FNPW and Preserving Planet Earth

Caring for Australia’s Natural & Cultural Heritage Since 1970

FNPW and ‘Preserving Planet Earth’

Angus M RobinsonChair, Marketing & Sales

Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife2nd August, 2011


Our Home


Preserving Planet Earth!

Urgent need for us all to start preserving our only known liveable home in the universe

Preservation not just conservation is becoming an imperative; our entire natural environment is now under threat, driven by over population and over development

Much of Rotary’s international work relates to natural disasters, increasingly related to climate change

Rotary efforts are being directed to a wide range of water projects in developing countries

The Rotary army of over 1 million people organised in over 50,000 club units can make the difference!


Today’s Agenda

National Estate and Natural Heritage About the mission of the Foundation Land Acquisition – a case study Habitat conservation – Koala Tree Choice

Project Environmental Awareness – the Backyard

Buddies Program ‘Preserve Planet Earth’ and how Rotarians can

participate


National Estate

The term (‘National Estate’) was incorporated into the Australian Heritage Commission Act and is used to describe a collection of buildings and sites that are worthy of preservation for a variety of reasons. It covers natural environments as well as European history and Aboriginal culture.

The National Estate includes national parks and other lands reserved for public usage.


Understanding Natural Heritage

Natural heritage is the legacy of natural objects and intangible attributes encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna, scientifically known as biodiversity, and geology, landforms and soil landscapes, i.e. geodiversity.


The Foundation

When then Premier of NSW, the Hon Tom Lewis MP, first established the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, he had a vision of establishing a complementary organisation, constituted mainly from the corporate sector, to acquire parks for the Service. Hence the birth of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife in 1970.

Today the Foundation continues the tradition of growing parks and caring for them and the species that inhabit them.


Over 40 Years of Caring


Vision

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife aims to be Australia’s foremost philanthropic partner for national parks.

We care for Australia’s natural and cultural heritage through environmental education and conservation projects.


Foundation Achievements


1. Foundation Achievements

In our history we have added over 500,000 hectares to Australia’s national reserve system, for the enjoyment of all.

We fund threatened species recovery programs. We have saved animals such as the Lord Howe Island woodhen, Gould’s petrel and the yellow-footed rock-wallaby from extinction.


2. Foundation Achievements

The Foundation protects our heritage icons as sources of inspiration for future generations of Australians and visitors from across the world. Some examples of cultural heritage we have helped protect include the World Heritage Old Great North Road, Kosciuszko Historic Huts, Fort Denison, and Mungo.

Finally, we involve the community in the conservation of Australia's native plants and animals through environmental education.


Growing our National Parks


Growing Our National Parks

Growing our parks is essential to safeguard our natural heritage for future Australians.

National Parks remain the core of our protected land system.

The Foundation continues to purchase suitable land to add to extend our national reserves for future generations.


Growing Bongil Bongil National Park


Growing Bongil Bongil NP

2010 saw the Foundation add $550,000 worth of high conservation land to the Bongil Bongil National Park on the upper north coast of New South Wales.

Five (5) threatened species live on the 12.3 hectare addition to Bongil Bongil including koalas, grey- headed flying-foxes, glossy black cockatoos, ospreys and wallum froglets.

This habitat will now be protected in perpetuity.


Growing Bongil Bongil National Park

Bongil Bongil National Park

Sawtell


Growing Bongil Bongil NP

The property also embraces two endangered ecological communities – swamp sclerophyll forest and freshwater wetlands on coastal floodplains.

This land donation protects these valuable ecological communities along with Bongil Bongil’s existing estuaries, amazing beaches and coastal rainforests.


Plants & Wildlife


Plants & Wildlife

Many of Australia’s species are in decline.

The Foundation also cares for the well-being of our unique Australian wildlife through

feral pest control, captive breeding programs, and monitoring surveys e.g. the Koala Tree Choice project


Koala Tree Choice Gunnedah

Koalas are dependent on selecting the right tree in the right place at the right time. The project seeks to explore the direct effect of climate change on koalas by examining which parts of the landscape and which tree species koalas use, and what condition they are in during a heatwave.


Koala Tree Choice Participants

National Parks & Wildlife Service Gunnedah Research Centre Landcare NSW Inc University of Sydney School of Biological

Sciences & Veterinary School Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife


Gunnedah Natural Heritage

Gunnedah Basin Permian Coal Measures and covered by Triassic sediments and rich volcanic derived soils – broad flood plains with class 1 to 5 soils Mixed dry land eucalypts and Pilliga Scrub varieties e.g. Cypress Pine, Casuarinas etcMacropods, koalas, profilic birdlife common – Koala Capital of Australia!European farming settlements, Dorothy Makellar, and indigenous culture (Kamilaroi peoples etc)


Tracking Koalas


Koala in a Tree


Koala Wrangling


Koala Wrangling


Koala Wrangling


Koala Examination


Koala Unwrangling


Koala Unwrangling


Koala Back in the Wild


Thanks A Lot!


Koala Habitat Researchers


Tree Survey


Koala Scat Research!


Koala Tree Choice Project Outcomes

Koala survival enhancement Improvement to native ecosystems through intelligent tree planting and clearing Enhanced knowledge for landholders – response to climate change Improved coal mine site rehabilitation

Caring for Australia’s Natural & Cultural Heritage since 1970

Environmental Education – ‘Backyard Buddies’


Backyard Buddies

Our Backyard Buddies biodiversity education program encourages the community to look after wildlife in their own backyards. It is making a real contribution by protecting local wildlife and biodiversity, and achieving environmental sustainability.

There are over 15,000 Backyard Buddy members who receive our monthly e-newsletter full of interesting facts about backyard plants and animals and tips and ideas on how to attract them.


Backyard Buddies

Backyard Buddies has recently launched its own facebook page for members to talk about their buddies and share their stories, ideas and photos.

Last year our Backyard Buddies program raised more than $100,000. This money was directed back into funding some of our many ‘on the ground’ projects.


FNPW and Rotary

One of RI’s programs is ‘Preserve Planet Earth’. In 2009, Rotary E-Club One won a district award

for a 3 year sponsorship of a US/Australian collaboration program involving conservation activities by young people.

Over the period 2008 -2010, Rotary E-Club One contributed funding towards the Little Penguin wardens program in Manly.

RI Fellowship of Birdwatching Rotarians is considering sponsorship of an FNPW program to underpin their visit to the 2014 RI Conference in Sydney.


Manly’s Little Penguins!

A number of conservation organisations, including Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, Manly Council, the NSW National

Parks & Wildlife Service and the Foundation work to keep the penguins safe and the colony alive.


Other Sydneyside Projects

Sydney Harbour Corporate Volunteering Identification of Endangered Flora, Botany

Bay Coastal Saltmarsh & Mangrove

Rehabilitation along Lane Cove River Botany Bay North Walking Track


Support the Foundation

There are many ways Rotarians or a Rotary Club can support the Foundation: Make a ‘One Off’ Donation Become a Club Sponsor of a local wildlife conservation project Stay informed – encourage family members to sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter


Support the Foundation

Our environment depends on people who care to fight for it. As a registered charity, tax deductible donations primarily fund the Foundation’s activities. Our achievements result from the support we receive from committed individuals.

The Foundation directs funds towards projects with tangible conservation outcomes such as growing our national reserve system for the public, pest eradication programs and threatened species recovery and research projects.


For more Information about the Foundation

Visit our websitewww.fnpw.org.au and sign up for our newsletter!

Become our friend on Facebookwww.facebook.com/fnpw.1970www.facebook.com/backyardbuddies

Follow us on twitterhttp://twitter.com/fnpw

Call us(02) 9221 1949

[email protected]

http://www.fnpw.org.au/