News Grabs

Obituary : Sir David Griffin CBE

Sir David Griffin Photo: Martin Bult

Sir David Griffin was a Foundation Trustee from 1977 to 2001.

In his first year as a Trustee he chaired the Foundation’s 1977 appeal which raised 353,607 dollars for land acquisition and threatened species conservation. His expertise and commitment made him a most valuable Member of the Governing Council for the following 23 years.

When he retired as a Governor in 2001, his son Edward followed in his footsteps and became a Member of the Governing Council. Sir David’s wife Lady Jean also became a Foundation supporter, donating a sculpture of a platypus for the perpetual trophy of the Foundation’s Golden Paw Award.

Sir David Griffin passed away in March 2004 at the age of 88. Our sympathies go to his wife and two sons.

Meet the Palm Committee

The Foundation welcomes a new volunteer committee. The members of the Palm Committee dedicate their time and expertise to staging our future fundraising events. Welcome to Suzanne Maple-Brown, Cathy Favaloro, Michelle Broinowski, Lea Stracey (left to right standing) and Fiona Wilson (sitting.) The team’s first event will be a cocktail function at Greycliffe House on February 24 2005 to raise funds for the purchase of rainforest habitat.

More good news for Green Gully

The Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia (WPSA) has bought 100 hectares of Green Gully. WPSA invited Foundation President Gillis Broinowski (centre) to a luncheon where he received the cheque and in return presented the donation certificate to WPSA Vice President Dr Dick Mason (left), and WPSA National President Patrick Medway AM (right).

The generous donation brings the funds raised up to $185,702.15. Thank you to all who have given to the appeal. If you meant to do so but haven't got around to it yet - we still need your support to secure this wilderness icon for the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby. To make your Green Gully donation today click here.

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Foundation receives donation of green energy

The Foundation will soon be getting a taste of green electricity, thanks to a donation from the Centre for Australian Ethical Research (CAER).

The CEO of CAER, Duncan Paterson, won the voucher at a raffle in March. This should be a fairly straightforward good news story - as a not-for-profit organisation, CAER would normally be grateful to receive the prize, $250 worth of green electricity.

The difficulty lay in the fact that CAER's role is to provide institutional investment clients with independent research on the social, environmental and ethical aspects of corporate behaviour, to assist those clients to ensure that their investments meet the ethical motivations of their stakeholders. The prize was part of a promotion that had been put together by Investa Property Group, to promote some of the sustainability initiatives they have undertaken in property management in recent times. CAER was potentially in a position of conflict of interest, as Investa is one of the companies they research.

Philanthropy Australia to the rescue! Duncan contacted Jane Kenny at their office, and she was able to provide CAER with a list of organisations who might be interested in receiving the prize instead. An internal staff poll at CAER selected the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife to receive the gift.

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Award for Barrenjoey's landscape plan

A Heritage Landscape Plan for Barrenjoey Headland was prepared by Landscape Architects Phillips Marler. Recently they received a Merit Award from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA). The Institute judging panel considered the plan to be "a beautifully presented document. A pleasure to read. Well set out with a clear explanation of proposals. The key ideas were simply conveyed using simple sketches".

The panel was particularly impressed by how the proposal addressed the management of a cultural item within a natural setting and how it showed a clear understanding of the concept of cultural landscape.'

Stonemason Col Delap from Landlign Environmental Consulting, NPWS field officer Col Brown and Ranger Mark Watt have started the landscaping work at the summit.

See article from Autumn 2004 on Barrenjoey landscaping

See Article this issue

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Friends of the Foundation celebrate a decade of Bushcare

Celebration - current Lane Cove National Park SFO Acting Bushcare Coordinator Melissa Lane with original coordinators Trevor Prowse and Lynn Rees Photo:Brendon Grant DEC

"The Australian bush is remarkably resilient……………with a little help from its Friends." Winkie Chevalier, Friends of Lane Cove National Park Inc.

Out of the flames of the devastating 1994 bushfires was born the Lane Cove National Park volunteer bush regeneration program.

At a barbecue get-together held on Saturday 24th April, the 150-strong band of volunteers celebrated their 10th anniversary with park rangers, friends and supporters. Over $2 million worth of volunteer labour and $400,000 in grant money for projects throughout the park is definitely worth a drink or two.

To celebrate the event the Friends of Lane Cove National Park Inc produced a booklet "Why do we care?", a brief history of the Bushcare program at Lane Cove. We were proud to read of the Foundation’s role to support the Friends of Lane Cove National Park with incorporation, funding, sponsorship, awards, advice and $330,000 to employ 2 NPWS bushcare coordinators for 3 years.

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