The burrawang belongs to the cycad family. There are roughly 30 species of cycad along the east coast of Australia in tropical and subtropical climates. Other species occur in Central and other parts of Australia.

The botanical name for the burrawang on NSW’s south coast is Macrozamia communis, indicating the plant lives in small communities. In the local Aboriginal language, Dhurga, the burrawang is known as banggawu and the nut is called yiburr. The bulbous female seed cluster is more prolific compared to the elongated male cluster. You’ll usually find one or two male plants among the community of females.

Once again a fabulous publication, I never fail to add to my knowledge base when I indulge in a sit down and immersion amongst these pages.

I picked up an issue from my fabulous local library yesterday and have read it from cover to cover. My purpose for writing is to commend you on the Nurture article It’s okay by Robyn Rosenfeldt (Pip, Issue 28). What you shared here I recognise as hard-earned wisdom through experience. I hope everyone reads it and recognises the life-saving wisdom. I am a nanna of senior years, a lifelong gardener and passionate environmental advocate, and I learned many decades ago how important it is to remember that you can’t do it all. Ever.

And one of the hardest lessons to take on board is that you will never be the perfect parent you envisioned you would be (my parenting journey began in 1980) and that too is okay!

Grey-headed flying foxes are one of the largest bat species in the world; known as megabats. Their faces resemble that of a fox, with light grey fur on the head and a russet collar encircling the neck. Their scientific name is Pteropus poliocephalus. They are the only mammals capable of active flight with a wingspan of up to a metre long and they fly up to 40 kilometres a night. They are commonly known as fruit bats because of their passion for backyard bounty.

Practical permaculture research is happening on campus at the University of Lisbon in Portugal. Almost 15 years ago, a group of science students initiated the Permalab project – a Permaculture Living Laboratory to raise awareness of permaculture as a solution to many ecological, social and economic problems the world is experiencing.

The project includes a series of research gardens around campus, and a significantly visible area right at the entrance. Coordinated by the Faculty of Science, the projects include herbs, experimental greenhouses, a hugelkultur area, swales and water management, compost and waste management, aquaculture and edible woodlands.

The students collaboratively design, implement and test innovative permaculture solutions in cross- disciplinary projects. They aim to evaluate and create scientific evidence of nature-based permaculture solutions sa well as contributing to the regeneration of the campus.

In addition to the specific university Permalab research projects, every Wednesday people from the university and community come together to work in the gardens and learn about permaculture.

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With warmer weather approaching, the Cultural Fire Credit allows people to invest in Indigenous-led cultural burning to reduce the risk of bushfires and to protect and care for Country. Developed by the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation together with the Firesticks Alliance Corporation, the Indigenous- owned initiative not only supports ecosystem regeneration, but means the important practice can continue, at the same time creating a platform where knowledge can be shared with the next generation of Cultural Fire Practitioners. For more info or to invest, head to www.abcfoundation.org.au/cultural-fire-credits.