Public and Protected
Buying Land for National Parks

Foundation Directors visit Green Gully, a wilderness property that was purchased with funds raised from our Go Wallabies appeal. Photo FNPW

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife has recently bought 2088 hectares of land to add to the more than 350,000 hectares we have given to the people of Australia for national parks.

We do this because we believe that public ownership is currently the best way of ensuring these lands are protected for future generations.

In Australia we take the bush for granted. We know it is out there somewhere and most of it is protected as national parks. Or is it? Just 8% of Australia is protected in public ownership and much of the remaining bush areas are under threat from land clearing for agriculture and urban development.

Protection is our Future

When we lose our bush we lose more than just the plants and animals that call it home.

Clean air and water, healthy soils to grow food crops, fibre production for textiles and timber for building are some of the essential products affected by poor land conservation.

Other larger problems, like climate change, spread of diseases and decreased water quality are also associated with the loss of natural systems.

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife has worked towards protecting Australia’s natural assets for more than 35 years.

Protected Lands in Australia

One of the main responses by Government to this need is the establishment of a protected area system.

Australia belongs to the International Convention on Biological Diversity that requires all members to develop a protected area system. In Australia protected areas are;

1. State National Parks comprising national parks, nature reserves, wilderness areas, aboriginal areas, historic sites, karst areas, state conservation areas and conservation zones.

2. National and International Reserves comprising UNESCO Biosphere reserves, World Heritage areas and RAMSAR wetlands.

3. Aquatic protected areas comprising Commonwealth and State marine parks, aquatic reserves, intertidal protection zones and marine zones within national parks.

Other protected areas contribute to the system such as State forests and binding conservation agreements over private land.

How to Spot a Good Buy

The Saeck family have agreed to sell us their land for conservation. It is an important piece in the jigsaw puzzle to consolidate Morton National park. Photo FNPW

When the Foundation looks for land to purchase for national parks it applies solid underpinning research that pinpoints high priority conservation land.

This ensures that limited funds are only spent on the most important pieces of land to add to the jigsaw puzzle of protected land.

Australia has been categorised into 85 bioregions, each with a unique set of components that make up an entire ecosystem. The protected area system seeks to have a target of 15% of each bioregion’s values secured in perpetuity.

Government experts and advocacy groups such as the Colong Foundation for Wilderness advise the Foundation in its purchase decisions. Mapping of native vegetation, wetlands and waterways overlaid on maps of bioregions and current protected areas identify key target areas for acquisition. These can further be ranked according to imminent threats from land clearing, degradation, pollution or development.

What We Like to See

Jeff O'Keefe, the former owner of Green Gully, in discussion with Foundation Directors Sue Maple-Brown and Greg Griffiths (from left) on their visit to the property prior to the purchase. Photo FNPW

Key priorities for acquisition within the identified target zones are;

1. Core conservation areas in under-represented bioregions
2. Poorly reserved habitats, especially those protecting threatened species
3. Wetlands, floodplains, lakes and rivers
4. Landscape corridors linking protected areas
5. Water catchment areas
6. Places of cultural heritage significance especially aboriginal sites
7. Iconic places of importance to the NSW people
8. In-holdings within national parks to consolidate parks

You can Choose our next National Park

Through the Foundation you can exercise choice when you gift money for land purchases for national parks. Bequests, gifts of money or donations of property can be used to buy land for parks.

Two recent bequests have added unique wilderness areas to Morton National Park.

The Foundation also holds events, such as the Rainforest Cocktail Party that raised money for additions to the Washpool wilderness.

Fundraising campaigns like the Go Wallabies for Green Gully combine media coverage, direct mail appeals, donation brochures at park visitor centres and approaches to private foundations and businesses for contributions.

Benefits for Buyer and Donor

Foundation Director Peter Henchman and Executive Officer Leonie Gale visit a property prior to acquisition. Photo Steve Gale

The Foundation has some advantages as a buyer of land. As a non-Government charitable organisation we can competitively negotiate price on the open market, and act independently of any political imperative.

By giving through the Foundation to purchase land for national parks donors have a range of benefits;

• Tax deductibility for donations of money over $2
• Donor choice of location and land type
• Transparency in reporting and financial management
• Tax deductibility for donations of land for conservation regardless of when the land was acquired
• Opportunity to apportion the tax deduction over 5 years (if over $5000)
• Capital gains tax exemption for testamentary gifts of property over $5000
• All contributions will be used, no matter how small, to purchase a lasting legacy

The Foundation also encourages conservation on private land as being an important adjunct to the protected area system. Read our article “Shades of Green” in this newsletter for more information.

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