Erith Island
As
mentioned in the CEO's comments, the Tasmanian Government has declared a
National Park over Erith Island and the entire Kent Group of islands in
Bass Strait.
Prior to 1996, when Bush Heritage purchased the lease, Erith was grazed and faced threats from weed infestation. In the last six years Bush Heritage has been conducting flora and fauna surveys, eradicating weeds and introduced animals and improving the infrastructure and amenity of the Island. This has elevated the Island's importance for conservation.
The whole island group will now be managed under a comprehensive National Park management plan coordinated by Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Bush Heritage has handed its recently completed Plan of Management for Erith Island to the Minister and urged the Government to adopt the goal of maintaining stewardship of Erith Island (and the Kent Group) in perpetuity, as Bush Heritage intended. We will be urging the Government to make available the resources required to continue our level of care.
We are now negotiating the terms of relinquishment of the lease including a financial adjustment for the unexpired portion. Any such adjustment will be added to the endowment for management of our four other Tasmanian reserves. Bush Heritage believes that, with National Park status being established, it is in the interests of the long-term management of the Kent Group, that the State assume control of all the islands. We will be sorry not to have this fine reserve under our care and thank all the people involved with the island who have supported our work there.
For more information about Erith Island and our other reserves please visit the Reserves section on our website.