About 30 years ago, an Australian farmer began restoring land he had once cleared after his children told him to protect nature; Today 24 species of birds live on their farm all year round
King Island in Tasmania, Australia is known for its green farmland, livestock and tourism. But beneath that landscape is a much older history of forests and native vegetation that once covered much of the island.Over about two centuries, large areas of that vegetation were cleared to create farmland, ABC News Australia reported. The changes affected the island’s wildlife, with several native species disappearing and others being pushed to extinction.Farmer Fred Perry was once part of that cleanup process. Raised in an agricultural culture where native vegetation was cleared to make way for agriculture, he spent years doing what many farmers before him had done. He felled the trees and burned everything. I was a burner,” Perry says.Things changed when his children came home from school and told their father that he needed to do more to protect the environment. For nearly three decades, Perry and his wife, Shona Perry, have been fencing parts of their property and replanting areas with endemic and native plants.The change was also driven by something Perry noticed on his own land: There weren’t many birds. “If we didn’t do something, we wouldn’t have any of our native vegetation left,” he remembers.
Farmer who changed course
Perry’s property, Millwood Station, is still a working farm and cattle are still part of the operation. But parts of the land have been reserved for native vegetation. The Perrys used their own money, as well as government grants, to fence areas and, in some places, plant native and endemic species.The work has lasted almost three decades. During that period, the changes have gone beyond simply bringing more plants to the property. “There are a lot of positive things that have come from that event,” Perry says.He points to better water quality in streams and shelter for animals as some of the benefits. But the change he is most proud of is the return of the birds. “The biggest thing we’re proud of are the bird colonies that use the property today,” he says.Perry now uses birds as a way to observe what’s happening on his farm. He believes their presence can provide a useful indication of how the property’s ecology is doing. “I classify birds as part of monitoring the property, because birds are smarter than us. As long as I have these colonies of birds around, I’m doing something good for the ecology of the farm. The birds know what’s going on,” he says.
The island crisis
Perry’s conservation work takes place in the much broader context of King Island’s history of environmental change. The island covers about 1,000 square kilometers, but researchers estimate that less than 30 percent of the island is now covered by native vegetation.Clearing began after the arrival of Europeans in the early 19th century. The sealing was followed by the removal of vegetation, including efforts to facilitate navigation. The pressure on the island’s natural resources continued for generations.Historical records show that several species were lost after European settlement. The local elephant seal population disappeared shortly after the arrival of European seal hunters. Also lost were the King Island emu, tiger quolls, wombats and several species of birds and plants.In the mid-20th century, more extensive land clearing took place. The soldier settlers used modern machinery and tractors to clear and prepare the land for agriculture. By then, the island had already experienced decades of pressure, including fires.
A long way to go
Although Perry’s farm has changed, much of King Island’s native vegetation remains under pressure. The remaining scrub provides habitat for the King Island brown thornbill, orange-bellied parrot and King Island scrub. All three species are at risk of extinction. That makes the remaining native vegetation important to the island’s wildlife.Perry’s work is an example of how individual landowners have changed the way they manage parts of their farms. It’s also part of a broader shift among some King Island residents. The island now has environmental volunteer groups, reserves, bird monitoring efforts and weed management projects. Farmers and landowners are among those involved in these activities.
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