Casuarina Conservancy Fund – a wonderful gesture that is helping us grow the NGT Foundation

It is my absolute pleasure to announce the creation of the newest Named Fund in the NGT Foundation, made possible thanks to the generosity of Adrian Heard and Meredith Reardon. Last year, Adrian and Meredith made the decision to donate their small but wonderful bush block at Lake George, near Beachport in SA, to Nature Glenelg Trust. This came about after many conversations to weigh up the best option for this special place that they have invested so much time and energy in caring for.

As a result of the donation, NGT was able to help identify a suitable family to become the next custodian and managers of the block at Lake George, and the proceeds of this subsequent sale are being used judiciously to support the future work of NGT.

To create a lasting benefit from part of their donation, we have established the Casuarina Conservancy Fund, which will ensure Meredith and Adrian’s generosity has a perpetual impact, to provide ongoing support to NGT’s work, including our network of Restoration Reserves.

I will give the final word to Adrian and Meredith, to explain what has motivated them to support NGT’s work in this way:

“The name of our fund reflects the importance of casuarinas (drooping sheaok) to Lake George and to South Eastern coastal vegetation communities in general.

The main thing spending 26 years regenerating a block at Lake George taught us, is that with the change of just a few parameters, nature is all geared up to regenerate itself. Maintaining an electric fence around the block allowed nature to do so much of the work. The impediment to successful regeneration is human interference and influence.

Projects like NGT’s rewilding of Walker Swamp and even the Restore Lake Pedder group’s plan to drain the huge Lake Pedder impoundment in Tasmania gives us all a strong sense of how we can undo human interference and restore nature.

These projects all support the UN Decade on Restoration, and we are proud to be part of NGT’s efforts to restore nature.”

Adrian Heard and Meredith Reardon, March 2024

If you are also interested in supporting NGT’s work via the NGT Foundation, you can make a direct donation of any amount to our general fund, or to discuss the options for establishing a new Named Fund, please contact Lisa McIntyre () or Mark Bachmann (). A Named Fund requires a starting minimum balance of $20,000, and is a way of reflecting your personal commitment to NGT’s environmental restoration work, either in your own name, or alternatively as a way of recognising someone or something that is especially significant to you.