, biosecurity, and citizen science experts are involved in the campaign and have offered to speak with interested groups, subject to availability.
Draft social media text:
Twitter/ X
Myrtle rust is an invasive species spread by bright yellow spores 🟡 that threaten iconic Australian flora like gum trees, tea trees and bottlebrushes. 🌳 Submit sightings to @inaturalist and @naturemapr where data records are made available at @atlaslivingaust!
Help track the spread of myrtle rust across Australia!
Myrtle rust is an invasive species of fungus recognisable by bright yellow spores on the leaves of plants in the Myrtaceae family like gum trees, tea trees and bottlebrushes. 🟡
🌱 The @AtlasofLivingAustralia (ALA) helps to tackle invasive species by making more than 132 million species occurrence records open and accessible.
📲 Report myrtle rust sightings through #CitizenScience on @iNaturalist.org and @NatureMapr!
Help track the spread of myrtle rust across Australia!
Myrtle rust is an invasive species of fungus recognisable by bright yellow spores on the leaves of plants in the Myrtaceae family like gum trees, tea trees and bottlebrushes. 🟡
🌱 The @Atlas-of-Living-Australia (ALA) helps to tackle invasive species by making more than 132 million species occurrence records open and accessible.
📲 Report myrtle rust sightings through #CitizenScience on @iNaturalist.org and @NatureMapr!
#MyrtleRust #CitizenScience #AtlasofLivingAutralia