Progress in conservation partnerships

Nathan Males runs the conservation partnerships program

Bush Heritage aims for excellence in land management. To achieve this with limited finances means that developing partnerships with individuals and other organisations is essential. Our Conservation Partnerships Program is answering this need.

SUPPORT FROM ORGANISATIONS

Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) is a national organisation that manages teams of volunteers for conservation projects. We are developing a program of works with CVA across all of our reserves. They are mostly involved in fencing maintenance, weed and erosion control, habitat restoration and monitoring - mostly jobs that require larger groups of people for up to a week at a time.

Greening Australia has extensive technical expertise and there is potential for their involvement at all our reserves. Currently, James Smith from the Wagga Wagga office is assisting in the management of Tarcutta Hills Reserve in New South Wales. He has organised large-scale weed control and is helping to establish and survey plots to test the effects of fire on the regeneration of native woodland species - research which is supported by the Threatened Species Network.

VOLUNTEER RANGERS

Carnarvon Station Reserve Volunteer Rangers are an ongoing and vital part of the Conservation Partnerships Program. Since the last newsletter four groups have contributed weeks of their time with wonderful results.

The Kerwick family erecting campground signs
PHOTO: WAYNE LAWLER/ECOPIX

On a recent visit I was amazed to see the rapid recovery of the springs that have been fenced. Since being protected from feral animals, the native plants are recolonising and crystal clear pools have replaced the churned, muddy patches of water. Peter and Margaret Calder have recently fenced another of these fragile areas.

John Hanson has used his skills to improve many of the Reserve's roads while Lyla Hanson carried out very extensive bird surveys, extending our knowledge enormously and providing baseline data for ongoing monitoring.

The propagation house is now complete and already growing native plants for future regeneration work thanks to Heather Bray, Christine Strong and Grant Fortunaso. This team also started landscaping the homestead compound. Veteran Volunteer Ranger, Don Royal, has been back working with a new recruit, Ryan Chisholm, on a range of projects including weed control. Our thanks to them all.

The Volunteer Rangers program at Tarcutta Hills Reserve will begin early in 2003. Projects will include bird surveys and monitoring, cabin renovations, erosion control, seed collection, fauna surveys, fencing maintenance and weed control. As there is no reserve manager based at Tarcutta,Volunteer Rangers will need to undertake the projects without assistance or supervision. If you are interested, please contact me at nmales@bushheritage.asn.au

Peter and Margaret Calder wrote: 'We thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks on Carnarvon Station Reserve. It is nice to know we have done something useful to help in the overall conservation program…We would recommend the Volunteer Rangers Program to anyone who feels they have some skills to contribute. We wish you every success in effectively managing the reserve for many years to come.' (July 2002)

 

 

John Hanson at work on Carnarvon's roads.
PHOTO: WAYNE LAWLER/ECOPIX

Peter and Margaret Calder fencing the spring
PHOTO: WAYNE LAWLER/ECOPIX

Lyla and John Hanson
PHOTO: WAYNE LAWLER/ECOPIX