National tree, summer sounds

Most of us walk under a eucalypt canopy – like this lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora) in Kings Park, Perth – every day, and are perhaps arrested by the leaves’ wind-driven swish, or the chittering of lorikeets arguing over the tastiest blossom. But how often do we stop to consider the diversity of gum trees, and their distribution and dominance over the continent? In one 32-hectare location in South Australia it’s possible to wander amongst more than 95% of Australia’s species. Thirty years after its first tree was planted, this arboretum may hold the key to gums’ survival in our changing world.

Read more on page 42.