Para Woodlands Nature Reserve is a 500-hectare area of former farming land that was bequeathed to Nature Foundation and the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) in 2003 for shared management by the late Mrs Elizabeth Law-Smith OAM and her husband David, who desired to see the farmland restored and managed to provide habitat for declining woodland birds.
The farm was used for cropping and grazing but also retained areas of remnant vegetation. To date, revegetation has occurred over 200 hectares, predominantly on the former cropping land with over 120,000 native plants and over 1,000 kilograms of native grass seeds used.
Since the project's inception, 2024 was the driest year recorded at Para Woodlands, with only 238.5mm of rainfall recorded. These conditions did not lend themselves to further revegetation, so much of last year's focus was on supporting and maintaining the previous revegetation, along with strategic and opportunistic weed control.
The revegetation and management to date are realising Mrs Elizabeth Law-Smith OAM's desire to enhance biodiversity, with a wealth of native species, including pollinators, attracted to the reconstructed habitats.
An initial survey undertaken in 2003 recorded 24 native bird species at Para Woodlands. The list now comprises more than 119 species, of which 65 have national, state, and regional conservation ratings.
A bird survey undertaken by Dr David Paton in late August 2024 recorded a new species not previously recorded on the reserve, a White-throated Gerygone (Gerygone olivacea olivacea), listed as Rare in South Australia. While this and some other species detected last year (such as Pallid Cuckoo and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater) are likely visitors, stopping by during migration or driven out of their normal range by the dry conditions, it is positive to see that the reserve is providing refuge to a variety of species.
More nests of the nationally EPBC-listed Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata), have also been spotted in the revegetated areas. Habitat enhancement activities continued, including installing more insect hotels near the understory planting enclosures, adding woody debris to revegetation areas to provide shelter for reptiles and invertebrates, and monitoring the use of wildlife boxes.
Many thanks to Para Woodlands Restoration Ecologist Dr Dragos Moise (Department for Environment and Water), whose passion and efforts are paramount to achieving these positive outcomes for nature.
Photo of Diamond Firetail by Dragos Moise.