Goonderoo Reserve covenant

Conservation Agreements Officer Jim Mulcahy reports on Goonderoo

When Bush Heritage acquires a property we can all feel confident that its natural values will be protected and managed for conservation. But what would happen to Bush Heritage reserves in future in the unlikely event that it ceased to exist? One way to provide some insurance against such an eventuality would be to attach a conservation covenant to each property. A conservation covenant attached to the title of the land travels with that title and is binding on all future owners. Bush Heritage aims to provide this legal safety net in the case of all of its reserves.

A 'Nature Refuge Agreement' has recently been declared over the Bush Heritage Goonderoo Reserve through the Queensland Government's scheme for covenanting private land. This conservation covenant requires Bush Heritage and any future owners to protect the natural values of the property. It makes provision for activities such as feral animal control and prescribed burning to allow Bush Heritage to manage and enhance the reserve effectively.

Have you thought about covenanting any remnant bushland that you may own? Contact your State wildlife agency for further information.

Above: Goonderoo Reserve, Qld. PHOTO: WAYNE LAWLER/ECOPIX