Nature Foundation

"National Parks Foundation" redirects here. For the U.S. organisation, see National Park Foundation.

Nature Foundation, formerly The National Parks Foundation and Nature Foundation SA Inc. (NFSA), is the largest non-government nature conservation organisation based in South Australia. It was founded in October 1981, and is supported by the Government of South Australia as well as the Australian Government. The organisation owns and manages several nature reserves, with the largest being Witchelina and Hiltaba, which are converted stations.

History

The Nature Foundation was founded as The National Parks Foundation^[1] on 14 October 1981 by a group comprising Warren Bonython AO, Barbara Hardy AO, Mark Bonnin AO (a medical doctor and lecturer at the University of Adelaide^[2]) and David Cleland.^[3][4][5] It grew and extended its functions, becoming Nature Foundation about 10 years later.^[1] It was formerly known as Nature Foundation SA Inc.^[6] (also referred to as NFSA^[3]).

It was formerly headquartered in Hindmarsh.^[3]

By the time of its 30th anniversary in 2011, it had helped to enable the acquisition of over 25 properties covering over 7,000 km² (2,700 sq mi) for conservation purposes, and provided grants to more than 300 university researchers. Around this time, it created the "Water for Nature" which involved the purchase of water along the River Murray in order to use it in conserving small, private wetland areas along the river.^[3]

In 2011 and 2012 the foundation held two fund-raising bush walks. In 2012, there was a choice of three walks: easy (3 km (1.9 mi)), intermediate (6 km (3.7 mi) and hard (12 km (7.5 mi), all along part of the Heysen Trail. It was anticipated that around A$30,000 would be raised by around 500 participants.^[7]

CEO Hugo Hopton retired on 22 April 2022, after six years of service.^[8]

Description

Nature Foundation is the largest non-government conservation organisation based in South Australia, and undertakes programs in conserving land, wetland and species.^[1] Its stated mission is "engaging people, resources and good science to conserve the precious habitat of South Australia".^[9]

Its Bush Bank SA enabled the foundation to purchase and rejuvenate properties which it has then sold to new owners who are obliged to maintain them under conservation status.^[3]

Its work includes managing nature reserves;^[10] undertaking a wide-ranging science strategy, including arranging funding for ecological research;^[11] conservation programs, such as Water for Nature and the Bushbank Revolving Fund;^[12] the Kids on Country program;^[13] and various other initiatives. It is a member of Friends of Parks South Australia.^[14]

It also delivers the Revitalising Private Conservation in South Australia program, which coordinates and delivers funding for conservation programs by the Government of South Australia.^[15] In August 2021, the Marshall government announced $1 million in grant funding for native vegetation conservation projects under this grant program, to be delivered by Nature Foundation in partnership with Conservation SA, Livestock SA, Nature Conservation Society of South Australia and Trees for Life.^[16]

Governance and funding

Nature Foundation is a limited company under the Corporations Act 2001, managed by an unpaid Board of Directors.^[17] It is governed by a board of conservationists, scientists, business and professional people, and is managed by a small team based in Prospect, a suburb north of Adelaide, along with rotational managers at its nature reserves. It also relies on support by members, donors and volunteers who work at fund-raising, office administration and working bees.^[1]

In addition, there are a number of committees, and rotational managers who spend time managing the various properties.^[18]

Since before 2011^[3] and as of 2015, Bob Lott was president of the foundation.^[19]

The CEO was Hugo Hopton^[16][20] for six years until his retirement on 22 April 2022.^[8] Alex Nankivell, who has been with the foundation since 2008 and is also Science and Knowledge Program Manager, took over as interim CEO, with Mark Ashley as deputy.^[21]

As of April 2022^[update] Jan Ferguson OAM is chair of the board.^[17] There are three patrons: founder Barbara Hardy, entrepreneur Dick Smith, and geophysicist Reg Nelson.^[22]

Apart from government grants, the foundation receives donations from local philanthropists and a portion of the "significant environmental benefits" payments which mining companies have to pay in South Australia, and undertakes fund-raising drives.^[3]

Nature reserves

As of 2022^[update] Nature Foundation's nature reserves comprise nearly 40 per cent of all private protected areas in South Australia, and 6 per cent nationally. It implements various conservation projects that bring biodiversity benefits to these areas. It owns and manages eight nature reserves:^[10]

• Witchelina Nature Reserve, near Leigh Creek in the north of the state
• Hiltaba Nature Reserve, Gawler Ranges
• Watchalunga Nature Reserve, Fleurieu Peninsula
• Para Woodlands Nature Reserve, near Gawler
• Tiliqua Nature Reserve, near Burra
• Murbpook Nature Reserve, a wetland reserve on the Murray River
• Geegeela Nature Reserve, abutting Geegeela Conservation Park in Bangham, South Australia in the south-east of the state
• Cygnet Park Sanctuary, Kangaroo Island

Watchalunga was established in March 2015, and comprises around 20 per cent of the swamplands on the Finniss River, near Finniss. The wetland provides habitat for the Mount Lofty Ranges Southern Emu-wren, an endangered species, and the southern bell frog, which is a threatened species. Nature Foundation works in collaboration with the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority,the Goolwa to Wellington local action planning group, and Conservation SA in managing the land and undertaking research at Watchlunga.^[19]

Kids on Country

The "Kids on Country" program, for Aboriginal adolescents, is aimed at improving well-being, teaching life skills, building self-confidence, strengthening cultural identity and connection to country, and inspiring an interest in conservation and land management in this group, thus improving school retention rate. Programs are tailored to the secondary school curriculum, and include a high degree of STEM-related topics.^[13][23]

The program, which is run in collaboration with Aboriginal community leaders, secondary schools, and industry partners^[24] comprises:^[13]

• A program induction workshop at participating schools
• Access to a specially-created e-learning program
• A 5-day camp program, run in collaboration with traditional owners and industry experts

Camps are run at both Hiltaba and Witchelina. In the third camp of the programme at Hiltaba in 2018, 16 students aged from 12 to 14 years old from Ceduna spent a week on the property, where they helped to improve the property as a nature reserve, while at the same time learning about Aboriginal peoples' unique connection to country, along with STEM learning. The aim was to help the children to connect the Aboriginal, palaeontological, and geological stories of the area. The students helped to prepare bush tucker such as kangaroo tail and wombat meat, and to clean the rock holes.^[25] Another camp was held at Hiltaba in 2019.^[24]

References

1. Hiltaba Nature Reserve Information Pack, Nature Foundation, 22 October 2020
2. Bockxmeer, John van (9 June 2017). "Breaking the cycle". Griffith Review. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
3. Williamson, Brett (15 December 2011). "Nature Foundation of South Australia celebrates 30 years". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
4. "Launch of the Mark Bonnin Walking Trail". Walking SA. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
5. "Barbara Hardy Walking Trail, Hiltaba Nature Reserve". Walking SA. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
6. "Nature Foundation". SAcommunity. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
7. Peddie, Clare (17 October 2012). "Going an extra mile for nature". The Advertiser. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
8. . Nature Foundation. April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. "Who we are". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
10. "Nature reserves". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
11. "Science & Research". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
12. "Conservation Programs". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
13. "Kids on Country". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
14. "Members Directory". Friends of Parks South Australia. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
15. "Revitalising Private Conservation SA". Conservation Council SA. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
16. Speirs, David (30 August 2021). "Native vegetation conservation gets a $3 million boost". Premier of South Australia. Retrieved 11 January 2022.   Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU) licence.
17. "Our Board". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
18. "Our people". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
19. Dayman, Isabel (18 March 2015). "Endangered species better protected as Watchalunga Nature Reserve established on SA Fleurieu Peninsula". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
20. "Our staff". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
21. . Nature Foundation. April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
22. "Our patrons". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
23. "Helping at-risk Aboriginal youth". Sisters of Charity Foundation. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
24. "Kids on Country". Landscape South Australia - SA Arid Lands. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
25. Jonscher, Samantha (3 June 2018). "SA students take to the bush to connect with land and Indigenous culture". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 January 2022.

External links

• Official website