Keeping hands off our lands

Weekend Australian
Saturday 9/8/2008

Private enterprise, not government, is the latest custodian of the environment, writes Greg Roberts

Nestled in a valley behind the high-rise bustle of Australia's fastest growing metropolis is an oasis of tranquillity. The 4ha of the Currumbin Valley Reserve, in the Gold Coast hinterland, is a tiny remnant of the Big Scrub, a once vast tract of rainforest that covered the lowlands of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW before they were farmed.

Many of the Big Scrub's special plants and animals survive in the Currumbin Valley. Among them is the macadamia tree, the only native Australian plant to be farmed commercially, and the endangered sweet myrtle. The reserve was owned by Alex Griffiths, the founder of Currumbin's internationally renowned bird sanctuary. He could have made millions selling it to developers but wanted it protected in perpetuity.

Griffiths, who died in 1998, did not trust governments so he bequeathed the land to Bush Heritage Australia.

For the complete article read the attached PDF document.