Birds of a feather
Pelicans in the driveway, thousands of kilometres from the sea…what exactly does Naree Station Reserve look like when birds come to breed?
Last year, just before I visited our reserves in south-west Western Australia for the first time, I had the pleasure of sitting down for a meal with long-time Bush Heritage supporter Michael Tichbon. Michael is passionate about West Australian flora and he shared some of his knowledge with me over lunch.
As I toured Monjebup, Red Moort and our other Fitz-Stirling reserves in the days that followed, I was able to appreciate the incredible diversity of this unique landscape through Michael’s eyes.
Every corner, every rise and hollow seemed to contain a completely different mix of plants, most of which I had never seen before and many of which are found nowhere else.
What I find so exciting about our work in the south-west, on Noongar country, is the tangible progress we’re making. In just 10 short years we’ve acquired six reserves that are protecting more than 10,000 hectares.
Our revegetation is now teeming with life – Honey Possums, Pygmy Possums, Tamar Wallabies and dozens of species of birds.
All this, despite there still being feral cats and foxes roaming around.
Imagine the transformation we’ll see as we, and other landholders, increase our efforts to control those predators across the whole region? The Fauna Recovery Program (see the story ‘From tin whistles to tinsel’) will make that vision a reality.
In this edition of bushtracks we’re also celebrating the expansion of our Tarcutta Hills Reserve on Wiradjuri country in southern New South Wales.
Huge swathes of habitat were burnt in this landscape over the Summer, making it more critical now than ever before to expand protection of the native vegetation that remains.
Luckily, Tarcutta Hills avoided the flames and its woodlands will be bursting with Spring blossoms, providing a vital and secure food source for the region’s woodland birds.
On the back of this newsletter is a list of people whose donations made the purchase of the new addition to Tarcutta Hills possible. It gives me great comfort knowing that they, and other likeminded people, are doing what they can to protect the Australian bush.
I fundamentally believe that if we all work together – whether that be by donating, volunteering, or educating ourselves and others – then we'll succeed in safeguarding our unique animals and landscapes for future generations.
With care,
Heather Campbell, Chief Executive Officer.
Bushtracks 2020 Spring
Bushtracks Spring 2020
