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HSI's Wildlife Land Trust |
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Click here to access a pdf of the first issue of the newsletter of Wildlife Lands Australia Click here to access a pdf of the second issue of the newsletter of Wildlife Lands Australia Humane Society International has launched the Wildlife Land Trust in Australia in an effort to preserve and protect our vital native habitats and the animals that depend on them. There has never been a more critical time for preserving our natural heritage. The program was initiated by The Humane Society of the United States in 1993 and is now protecting habitats in Canada, South Africa, United States, Belize and Indonesia and we are now adding Australia to this global network. The Wildlife Land Trust protects wildlife by preserving natural habitats and permanent sanctuaries. Working under the guiding principle of “humane stewardship”, the Trust protects not only vast and impressive landscapes, but also the smaller, humbler places that provide for the needs of all wildlife, rare and common species alike. In the few minutes that it will take to read this article thousands of acres of critical wildlife habitat across Australia will have been lost. Protecting and preserving our country’s streams, grasslands, forests and wetlands is essential to wildlife’s survival. Every acre protected safeguards wildlife that desperately needs our help to survive. The Directors of HSI Australia and the Wildlife Land Trust are asking you to join us in the vital mission to create a global sanctuary system based on the principle of humane stewardship. The Wildlife Land Trust in Australia The first two Australian sanctuaries to become a part of the WLT’s global sanctuary system are “Warriwillah” and “Curricabark”. Warriwillah is a spectacular 300 acre property less than an hour’s drive south of Canberra. It is situated only 3 km from Namadgi National Park and 8 km from Tinderry Nature Reserve, and is subject to a “Voluntary Conservation Agreement” with the NSW Minister for the Environment. Curricabark is a “Wildlife Refuge” registered with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, situated about an hour north-west of Gloucester, and a few hours north of Sydney. This 600 acre sanctuary is owned by two of HSI’s Directors and their family and friends. In New South Wales, the Wildlife Land Trust has developed a partnership with the Department of Environment & Conservation (DEC) to promote conservation on private land. An invitation to join us Whether you currently have an agreement with a state government wildlife authority, or your land is designated through a voluntary wildlife refuge scheme of some kind, we would very much like to invite you to join us at the Wildlife Land Trust, and become part of a global sanctuary system. If you are not yet involved in any form of voluntary or formal program to protect your land, but would like to be, we would be especially glad to hear from you. Joining the Wildlife Land Trust imparts no legal obligations upon landholders, and we would simply seek a non-binding letter of agreement in relation to your commitment to protect wildlife and habitats. Joining the WLT would not conflict with any of your current arrangements, legal or otherwise, and aims to entirely complement existing protection measures in cooperation with ongoing government or non-government shemes. The benefits of registering with the Trust The Trust provides an opportunity to become a part of a continually growing international network of sanctuaries, promoting best conservation practices, and protecting wildlife and habitats around the world. Your property will be highlighted in a special Australian section of the global Wildlife Land Trust website www.wlt.org and you will receive a regular copy of the “Wildlife Lands” newsletter. You will also be provided with a Wildlife Land Trust sign to erect on your property if you wish. In the future, we will be exploring working with other partners, to offer advice on managing for climate change; helping you to benefit from future climate trading/credits programs; establishing a small grants program to help with small management tasks; the longer-term potential for a loyalty discount card through a national sponsor; and offering help to those property owners who would like to “step up” their current non-binding arrangements and seek stronger legal protection. We would very much like to hear your views on these ideas, which can be sent through the contact details below. What can I do now? You can immediately go to http://www.wlt.org/australia.asp and have a look at what many like-minded people have been doing around the world to protect wildlife and habitats. From this site, if you have an interest in registering your property with the WLT, you can download a PDF application form that you can send directly to us in Sydney. We are still working on an on-line registration process. We very much hope that this new initiative will be attractive to you, enabling you to let the wider-world know what good conservation work you are undertaking for wildlife and habitats in Australia. If you would like to talk about this invitation directly, please call Michael Kennedy on 1800 333 737 or email him at michael@hsi.org.au. |
