AUSTRALIA: Friends' bold plan to save rare plants
Copyright 2001 The Mercury, Hobart
September 29, 2001
By ALISON RIBBON
A GROUP of friends who bought 42ha of native forest in 1989 have put a covenant on the land that will, in theory, protect it forever.
Chris Read, of New Town, said he, his partner and five friends bought the land next to his farm at Birchs Bay, south of Kettering, to protect it. He bought it because "it had a fair bit of catchment for my water supply and there were a couple of rare plants."
One of his co-landowners, Adrian Pyrke, had a PhD in Environmental Studies and recognised the Epacris virgata, otherwise known as the Pretty Heath.
The white-flowering plant is listed as vulnerable under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and endangered nationally.
It is found in Tasmania only at Beaconsfield, Kettering and Mt Cameron.
Mr Read said they applied to have a covenant put on the land through the Private Forest Reserves Program.
"It means we [or any other owner] can't clear the land or disrupt the native vegetation or introduce non-native animals," he said.
"I'm a farmer so I'm particularly conscious of the impact I have on the environment. We just wanted to put a bit back," Mr Read said.
The program was started by the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. More information: www.pfrp.tas.gov.au.