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preserves scientifically valuable information about the pre-existing vegetation. They 
also emphasised the importance of using locally collected seed in revegetation projects 
to maintain local genetic provenances. The dieback of mature Eucal^pltts trees in rural 
areas particularly in the New England area in the f 980s had an obvious and shocking 
impact on the rural landscape. Resulting from the cumulative effects of decades of 
rural activity and the failure to nurture regeneration, the loss of the natural species 
patterns was of particular concern to Johnson. He noted that the patterns of dieback 
were related to particular eucalypt groups and to particular soil types, mainly the 
most fertile soils with species of subgenus Symphi/oim/rtus. The trees on poorer soils 
were relatively unaffected. While the causes are more complex, involving weather 
conditions, insects, birds, pasture improvement and overclearing and grazing, the 
general ecological position was not grasped for some time, and Johnson was concerned 
at the further alteration of the landscape by those trying quick-fix solutions such as 
the planting of exotic conifers and non-local native trees. Johnson argued for further 
protection of remnant vegetation and the replanting with species not only native to 
the area, but collected from local seed sources to retain its local genetic identity. 
A major issue for the expanding conservation movement in the 1960s was mineral¬ 
sandmining on the North Coast which was destroying extensive areas of coastal 
heath and forest on low-nutrient soils, areas that had previously remained undisturbed 
and were seen as an important part of a new coastal national parks system then 
being proposed. Johnson was concerned to see that the scientific values of the 
vegetation were included in the debate. However, as a Division within the Department 
of Agriculture at the time, the Royal Botanic Gardens was restricted in the 
conservation issues it could pursue, input on such issues depending on the 
professional standing of individual officers. Johnson was able to provide scientific 
input as a member of the Committee of the New South Wales Government to Review 
National Parks, State Parks and Reserves in 1967 and subsequently on the Sim 
Committee (Committee of Inquiry on Differences and Conflicts between Interests of 
Parks and Conservation Authorities, Scientific Bodies and Mining Companies), but 
the committee work was frustrating. Though public support for environmental 
standards and conservation was rapidly growing worldwide and locally, it was still 
too weakly expressed to be a basis for firm action by many politicians. But the 
committees followed and overlapped conservation campaigns spearheaded by 
bushwalkers and helped to focus expression of community concerns. By the time the 
Sim Committee completed its work the community attitudes assumed at its start, at 
least by the mining industry representatives, could no longer be taken for granted. 
The Committee had helped to make obsolete the basis from which it had started. 
As Director 
At the end of his term as Director (1972-1985), Johnson described the Royal Botanic 
Gardens as being in the business of seeking and communicating an understanding of 
life (Johnson 1985a). On the scientific side he had tried to broaden the traditional 
taxonomic base by encouraging biosystematic, palynological and phycological studies, 
and the hicreasing use of modern equipment such as the scanning electron microscope. 
He was also a strong advocate of fieldwork. In ecology he supported the two existing 
ecological staff and two additional assistants subsequently provided directly by the 
Public Service Board, but did not increase the ecological staff further as any additional 
staff would have been at the expense of systematic botany positions. He always 
considered that the prime function of the scientific section was systematic botany and 
indeed ensured that under the Roijal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Act 1980, the 
Trust, in meeting its Principal objectives 'is also required to give particular emphasis 
