The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife (FNPW) aims to preserve Australia's natural heritage through conservation projects and environmental education. It has added over 500,000 hectares to national parks and helped save threatened species. The FNPW involves communities in conservation through programs like Backyard Buddies, which has over 15,000 members. Rotary's goal of preserving the planet aligns with the FNPW's mission, and Rotarians can support the FNPW through donations and volunteering.

1. FNPW and ‘Preserving Planet Earth’ Angus M Robinson Chair, Marketing & Sales Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife 2 nd August, 2011

2. Our Home

3. Preserving Planet Earth! Urgent need for us all to start preserving our only known liveable home in the universe Preservation not just conservation is becoming an imperative; our entire natural environment is now under threat, driven by over population and over development Much of Rotary’s international work relates to natural disasters , increasingly related to climate change Rotary efforts are being directed to a wide range of water projects in developing countries The Rotary army of over 1 million people organised in over 50,000 club units can make the difference !

4. Today’s Agenda National Estate and Natural Heritage About the mission of the Foundation Land Acquisition – a case study Habitat conservation – Koala Tree Choice Project Environmental Awareness – the Backyard Buddies Program ‘ Preserve Planet Earth’ and how Rotarians can participate

5. National Estate The term (‘ National Estate ’) was incorporated into the Australian Heritage Commission Act and is used to describe a collection of buildings and sites that are worthy of preservation for a variety of reasons. It covers natural environments as well as European history and Aboriginal culture. The National Estate includes national parks and other lands reserved for public usage.

6. Understanding Natural Heritage Natural heritage is the legacy of natural objects and intangible attributes encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna, scientifically known as biodiversity , and geology, landforms and soil landscapes, i.e. geodiversity.

7. The Foundation When then Premier of NSW, the Hon Tom Lewis MP, first established the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, he had a vision of establishing a complementary organisation, constituted mainly from the corporate sector , to acquire parks for the Service. Hence the birth of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife in 1970. Today the Foundation continues the tradition of growing parks and caring for them and the species that inhabit them.

8. Over 40 Years of Caring

9. Vision The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife aims to be Australia’s foremost philanthropic partner for national parks . We care for Australia’s natural and cultural heritage through environmental education and conservation projects .

10. Foundation Achievements

11. 1. Foundation Achievements In our history we have added over 500,000 hectares to Australia’s national reserve system, for the enjoyment of all. We fund threatened species recovery programs . We have saved animals such as the Lord Howe Island woodhen , Gould’s petrel and the yellow-footed rock-wallaby from extinction.

12. 2. Foundation Achievements The Foundation protects our heritage icons as sources of inspiration for future generations of Australians and visitors from across the world. Some examples of cultural heritage we have helped protect include the World Heritage Old Great North Road, Kosciuszko Historic Huts, Fort Denison, and Mungo. Finally, we involve the community in the conservation of Australia's native plants and animals through environmental education.

13. Growing our National Parks

14. Growing Our National Parks Growing our parks is essential to safeguard our natural heritage for future Australians. National Parks remain the core of our protected land system. The Foundation continues to purchase suitable land to add to extend our national reserves for future generations.

15. Growing Bongil Bongil National Park

16. Growing Bongil Bongil NP 2010 saw the Foundation add $550,000 worth of high conservation land to the Bongil Bongil National Park on the upper north coast of New South Wales. Five (5) threatened species live on the 12.3 hectare addition to Bongil Bongil including koalas, grey- headed flying-foxes, glossy black cockatoos, ospreys and wallum froglets. This habitat will now be protected in perpetuity.

17. Growing Bongil Bongil National Park Bongil Bongil National Park Sawtell

18. Growing Bongil Bongil NP The property also embraces two endangered ecological communities – swamp sclerophyll forest and freshwater wetlands on coastal floodplains. This land donation protects these valuable ecological communities along with Bongil Bongil’s existing estuaries, amazing beaches and coastal rainforests.

19. Plants & Wildlife

20. Plants & Wildlife Many of Australia’s species are in decline. The Foundation also cares for the well-being of our unique Australian wildlife through feral pest control, captive breeding programs, and monitoring surveys e.g. the Koala Tree Choice project

21. Koala Tree Choice Gunnedah Koalas are dependent on selecting the right tree in the right place at the right time . The project seeks to explore the direct effect of climate change on koalas by examining which parts of the landscape and which tree species koalas use, and what condition they are in during a heatwave.

22. Koala Tree Choice Participants National Parks & Wildlife Service Gunnedah Research Centre Landcare NSW Inc University of Sydney School of Biological Sciences & Veterinary School Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife

23. Gunnedah Natural Heritage Gunnedah Basin Permian Coal Measures and covered by Triassic sediments and rich volcanic derived soils – broad flood plains with class 1 to 5 soils Mixed dry land eucalypts and Pilliga Scrub varieties e.g. Cypress Pine, Casuarinas etc Macropods, koalas, profilic birdlife common – Koala Capital of Australia! European farming settlements, Dorothy Makellar, and indigenous culture (Kamilaroi peoples etc)

24. Tracking Koalas

25. Koala in a Tree

26. Koala Wrangling

27. Koala Wrangling

28. Koala Wrangling

29. Koala Examination

30. Koala Unwrangling

31. Koala Unwrangling

32. Koala Back in the Wild

33. Thanks A Lot!

34. Koala Habitat Researchers

35. Tree Survey

36. Koala Scat Research!

37. Koala Tree Choice Project Outcomes Koala survival enhancement Improvement to native ecosystems through intelligent tree planting and clearing Enhanced knowledge for landholders – response to climate change Improved coal mine site rehabilitation

38. Environmental Education – ‘Backyard Buddies’

39. Backyard Buddies Our Backyard Buddies biodiversity education program encourages the community to look after wildlife in their own backyards . It is making a real contribution by protecting local wildlife and biodiversity, and achieving environmental sustainability. There are over 15,000 Backyard Buddy members who receive our monthly e-newsletter full of interesting facts about backyard plants and animals and tips and ideas on how to attract them.

40. Backyard Buddies Backyard Buddies has recently launched its own facebook page for members to talk about their buddies and share their stories , ideas and photos. Last year our Backyard Buddies program raised more than $100,000. This money was directed back into funding some of our many ‘on the ground’ projects.

41. FNPW and Rotary One of RI’s programs is ‘Preserve Planet Earth’. In 2009, Rotary E-Club One won a district award for a 3 year sponsorship of a US/Australian collaboration program involving conservation activities by young people. Over the period 2008 -2010, Rotary E-Club One contributed funding towards the Little Penguin wardens program in Manly. RI Fellowship of Birdwatching Rotarians is considering sponsorship of an FNPW program to underpin their visit to the 2014 RI Conference in Sydney.

42. Manly’s Little Penguins! A number of conservation organisations, including Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, Manly Council, the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Foundation work to keep the penguins safe and the colony alive.

43. Other Sydneyside Projects Sydney Harbour Corporate Volunteering Identification of Endangered Flora, Botany Bay Coastal Saltmarsh & Mangrove Rehabilitation along Lane Cove River Botany Bay North Walking Track

44. Support the Foundation There are many ways Rotarians or a Rotary Club can support the Foundation: Make a ‘One Off’ Donation Become a Club Sponsor of a local wildlife conservation project Stay informed – encourage family members to sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter

45. Support the Foundation Our environment depends on people who care to fight for it. As a registered charity, tax deductible donations primarily fund the Foundation’s activities . Our achievements result from the support we receive from committed individuals. The Foundation directs funds towards projects with tangible conservation outcomes such as growing our national reserve system for the public, pest eradication programs and threatened species recovery and research projects.

46. For more Information about the Foundation Visit our website www.fnpw.org.au and sign up for our newsletter! Become our friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/fnpw.1970 www.facebook.com/backyardbuddies Follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/fnpw Call us (02) 9221 1949 Email [email_address]