SAVING THE MAGIC FOREST

By Claire Bowman

In February the southern Mt Lofty Ranges, traditional Ngarrindjeri land, feels quintessentially South Australian. I pass through golden, summer-dry grazing land and vineyards so vibrantly green it’s hard to believe. Though this summer has seen a few good rains, the land and air are dry. Lone native trees offer shade on sun-drenched paddocks, making the perfect gnarled homes for small creatures. The low hills roll away into the distance and stands of remnant forest create denser patches of shade where acacia, callitris and eucalyptus come together to darken the contours of the land.

I’m looking for one of these stands in particular. The owner of the place calls it “the magic forest”. The long driveway that leads there has lush vineyards on one side and a thick bushland — the magic forest itself — is visible on the other. Between the driveway and the vineyard, a strip of old grazing land is scattered with teal tree guards and small, shrubby trees standing a metre or more over their tops.

Encompassing 110 acres, this land has been the project of its owner David since 2017. In only those short years, his patch has expanded, slowly embracing bits and pieces of neighbouring properties that he has been able to purchase from a neighbourhood of obliging farmers. Many of the farmers in the area run sheep on land that’s been cleared for a century. They see the value that this conservation project brings to the area.

Parts of the property are already protected under a Heritage Agreement, including the forest. David envisions that with help from Trees For Life, as well as other parties who take an interest in the project, more of the land will come under protected status in his lifetime. Rebecca O'Leary, the Heritage Agreement Outreach Officer from Trees For Life, has joined us on the site. She explains the meaning of an agreement like this. Heritage status puts a legal protection on the title of the land itself. “It can never be cleared, even when David moves on, whatever happens to it … it’s in perpetuity.”

Now and into the future, for all our lives and far beyond our lifetimes, it’s been written into the law that this forest must continue to exist.

The gravity of the heritage status and the importance of protecting places like this begins to sink in as I discover more about the site. On a large map, David shows us the areas of land that are protected under agreements, both long-standing and new, as well as the areas where planting and direct seeding have begun to revegetate the retired farmland. He points out the parts that are newly acquired, where this year’s work will take place. Then we head out to see for ourselves.

Before we set out, David warns us to tuck long hair under our hats. His own is already concealed, hidden from the raptors that have been known to come uncomfortably close, perhaps mistaking a ponytail for a rabbit or rodent.

“It’s the driest time of the year.” David says as we move out into the bush.

Though dry, it’s still green and alive with movement. The birds are the most obvious, quick flashes of brilliant colour that catch my eye between the branches. A few roos raise their heads at our approach and lope off our path.

No sign of the raptors today, or their preferred prey. Attempts to limit the rabbit population have been fairly successful and there’s little evidence of trampling or nibbling around the seedlings here. The planting and seeding efforts from last year that are visible between the trees are coming up strong and healthy. They haven’t needed watering this year after a wet winter and some summer showers.

This thick old growth has never been cleared and has stood under a

TOP LEFT IMAGE:

Inspecting an area of recent direct seeding.

BOTTOM LEFT

IMAGE: A newly added section of the property where revegetation is yet to start.

Heritage Agreement since the early eighties. Aerial photographs taken by a light aircraft in 1947, show the extent of clearing in the area and remind David of the progress that’s already been made here. “The pictures are scary because except for this little patch of forest here and that one over there, and even that was pretty denuded in 1947, it looked like a nuke site. Not a tree anywhere … it’s a wonder these lived, survived. When I look at that 1947 picture and I look at one now, it’s a hundred times better [now].”

Regardless of its history and some more sparse surroundings, this old growth area is filled with life, from tiny fungus to towering eucalyptus. Unique species make their home here. Bright birds, native grasses, endangered silver daisies. I’m told an orchid* that hasn’t been sighted in decades showed its petals here in the spring. As far as David knows, it’s the only existing population.

I’m not the only one who finds this amazing. “Of all the galaxies and on earth … the only place to find some of the DNA and some of the species is here. The only place is right here,” says Rebecca.

The special nature of this place, and any place like it, is undoubtedly felt by the many hands who have helped bring it to being. David attributes the work being done almost entirely to the many volunteers and groups that have come in with helping hands wide open. “It’s a big cooperative thing and I’m just a facilitator,” he says.

I ask him what the longer term plan is for that project.

“My whole aim is to get the whole lot totally locked in forever. This bit here and this bit here, the major existing stands of forest … this is never going back to agriculture. Ever going back.” But David and Rebecca agree that it’s not as simple as to simply stop clearing or other detrimental land use. That is only the beginning. With ongoing threats from invasive plants and animals, as well as challenges posed by the warming climate, many hands are required to maintain a large patch like this. “A Heritage Agreement and a managed Heritage Agreement are two completely different things,” says Rebecca. To keep a place like this in a state resembling the landscape before farming, protection and conservation Of all the galaxies, and on earth … must sit side-bythe only place to find some of the DNA and some of the species is side. “If I use the word ‘protect’, here. The only place is right here I’ll also generally use the word ‘conserve’ or ‘manage’ in the same sentence. For me it’s quite different. They’ve both got their places. Some people think we just have to lock up land … but generally you’ve got to manage it. With threats, you’ve got to manage it. To conserve something, in my mind, means to actively manage it rather than just protecting it and putting a fence around it.” David notes another layer to the work of conservation. "A lot of people think that they just plant a tree and leave it. It’s not, I can tell you that!” In agreement, Rebecca says planting trees is “a speck of what has to happen. From collecting the seeds, to germinating them, putting them

RIGHT IMAGE: Planting efforts from previous years of planting, three to four years ago, growing strong.

in tubes, to actually finally going out. And then, like David said, the afterwork of weed control and watering and putting in tree guards, and taking tree guards out … there’s a lot more to maintaining and trying to recreate.”

All this and more happens at the hands of the countless dedicated people who have a story here. But David, the neighbouring farmers, Trees For Life and many volunteers all agree: it’s worth the effort.

Looking out to the paddock that has been newly direct seeded by Trees For Life, it is clear to me that David is seeing something that isn’t yet visible. “My vision is 100 years from now … One day they’ll look out here and it will be as thick as that [existing forest]. But being humans and being impatient we’d love to see it all up now!”

He gives special mention to a number of the individuals who’ve worked closely with him. David has gratitude for the significant contributions of the Scunthorpe group, who have funded and supported plantings on site. When it comes to neighbouring farmers, one in particular stands out. It happens to be another David, David Eckert, who has gone so far as to have an adjoining part of his property signed over to ensure it remains protected. Another directly adjoining farmer, Angela Veitch (a Life Member of Trees For Life), has also transferred adjacent heritage forest to be included and is excited about the aims of the project. That section and more are seeded or ready to be seeded thanks to the efforts of David Hein and his Direct Seeding team at Trees For Life.

Since its inception, this place has been a long-term project with Trees For Life. Funding was initially secured through the federal government’s 20 Million Trees Project, and then through the endangered silver daisy project, which is still continuing on site. Now, a grant from the SA Government through the Revitalising Private Conservation in South Australia Program will fund weed control, revegetation and seedling protection on the property. David has made the ultimate acknowledgement of a shared vision by naming Trees For Life in his Will, to ensure all the work being done will be valuable well beyond the lifetime of anyone involved today.

Seeing action like this is one of the reasons Rebecca has chosen to work in Heritage Agreements. “Once people put a Heritage Agreement on their property then that’s it forever … action now is going to influence this pocket of land forever. It’s pretty amazing.”

This particular project is doubly valuable for its existing forest and also its unique layout and the careful action that’s being taken to recreate the land as it once was. “This area might not qualify [for Heritage Agreement] in the fact that it’s been cleared. But … it's surrounded by established vegetation so you know eventually, unless you continue clearing it or grazing it, it’s going to turn back to being a forest. It has been grazed, but it has both conservation value now because of the work that’s been done on it, and it’s got a high amount of conservation value for the future because of how it’s located between these two pockets.”

She can also see how the presence of the older protected forest areas offers something special and inspiring for those involved in the project: a visual representation of the future possibilities. “It’s a sense of ‘building on’. You can see what it looks like and you’re building on that.”

For David this project, the Heritage Agreement and a legacy left to Trees For Life, are much more about what happens beyond his lifetime than what is happening now.

“Everything is impermanent. But some things, like the forest, are more permanent than others. The things that we do here, and this house, and all human constructions — they will disappear in time. All of that stuff is temporal. The forest up here has been

here for ten thousand years, probably more … and it will be here for the next ten thousand years. And we want to enhance it and retain it here forever … that’s the mark I’ll leave. It won’t be anything else I’ve ever done. I will be leaving a forest. That gives a person’s life meaning.

‘We’re living in a very special place here. We just can’t go to planet B — there is no planet B. And you can see all around you the destruction and it’s still happening. But the thing is: you’ve got to do something.

And we want to enhance it and retain it here forever … that’s the mark I’ll leave. It won’t be anything else I’ve ever done. I will be leaving a forest. That gives a person’s life meaning.

“I’m a human … I’m not blameless. There’s a great big chunk of carbon dioxide up there that’s got my name on it … but I will leave the forest.”

Not afraid of looking the great challenges of our lifetime in the eye, David also looks beyond his own life, to a brighter future for the earth and for this small place within it.

“I never thought I’d ever have the chance to give back to the world. This is my legacy. A lot of people leave children to the world, or leave money. When I’ve got five minutes to live, on my deathbed, I can’t complain about anything life’s given me. But I know I’m going to leave this. And I’m going to leave it in good hands. It’s very important to me.” 

*The name of the native orchid has been deliberately left out to avoid people trespassing on the private property to view or photograph this species.

TOP RIGHT IMAGE:

Rebecca and David walking towards the old growth area, the ‘magic forest'.

BOTTOM RIGHT IMAGE:

Seedlings springing up after last season’s direct seeding by Trees For Life. The Revitalising Private Conservation in South Australia Program is jointly delivered by environmental and agricultural producer organisations, including Conservation SA, Livestock SA, Nature Conservation Society of South Australia, and Trees For Life. The program is led by Nature Foundation as the principal delivery partner working closely with the Department for Environment and Water.