We are pleased to share with you our first edition of Nature Matters for 2023.

In this issue we provide details of our current Vital Work Appeal, raising essential funds to assist with fencing and additional accommodation at our Hiltaba Nature Reserve. We also have some very exciting news regarding our popular Kids on Country junior ranger program.

Nature Foundation recently celebrated the launch of their most ambitious fund yet, the Forever Nature Fund, aiming to raise $20m by 2030 to support nature conservation efforts. The fund, presented by Board Director Bec Hardy, aligns with Australia's commitment to protect 30% of its land and sea by the same year. This significant initiative encourages supporters to contribute towards a nature-positive future, either through ongoing donations or once-off contributions, with the end goal of securing the preservation of the Arid Lands of South Australia and beyond.

The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (YFRW) population, once widespread in South Australia, faced depletion due to hunting and invasive species post-European settlement. However, the Hiltaba Nature Reserve, a 78,000 ha habitat managed by Nature Foundation since 2012, has seen promising signs of YFRW recovery following an intensive control program targeting feral goats, cats, and foxes. In a hopeful turn of events, the wallabies are now successfully breeding and expanding their presence, as evidenced by increased sightings and evidence from trapping work, supporting the comeback of this native species within their historical range.

This winter, Nature Foundation orchestrated the planting of 700 Iron-grass seedlings at the Tiliqua Nature Reserve, home to the endangered pygmy Bluetongue lizards. Planting efforts were meticulously planned to avoid disrupting the habitat of these lizards, with rotational managers establishing grazing exclosures to protect the seedlings from sheep and kangaroos. This project, a collaboration between Nature Foundation, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, and Mid Murray Landcare SA, is part of the 'Iron-grass native grassland project', funded by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Nature Foundation has voiced its approval for the Albanese Government’s new biodiversity certificates scheme, which encourages widespread investment in landscape restoration and management. The scheme's design necessitates a robust system for biodiversity measurement and reporting, presenting an opportunity to complement Nature Foundation's existing efforts to conserve Australian landscapes. The foundation, a leading provider of South Australian-based Significant Environmental Benefit (SEB) credits, currently manages SEB areas across three locations amounting to over 60,000 hectares.