WHAT WE ARE DOING


Gondwana Link is working to reconnect natural ecosystems over 1000 km of south-western Australia. We have divided this area up into a number of operational areas as seen on the map above. Some areas are bushland managed as conservation estate while others are primarily restoration zones. On-ground work has started in the Stirlings to Fitzgerald section, with planning underway for other areas. The links next to the map above will take you to information on the work we are doing in each area.

The work of achieving the Gondwana Link includes:
  • lobbying for stronger protection of the public land estate;
  • providing incentives for better land management, such as fencing and restoring bushland;
  • purchasing bushland to protect and manage it;
  • revegetating large areas of cleared land;
  • developing ecologically supportive industries, such as commercial plantings of local species; and
  • improving the science behind the planning.
Gondwana Link builds on a very impressive array of ongoing regional efforts. Over the past thirty years leading local people and groups have combined with state, national and international bodies to:
  • secure the largest National Parks and Nature Reserves in south-western Australia;
  • activate, with UNESCO, the Biosphere Reserve incorporating the Fitzgerald River National Park;
  • stop state government plans to clear an additional 3 million hectares of bush for marginal farm land;
  • lead the development of landcare in rural WA, with groups formed as early as 1983 and still going strong; and
  • develop a strong regional landcare network that supports and integrates these efforts.


A network of co-operative biodiversity conservation and landcare work already stretches from the forest to the inland. Together, we can accelerate and expand the work underway, so that a living link of unbroken bushland stretches across 1000 kilometres of some of the most biologically significant country in Australia.

Major achievements of the groups working towards the Gondwana Link vision are summarized  below.
 


2002

  • Vision and scientific planning process with key partners.

  • Purchase Chereninup Creek Reserve—877  ha.

  • Conservation buyers purchase Chingarrup Sanctuary—570 ha.

  • Gondwana Link Coordination Unit established.


2003

  • Biodiversity revegetation program launched with 60 ha revegetation program by Greening Australia on Chereninup Creek Reserve. At the time it is thought that this was one of the largest biodiverse revegetation programs ever undertaken in Australia.

  • Shell and Greening Australia are partners in the Reconnections project - a 3-year program of large scale revegetation, trialling native plants for commercialisation, and carbon sequestration research.

  • Gondwana Link Science Coordinator appointed through The Wilderness Society.

  • Research program commences in the Great Western Woodland with The Wilderness Society appointing a program coordinator.


2004

  • FitzStirling Functional Landscape Plan's first iteration completed.

  • A number of related programs are initiated such as: a 3 year project "Restoring connections between people and land in south western Australia"; Birds Australia project on Carnaby's cockatoo; University of Western Australia Landscape Architecture students involved in Gondwana Link landscape planning; Edith Cowan University Environmental Management students water sampling fieldtrips.

  • Greening Australia customised a farm machine for large scale direct seeding.

  • Purchase Nowanup property—754 ha.


2005

  • Restored 200 ha using direct seeding and trial plantings of commercial crops.

  • Regional natural resource management group funds 600 ha of native revegetation.

  • The regional natural resource management group funded a 'Biodiversity values, education and promotion package' for the south coast region of Western Australia.

 

 

2006

  • Purchase of Yarrabee property—923 ha.

  • Noongar community develops a cultural “meeting place” on Nowanup property.

  • Project featured on USA PBS documentary “Desert Speaks”.

  • 600 ha biodiverse revegetation program on Yarrabee.

 

2007

  • Purchase of Peniup Creek property—2406 ha.

  • Purchase Monjebup Creek—956 ha.

  • Knowledge Connection project initiated to draw together and communicate knowledge on the ecological management of the FitzStirling section of Gondwana Link as well as prepare and implement a monitoring plan for that area.

  • Wallaby project (3 year) initiated to look at current status of Black gloved and Tammar wallabies and future actions to increase their habitat and populations.

  • Sandalwood plantations established on Yarrabee and Peniup Creek.

 

2008

  • Restoration of 250 ha of cleared land on Peniup Creek.

  • University of Queensland/The Nature Conservancy/The Wilderness Society ARC funding approved for a Gondwana Link focussed project.

 

2009

  • Capes to Capes Catchment Group receive funding to create ecological connections around Margaret River.

  • Oyster Harbour Catchment Group is busy with on ground work between the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges.

  • Gondwana Youth Arts project.

  • Purchase of Monjebup North - 1106 ha.

  • Gondwana Link Ltd established.

 


To read about the work being undertaken in different areas of Gondwana Link follow the links next to the map above, or visit the websites of groups who are working for ecological health and resilience in this part of Australia.