Achievements

Protecting land, water and wildlife

We currently own and manage 31 reserves throughout Australia, covering over 946,000 hectares.  Bush Heritage reserves are now protecting:

• more than 242 vegetation communities, including at least 83 that are listed of high conservation value
• over 2700 plant species, including at least 310 of conservation significance
• at least 700 bird and animal species, including 197 that are known to be threatened

Recent acquisitions

Bon Bon Reserve, South Australia
This 216 810 ha property was purchased with the assistance of the Australian Government's National Reserve System Program and the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage. It lies between the Great Victoria Desert and the salt lakes of Eyre, Torrens and Gairdner. Bon Bon's scenic desert landscape is dotted with salt lakes, freshwater wetlands, mulga shrublands, bluebush plains and arid-zone woodlands, a rich diversity of habitats for wildlife. Bon Bon protects seven regional ecosystems, three of which are listed as threatened at the state level. Find out more about Bon Bon Reserve here.

Edgbaston Reserve, Qld
The network of artesian springs on this 8074 ha property is home to an incredible diversity of life-forms found nowhere else. The entire global population of the nationally endangered redfin blue-eye fish lives in just five pools on the property. The reserve protects 27 regional ecosystems as well as the highest concentration of species unique to the Great Artesian Basin in the country. Find out more about Edgbaston Reserve here.

Management and monitoring

Management is underway at all Bush Heritage reserves. Actions undertaken on the ground include pest plant and animal control and monitoring, erosion control, seed collection and revegetation work, fire management and fuel-reduction burning. Bush Heritage has continued to monitor the effectiveness of these management actions using flora and fauna surveys, mapping, and ongoing data collection.  

The Bush Heritage Ecological Outcomes Monitoring (EOM) program is breaking new ground in improving our understanding of the Australian landscape and how our actions affect it, either positively or negatively. It represents the first attempt in Australia to find a simple, repeatable and reliable way of measuring environmental health over time and thus learning how the land and its wildlife respond to land management activities.

Ecological Outcomes Monitoring is being implemented on our reserves and will also be implemented on land that we are managing for conservation in partnership with others. As yet  no monitoring sites have been established on partnership properties, but there are plans to do so soon.

Recent highlights include:

• Trapping and recording at Chereninup Reserve in WA in October 2008 resulted in the highest recorded number and diversity of fauna recoveries to date, including honey and western pygmy possums, the first recorded occurrence of a frog species and the first record of Gould's goanna at the reserve.
• The sighting of several rare grey falcons at both Ethabuka and Cravens Peak reserves in Queensland.
• The discovery of the endangered northern golden moths orchid at Nardoo Hills reserves, Victoria.
• The discovery of critically endangered yellowbox brittle gum woodland at Burrin Burrin Reserve in NSW.

Fundraising

In the 2007-2008 financial year, nearly $10 million was raised in donations and bequests.  Over $6.6 million was contributed in grants from governments, trusts, and foundations.  

Community involvement

Between 2007 and 2008, Bush Heritage benefited from 2585 days of volunteer support from supporters who take an active role in our activities. The estimated value of this contribution is $541,000 however this estimate is not included in the accounts.

The Conservation Partnerships Program includes the Volunteer Ranger and Working Bee programs. These were established to assist reserve managers with general reserve management activities.

Guided field trips provided supporters and local communities with the opportunity to explore the Bush Heritage reserves. Staff explained the conservation significance of the reserves and the management work required to protect them.

For more detail of our recent achievements, please refer to our Annual Financial Reports.