Can you give a little kindness to the Otways?
The Otway Ranges are home to Victoria’s most spectacular rainforest and coastal landscapes. For over two decades, the Conservation Ecology Centre has been working to ensure these ecosystems continue to thrive and remain resilient in the face of invasive species and fire. But we can’t do it without you.
This World Kindness Day on November 13, we’re asking you to give a little kindness to the Otways, to help us protect the landscapes you love.
Why the Conservation Ecology Centre?
We are a nimble, innovative conservation and research organisation, with over 20 years of experience:
- researching best-practice land management and conservation strategies for the Otways
- working together with public and private landholders to deliver effective landscape-scale solutions
We operate directly from the Otways, keeping our eyes and boots on the ground, with our ears and doors open to conversations with landholders actively working in these landscapes. Our focus is right here, with the Victorian landscapes and wildlife that you love. But our strategies and solutions are applicable across Australia.
Find out more about our work on our website, or by subscribing to our seasonal newsletter.
The Otways hold a special place in my heart because of their breathtaking beauty. They’re also one of the few remaining wild places in Australia, and indeed the world. I joined the Conservation Ecology Centre as a Patron in 2011 because this dedicated team have a ‘wild vision’ for the Otways: working to understand the complex relationship between ecosystem components, including the human communities living here, in order to best protect and manage these extraordinary landscapes. What excites me about the work of this small, but passionate team is they inspire confidence in the future by putting forward effective, innovative, and engaging approaches to conserving wildlife and the ecosystems on which they depend.
Steve Bracks AC
Why the Otways?
The Otways are one of the last refuges of safe haven for species now lost from other parts of Victoria. They’re incredibly special and extraordinarily beautiful landscapes, as many Australians would attest to.
We need these ecosystems to remain intact.
Invasive species are the biggest threat to Australian biodiversity. Here in the Otways, our small mammals, reptiles and birds are battling feral cats, foxes, pigs and deer. These feral predators and invasive species are destroying our wildlife directly, or destroying their homes. We’re currently working across land tenures on strategies to manage this.
With their dense eucalypt forests, the Otways are a highly flammable environment while also being the perfect home for wildlife. As the climate changes, we urgently need solutions that allow us to manage the fuel load in our forests while also allowing small mammals to survive. We’re currently working with government and fire management agencies to find the best solutions to protect human lives and wildlife.
These landscape challenges are ongoing and require continued long-term focus. The Conservation Ecology Centre is here for the long-term, keeping the spotlight on the critical issues for our landscapes and wildlife. But we cannot do this work with your support.
Or if you can’t, share our work with your networks because raising awareness of the work we do is equally important.
