Innovation for 21st Century Conservation Innovation for 21st Innovation for 21st Century Conservation Editors: Penelope Figgis, James Fitzsimons and Jason Irving Editors: Penelope Figgis, James Fitzsimons and Jason Irving Editors: Penelope Figgis AO Director, Australian Committee for IUCN James Fitzsimons Director of Conservation (Australia Program), The Nature Conservancy Jason Irving Manager, Protected Area Policy and Planning, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources South Australia Published by: Australian Committee for IUCN Inc. Copyright: © 2012 Copyright in compilation and published edition: Australian Committee for IUCN Inc. Repoduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibted without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Figgis, P., Fitzsimons, J. and Irving, J. (eds). (2012). Innovation for 21st Century Conservation. Australian Committee for IUCN, Sydney. ISBN: 978-0-9871654-1-1 Design/Layout: Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, South Australia FIS 91661 Printed by: Finsbury Green Pty Ltd 1A South Road Thebarton, South Australia Australia 5031 Available from: Australian Committee for IUCN Level 13, 235 Jones Street Ultimo, New South Wales Australia 2007 Tel: +61 416 364 722 [email protected] http://www.aciucn.org.au http://www.environment.sa.gov.au http://www.natureaustralia.org.au Cover photo: Arkaroola Protection Area, South Australia © Bill Doyle Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the chapter authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Australian Committee for IUCN, South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy or those of financial supporters The Thomas Foundation or Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Innovation for 21st Century Conservation Editors: Penelope Figgis, James Fitzsimons and Jason Irving Acknowledgements This publication is based principally on the We thank the chapter authors for their thought- presentations made to the Innovation for 21st Century provoking contributions and those that have contributed Conservation Symposium held on 20–21 March 2012 in photographs. Adelaide, South Australia. The publication and the Particular thanks are due to Greg Leaman, Director of symposium are a joint collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife of the South Australian Australian Committee for IUCN, the South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources for his support in hosting the symposium Resources, and The Nature Conservancy. The and providing financial assistance in preparing this symposium was the second in the ACIUCN Science publication. Informing Policy Symposia Series. Additional financial assistance for production of this publication was provided by The Thomas Foundation (through The Nature Conservancy’s Ecological Science Program) and the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities for which we are very grateful. 4 Sturt Desert Pea. ©Photo: DEWNR 5 Contents FOREWORD DRIVERS AND DIRECTIONS Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN 8 Innovation in conservation and the Convention on Biological Diversity Peter Cochrane 38 INTRODUCTION A collaborative future for conservation: Innovation in conservation lessons from connectivity conservation Penelope Figgis AO 10 Carina Wyborn 44 Indigenous Protected Areas – innovation beyond PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON INNOVATION the boundaries Bruce Rose 50 A personal journey to innovation Doug Humann 16 Innovation in public policy for conservation of biodiversity Daunting problems, exciting prospects Martin Wardrop and Charlie Zammit 56 – a personal reflection Peter Taylor 24 Getting results in conservation Martin Taylor 66 Why we need Rick Farley now more than ever Max Bourke AM 30 INNOVATION IN ESTABLISHMENT Territory Eco-link: large framework, small budget Andrew Bridges 72 Innovative approaches to land acquisition and conservation management: the case of Fish River Station, Northern Territory James Fitzsimons and Michael Looker 78 Arkaroola – creating a new type of protected area Jason Irving 86 Opportunities for enhancing conservation management and resilience through tenure resolution in Cape York Peninsula Andrea Leverington 94 Gondwana Link: process or plan, movement or organisation? Keith Bradby 100 Great Eastern Ranges Initiative: mobilising the community and sustaining the momentum for continental-scale conservation Rob Dunn, Gary Howling and Alison Totterdell 108 6 INNOVATION IN MANAGEMENT INNOVATION IN GOVERNANCE Wunambal Gaambera Healthy Country Plan Ngarrindjeri futures: negotiating a future through Heather Moorcroft 116 Caring for Ruwe/Ruwar (lands, waters and all living things) Fire management in the central Kimberley (EcoFire): Steve Hemming and Daryle Rigney 186 delivering measurable results by integrating science and land management in a cost-effective model Brookfield – a new approach to the management Sarah Legge and Atticus Fleming 124 of public land Tricia Curtis and Joanne Davies 192 Conservation for culture and livelihoods – Angas Downs, Northern Territory Protecting Queensland’s Channel Country George Wilson and Jennifer Smits 136 and the flows to Lake Eyre Rupert Quinlan and Barry Traill 200 Shoalwater Bay Training Area: capability, conservation and collaboration Innovative measures for establishing protected Julia Bowett, Alan Davidson and Tennille Danvers 142 areas on private lands in South Australia Greg Leaman and Clare Nicolson 206 Innovation in Victoria’s parks Ian Walker 148 Mapping our priorities – innovation in spatial decision support Rob Lesslie 156 INNOVATION IN FINANCING Farmland investment and markets for ecoservices – attracting finance sector investment in ecosystem protection Shawn Butters, Malory Weston and Cullen Gunn 164 ‘Henbury Station’ – an industry perspective on financing conservation for carbon and biodiversity markets Rebecca Pearse 172 Midlands Conservation Fund – an innovative conservation tool developed in response to the social, economic, and ecological conditions of the Tasmanian Midlands Nathan Males 180 7 Foreword Julia Marton-Lefèvre Director General, IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature The case studies from the symposium, presented in this (IUCN) has had a proud history of global leadership in publication, highlight how conservation has changed shaping conservation thinking and action, mobilising the over the last few decades, becoming more inclusive and expertise of government, non-government and more socially conscious. The systematic expansion of academic member bodies and of the individual experts the National Reserve System, guided by the scientific within its six Commissions. principles of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness, has made Australia a world leader In September 2012, IUCN held its fifth World and the case studies in this book document new Conservation Congress, building on the 64-year history approaches to securing and managing conservation in which it has convened 19 General Assemblies, lands. The increasing emphasis on ‘connectivity four World Conservation Congresses, and five World conservation’ and ‘landscape-scale conservation’ is Parks Congresses. illustrated by the examples of multiple partners The theme of the 2012 Congress was Nature+. This achieving outcomes on many land tenures under simple slogan aims to capture the fact that nature is not various governance and financing models. only intrinsically of immense value but is the The studies also reflect the impact of climate change on fundamentally important underpinning of every aspect conservation thinking. We no longer try to protect of human life. This theme also runs through the 20 Aichi healthy ecosystems simply for their biodiversity and Targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity, sustainable use values, but also address the need to adopted by governments in October 2010. IUCN is fully both retain these rich carbon sinks and add to the committed to ensuring that the ambitious targets for resilience of natural systems in the face of actual and halting the loss of biodiversity by 2020 are met. As we anticipated threats posed by climate change. It is seek new nature-based solutions to global challenges in encouraging to see Australia reflecting this nature- climate change, food security, and social and economic based solutions approach. development, effective and equitable governance of nature’s use and valuing and conserving nature, a I note that many studies illustrate initiatives to integrate profound need will be innovative and creative thinking. the culture, rights and aspirations of Australia’s We shall not succeed in achieving these vitally important Indigenous peoples into conservation, consistent with goals unless we build on successful models with new IUCN’s deep commitment to equity in all our work. mechanisms and find both the social motivation and IUCN has admired the commitment of Australia to financial means to realise these new directions. developing Indigenous Protected Areas and Indigenous land and sea management. It is excellent that this Such outcomes require leadership and constituency