Across Australia, some of the country’s most precious landscapes are facing an uncertain future. But an Australian organization is taking a strategic, long-term approach to protecting them- one that goes beyond preserving individual patches of bush to creating connected landscapes where wildlife and native plants can thrive.
Bush Heritage Australia acquires strategically important parcels of land, often adjoining existing reserves, to expand protected areas and create wildlife corridors. These connections are critical: they allow animals to move across landscapes in search of food, water and suitable habitat, while helping ecosystems remain resilient as the impact of climate change causes environmental conditions to change.
The scale of the organization’s work is remarkable. Bush Heritage owns 45 reserves across Australia, land that has been purchased through public donations, gifted or received as a bequest, protecting more than 1.5 million hectares through its reserve network. Those reserves are home to extraordinary biodiversity: 9,268 native plant and animal species have been recorded on Bush Heritage reserves to date. By 2030, it has the ambitious aim of directly owning and managing 2.4 million hectares.
I recently spoke with Jennifer Smith Grubb, Executive Director of Friends of the Australian Bush Heritage Fund, a US-based non-profit, who was in New York meeting with philanthropists about supporting the acquisition of Wooroora, a piece of incredible landscape in north east Queensland. Bush Heritage Australia is currently working to secure this remarkable property, which is home to thousands of species. The alternative is potentially devastating: if the land is sold for development or agriculture and cleared, much of its unique flora and fauna could disappear forever. The property is home to the iconic koala and emu, as well as northern quolls and cassowaries.
Jennifer told me that Bush Heritage Australia is increasingly looking to New York as a major source of philanthropic support, particularly from people interested in environmental protection, biodiversity and conservation. The organization has relied heavily on Australian donors over many years and, in Jennifer’s words, believes it is vital to expand the network of support beyond Australia’s shores. Building meaningful relationships with New York’s most generous philanthropists ready to invest their resources and passion into protecting Australia’s extraordinary natural heritage is an important part of the organization’s current strategy.
Jacqui Courtney knows firsthand how nature can heal itself when land is protected and given the chance to recover. In 2003, Jacqui and her husband, Chris Darwin, helped Bush Heritage Australia acquire a 68,000-hectare property in Western Australia’s biodiversity-rich region.
Jacqui described the land at the time as a “destroyed bit of dirt” due to the impacts of a severe bushfire and ongoing drought conditions. Scientists, however, told Jacqui and Chris that through ongoing and careful stewardship, the native plants and animals would return.
They were correct. Today, the property, now called the Charles Darwin Reserve, is a thriving ecosystem. The 68,000-hectare reserve sits within the internationally recognized South West Botanical Province, one of only 36 global biodiversity hotspots.
Jacqui describes her 23-year involvement as an amazing experience, one that has brought lifelong friendships, a lot of fun, and the joy of watching a valuable landscape come back to life.
I loved hearing Jacqui talk about this long term restoration work being undertaken alongside local Aboriginal communities. For instance, Aboriginal leaders have helped Bush Heritage Australia learn and reinstate some of the traditional knowledge and practices of caring for the land.
One of these practices is a way of protecting vital water sources. Known by the local name of gnamma, Aboriginal people traditionally protected natural rock holes by covering them, reducing exposure to sun and wind and therefore slowing evaporation. This was part of a sophisticated system of Indigenous water management, developed over thousands of years to conserve precious water in Australia’s often extremely dry environments.
During Climate Week, Bush Heritage Australia is bringing their story to New York, with events designed to connect Australians and New Yorkers who care about conservation, Indigenous knowledge, climate and nature.
AWNY members are warmly invited to join Friends of the Australian Bush Heritage Fund and their Australian partners, Bush Heritage Australia and Karrkad Kanjdji Trust at Old Mates Australian Pub on Tuesday, September 22, from 12–3pm, for an informal conversation about Australia, conservation and the role Indigenous leadership can play in responding to climate and nature challenges. To register, go to https://events.humanitix.com/old-mates-new-connections
For Australians living in New York, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more, meet others who care about Australia’s natural heritage, and help connect Friends of the Australian Bush Heritage Fund with a new generation of supporters who can help protect Australia’s extraordinary biodiversity for generations to come.
If you’re interested in contributing to this cause, please go to Support – Friends of the Australian Bush Heritage Fund or contact Jennifer Smith Grubb at Jennifer@friendsofbushheritage.org