At first glance, inland saline ecosystems may look like barren wastelands. Look a little closer and you’ll see a hidden world of small and beautiful salt-tolerant plants and invertebrates thriving in these seemingly inhospitable conditions.

In this talk, geologist Sophie Briggs from the University of Otago will unravel the mystery of how these unique ‘salt pans’ came to be, and share what we’ve learned from investigations carried out by local schools participating in the Project Salt programme.

Join us to explore what happens when geology, climate, and oceans intertwine, and discover the surprising role that historic gold mining has played in this extraordinary geoecological story. A tour of the inland saline ecosystem at Chapman Road Scientific Reserve will talk place the morning following the talk.

Date: 6:30pm, Wednesday 26 February
Venue: Earnscleugh Hall, 506 Earnscleugh Road
Guest Speaker: Sophie Briggs Geologist & Lecturer @ Otago University
Entry by koha-donation