The iconic Australian eucalyptus species is the subject of a new book by internationally recognised scientist Professor Stephen Hopper, to be launched this month at two events in Albany and Perth.

Professor Hopper, from The University of Western Australia’s School of Biological Sciences, is a global leader in botany and conservation biology who has been researching eucalypts for 50 years and has spent the past decade working on Eucalyptus.

UWA’s Albany campus, where Professor Hopper is based, is hosting a sell-out event next Monday 8 December to launch Eucalyptus published by Reaktion Books, and Professor Hopper will also sign copies of the book in Perth on Monday 15 December at Aspects Gallery Shop in Kings Park.

The book delves into the ancient history, biology and cultural significance of the eucalyptus and honours Indigenous knowledge systems to better understand how we can help preserve them amid a challenging future.

It explores the richness of all 900 species, from Tasmania’s mighty stringy gum, or Eucalyptus regnans, one of the planet’s tallest flowering plants, to tiny mallees growing like bonsai on ancient WA granite outcrops. All but 12 of the 900 species are found only in Australia.

Professor Hopper writes in the final chapter of Eucalyptus: “The world today cannot survive without eucalypts. Their utility is unquestionable, for beekeepers or the pharmacy, the timber yard or the trade in fine furniture. Wherever wood, oil and nectar products have been needed from fast-growing, herbivore-resistant trees, eucalypts have been planted.

“Even the paper in the books and printers that remain so important to modern life comes from the fibres of woodchips from Tasmanian blue gum...Although controversial still, with questionable ecological impact, plantation forestry of eucalypts has gifted much to our modern lives.”

For more information about the in-store signing at Aspects of Kings Park, click here.