Save Protect Restore Nature Foundation 2013–2014 Sa Annual Report
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SAVE PROTECT RESTORE NATURE FOUNDATION 2013–2014 SA ANNUAL REPORT Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Credit: Jem Shimmield ISSN 2202-8803 Nature Foundation SA owns and directly manages five OUR conservation properties, and has contributed to many conservation initiatives in FOOTPRINT South Australia LAKE EYRE SOUTH AUSTRALIA WITCHELINA LAKE FROME Roxby Downs LAKE GAIRDNER FLINDERS RANGES NP 5. LAKE 6. TORRENS Ceduna HILTABA Port Augusta L. I. 1. GAWLER RANGES NP 7. 2. Whyalla M. PROPERTIES CURRENTLY 3. Port Pirie 8. OWNED/CO-OWNED OR 9. MANAGED/ CO-MANAGED TILIQUA BY NFSA Burra 10. J. WATER FOR NATURE Moonta Renmark WATERING SITES G. PARA K. 11. PROPERTIES PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED 4. WOODLANDS Loxton BY OR WITH NFSA SUPPORT N. F. 22. 1. Scrubby Peak Station 13. Kenneth Stirling CP Port Lincoln 12. 2. Paney Station 14. Mount George CP RIVER MURRAY ADELAIDE 13. 3. Venus Bay CP 15. Mark Oliphant CP 14. Mannum 4. Tucknott Scrub 16. Glenshera Swamp Murray Bridge 5. Wilpena Station 17. Salt Creek E. 15. 6. Boolcoomatta Station 18. Bangham NP A. 16. 7. Mount Remarkable NP 19. Frances Parklands Kingscote C. Victor B. 8. Caroona Creek 20. Lake St Clair CP H. Harbor 9. Mokota CP 21. Carpenter Rocks CYGNET 10. Gluepot Station 22. South Buckland Lake PARK 11. Portee Station 23. Eaglehawk Waterhole SANCTUARY 17. 12. Sandy Creek CP Bordertown D. BUSHBANKSA PROPERTIES 18. PROTECTED AREAS ON PRIVATE LAND (COVENANTED VIA BUSHBANKSA) 19. A. Clayton Road, Kangarilla I. Yatina Bushland 23. B. Macintosh Way, Coonalpyn J. Hallelujah Hills C. Meyer Scrub K. Blanchetown Bushland 20. D. Padthaway Estate E. Ironbank L. Yandiah Millicent F. Crosers Scrub M. Beetaloo Valley Mt Gambier G. Point Drummond N. Ridley H. Mount Magnificent 21. Hiltaba Nature Reserve. Credit: Patrick Mentzel Printed on FSC certified 100% recycled paper CONTENTS 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 4 STRATEGIC PLAN 5 CEO’S PERSPECTIVE 6 OUR LAND 8 MANAGING THE FLOW 10 NEW COMMITTEES/PROJECTS 11 LAND ACQUISITION 12 FUNDRAISING FOR OUR FUTURE 14 CASE STUDIES 16 WHY WE GIVE GRANTS 18 OUR PEOPLE 20 OUR AMBASSADORS 21 VALUING VOLUNTEERS 22 GOVERNANCE MATTERS 23 FINANCE, GOVERNANCE AND LEGAL 32 HONOUR ROLL PHOTOGRAPHY Natasha Harper Jem Shimmield Alix Baltais Melissa Jensen Amy Slender Hannah Bannister Anne Jensen Julie Schofield Graham Chilman Dr Greg Johnston Phil Cole Jamie Kohler CONTRIBUTORS Paul Drummond Patrick Mentzel Bob Lott Leo Davis Marc Nell Dr Bob Sharrad AM Craig Ferber Millie Nicholls NFSA staff Georgie Fiedler Andy Rasheed Nature Foundation SA 32 Holden St, Hindmarsh SA 5007 08 8340 2880 [email protected] www.naturefoundation.org.au THE BIG PICTURE PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2013 NFSA has discussed the future of these and they can award more grants than these last areas with DEWNR, Beach Energy, senior few years. SA Museum personnel and many others. Councillors and staff were treated to a Improved Committee Structure presentation of the significance of the Ediacaran fauna by Dr Mary Droser whose research at Beside the excellent work being done by Susie the Nilpena site is funded, in part, by NASA. Herzberg and Nic Edwards in the Finance and Governance Committee in the matters The Property Management Committee has of Governance as it relates to both Council really come of age under the leadership of and staff and in particular the workings of the Chris Reed. The property infrastructure Standing Committees, the Foundation has is simply brilliant and is already being used expanded to develop new initiatives. most successfully housing scientists and other interested parties and our small but burgeoning After a shaky start developing relationships HELLO TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL tourism initiatives. Again we held a very with major players in the Resource sector NATURE FOUNDATION SA FRIENDS AND successful Grand Working Bee at Hiltaba, and being in danger of losing our pre-eminent SUPPORTERS. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN AN assisted with the Lizard Crawl day at Tiliqua, position in the field attracting Third Party EXTREMELY BUSY BUT VERY SUCCESSFUL and the rotational managers are becoming Offsets from a number of companies and YEAR. THE ANECDOTAL COMMENTS more involved in the conservation activities the the rank uncertainty which enveloped the I AND COUNCILLORS ARE RECEIVING Foundation undertakes on our properties. industry with unsustainable cuts to the Native 2 ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BODY OF Vegetation Department staff numbers, the WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE COUNCIL, Water For Nature Foundation undertook the task of forming a ITS COMMITTEES AND STAFF. powerful Significant Environmental Benefit The Foundation continues to be the only (SEB) Committee and embarked on a sweep Terrestrial activities Not-for-Profit entity which has had a significant of activity to cement its place as the go-to amount of Commonwealth environment water entity for Resource Industry companies when For much of our 33 years of existence the focus given to it. The challenge for us is finding the considering their SEB commitments. has been on terrestrial matters and this past finances required to deliver this water to our year has been no exception. half a dozen smallish projects and the large The Committee presented to the Native scale projects being negotiated by our CEO Vegetation Council (NVC), visited the main The Land Acquisition Committee, chaired by Ian Atkinson. Greg Toop, the chair of this players in Department for Manufacturing, David Moyle, negotiated with DEWNR and committee, continues to develop relationships Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy together we were able to fund the purchase with important federal politicians to ensure (DMITRE), and met with important of the very important south-east property that they are aware of our relationships with stakeholders in the industry and has engaged at Francis which was gifted to the Nature river communities and that we continue outside expertise from an organization called Glenelg Trust a most impressive science- to play a leading role in assisting the Remarkable NRM. Its principal John Gavin based conservation agency whose focus is Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and his colleague Deb Agnew have delivered concentrated on the south-east of SA and and his department successfully deliver the superb input to the SEB Committee and the south-west of Victoria. Government’s concept of ‘Localism’ in the use Committee commenced the process to employ of the environmental water flows in the Murray an SEB Business Development Manager to There has been some welcome movement of Darling Basin. further the initiatives the Committee has put properties after a period of inactivity in the in place. conservation land sales market and we sold Post Graduate Project Funding another of our Blanchetown Bushland blocks Our new Councillor Suzanne Ridding with (with a couple more sales imminent in the new Unfortunately this third tranche of our major her expertise in the fields of Carbon Capture financial year). activities has been suffering from the very and Carbon Credits has quickly fashioned the difficult financial circumstances the state is Carbon Capture and Carbon Credits Working The Foundation has been the lead agency experiencing. We are not able to offer Post Group (the 4Cs). The Foundation now during this past year working to find a Graduate grants to the same level as in the understands this important matter far better solution which will ensure that the site of past. We are nevertheless very impressed with than previously and is working assiduously to the internationally significant Ediacaran Fossil the standard of applications and pleased that positioning itself to benefit from the ‘Carbon Fields are protected in perpetuity. The owners a number of applications relate to proposed Industry‘ as Governments struggle to reach of Nilpena Station have worked for many research on our own properties. Bob Sharrad consensus with this issue which is so incredibly years to ensure that this National Heritage and his expert committee hope that the important to the future of our children and site continues to be protected. Since June financial climate improves in the coming years future generations. In the coming year a Tourism Committee will The CEO and his staff do incredible work for be formed to develop this potential income the Foundation and we appreciate every effort stream in the future after initial forays into they make to help it grow. Their combined AT A GLANCE Tourism initiatives led by Councillor Chris Reed expertise is recognised throughout Australia HIGHLIGHTS OF in late 2013 achieved minor but important prompting many in the industry to comment 2013-2014 successes. that Nature Foundation SA is one of the most effective Conservation groups in the country Other Highlights and many marvel at the quality and quantity of the output of our staff. 26 The Foundation approached Mr. Reg Nelson Research projects and research in June to ask him if he would consider Our Committee structure relies heavily on scholarships granted a total of $75,925 becoming our third Patron. I am very proud to the input of its Non-Councillor members, we say that subsequently Reg Nelson advised the thank them all and, of course, the powerful Foundation that he would accept its invitation. Committee structure is so successful because The unbelievable rise and rise of Beach Energy of the commitment of the Council member is largely due to Reg Nelson who assisted Chairs of those committees. As I often 1 8 2 Megalitres of environmental water the Foundation to realise the potential of comment, this Foundation would achieve only delivered in 13-14 attracting Third Party Offsets to develop its 50-60% of what it achieves if it was not for the work in improving Native Vegetation on a ‘Working Councillors’ it is so lucky to have. broad-acre scale. I personally pay tribute to the efforts of your 3 It is a great thrill to see the growing band Foundation’s magnificent Council – thank 35% of specialist Volunteers (some of whom are you Councillors and congratulations on your Increase in Appeal funding to previous year very young – in their 40s and 50s) wishing to successful 2013/2014.