Denmark Conservation Appeal

Appeal Objectives

Comprehensive surveys undertaken by the Shire of Denmark in 1998 and  2000 show that local community concerns rated the protection of the environment as their highest priority. The community feels a strong sense of ownership and place a very high value on our natural environment and actively seek to be involved in the management of local natural resources.

The Denmark Environment Centre is working with the National Trust of Australia (WA) to facilitate increased use of covenanting of remnant bush on private land, while also establishing other mechanisms to ease an financial burden of managing remnant bush on both private property and Shire-managed land. The overarching aim is to increase the security of biodiversity in the region and thus retain the full suite of birds and animals native to our area.

Covenanting is a tool to meet the primary objectives of conservation of natural heritage. Once remnant bush has a conservation covenant in place, or a landowner is managing remnant bush primarily for conservation values, a management plan and ongoing management are critical to preserving the identified values. An appeal has been established to provide funds for this ongoing management; to donate to the appeal, please download a donation form or contact us for more information.

The Shire and private landowners have a commitment to maintain areas under their management, but the Heritage Appeal funds and accumulated knowledge will allow funding of management actions that are beyond most landowners' or managers' capabilities.

The people at the Denmark Environment Centre understand the potential of this scheme and have a vision for its use that will transform our view of stewardship of remnant bush. With targeted use of appeal funds, remnant bush on private land can become a managed and sustainable resource that positively contributes to the maintenance of biodiversity of the Denmark region for the benefit of all Western Australians.

In addition, the present paradigm of private ownership and management may shift to an understanding that management of special landscapes and ecologies on private land can be a community concern.

Message from the Denmark Conservation Appeal Patron, Luc Longley

Dear Friends,

I have had the good fortune to travel throughout the world. I have seen and experienced a lot of different environments and unfortunately have also seen the negative impacts of misuse or mismanagement of these places.

When I retired from professional basketball, my family and I had no hesitation in returning to Western Australia.

One of the primary reasons was because Western Australia offers us opportunities to experience its unique natural heritage, which remains unspoiled.

I am honoured to voluntarily lend my support to help conserve this heritage in a very special part of this State. As Patron of the Denmark Conservation Appeal, I encourage all West Australians to help conserve the natural heritage values in the Shire of Denmark.

Your donation will not only help conserve and interpret the natural environment today but, more importantly, it will ensure these places are available to our children.

I urge you to assist me in conserving our heritage.

Thank you,

Luc Longley

Life, the Universe and Denmark - Megadiversity, Biodiversity and Hotspots

Australia is identified as one of 17 megadiverse countries in the world and together these countries harbour more than 70% of the earth's species. The concept of megadiversity is based on the total number of species in a country and the degree of endemism at the species level and at higher taxonomic levels.

Overlaying the megadiverse countries are the global biodiversity hotspots. There are 34 hotspots world-wide and they harbour the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth. The key criteria for determining a hotspot are endemism (the presence of species found nowhere else) and degree of threat. Plant endemism is the primary criterion for hotspots status. The south-west of Western Australia has long been recognised for its floristic diversity and is identified as one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots on the planet.

The Hospot Within the Hotspot: The Tingle Mosaic

The name Tingle Mosaic was coined by scientist Dr Grant Wardell-Johnson. This area includes the wettest, least seasonal and southern-most part of Western Australia. It encompasses the entire area of the Shire of Denmark. Key tree species that define the Tingle Mosaic are: Yellow Tingle (Eucalyptus guilfoylei); Red Tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii); Rate's Tingle (Eucalyptus brevistylis); and Red-flowering Gum (Eucalyptus ficifolia).

But the area is also renowned for its Karri, Jarrah and Marri forests, wetlands and magnificent coastline. The Tingle Mosaic has ancient links to a wetter climate with a number of Gondwanan elements: spiders, frogs, vascular plants and at least six species of Gondwanan relict fungi. The relictual ecosystems of the Tingle Mosaic in the Denmark region, south-western Australia are a rich treasure of links to the past.

The Denmark Environment Centre

The Denmark Environment Centre was established in 1987, to positively promote conservation in south-western Australia. The Centre has been an inspiration to many groups and individuals active in areas such as: landcare; the old growth forest debate and forest management; protection and management of the conservation reserve system; coastal management and rehabilitation; road verge management; and community development.

The Centre has been responsible for fencing and rehabilitating over 200 kilometres of waterways and put in place a plan for the rehabilitation of the Denmark River catchment long before it was fashionable for government agencies to plan on a catchment basis.

It has received numerous awards for its outstanding achievements.

In 1999, the Centre began a major research project called the Denmark Greening Plan. This project provides a detailed study into the identification and location of all remnant native vegetation within an area of about 1000 square kilometres, where remnants are located in relation to each other and how they can be better managed. Most importantly, it identifies how these remnants can be linked to provide ecological function to each other.

The Denmark Greening Plan database provides initial blueprints for achieving the long-term viability of retaining native vegetation remnants. It will provide the main reference for distribution of funds from the Denmark Conservation Appeal.

Distribution of funds from the appeal will be managed by a Denmark-based Appeal Management Committee, consisting of representatives from the Shire, Government agencies, National Parks groups and the Environment Centre. The money raised by the appeal will be used for a wide range of management requirements of remnant bush within the Denmark Shire region. The money can be used for management of bush of both private land and Shire-managed reserves. The Management Committee will decide on strategic use of the funds available through the appeal.