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Mount Sandy Conservation

Promoting partnerships for conservation between Traditional Landowners and non-Indigenous Australians through vital conservation work

Australia
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The Coorong National Park and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert are the meeting point where the Murray Australias largest river, with a catchment of over one million square kilometres feeds into the Southern Ocean. Part of South Australias Limestone Coast, this region features some of the countrys most breathtaking landscapes. However, land surrounding these national treasures has been largely cleared for agriculture.

Location
Australia
Type
Other AFOLU
Standards
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Sustainable Development Goals

8. Decent work and economic growth

5 job opportunities

for Indigenous Ngarrindjeri Australians

13. Climate Action

Internationally verified carbon credits

stapled to each government accredited Australian Biodiversity Unit purchased from Mount Sandy, meeting stringent standards for NCOS Climate Active eligibility

15. Life on land

200 hectares of strategic habitat

protected and registered on the South Australian Native Vegetation Council Credit Register

17. Partnerships for the goals

Partnerships for Reconciliation

between non-Indigenous Australians and Ngarrindjeri Traditional Owners for conservation management

The Solution

Located on the traditional lands of the Ngarrindjeri people, Traditional Custodians of the Coorong, Mount Sandy is a rare pocket of intact native vegetation in a region now dominated by farmlands. The 200-hectare project site features a unique mix of coastal shrublands and saline swamplands that provide strategic habitat for iconic native wildlife, such as the short-beaked echidna, purple-gaped honeyeater and elegant parrot. Over thousands of years, the Ngarrindjeri people have cared for Coorong country, developing an intimate connection to the land that sustains them. Project management itself is made possible through close collaboration with local Ngarrindjeri Elders, Clyde and Rose Rigney, who oversee the ongoing management and conservation of vegetation at the Mount Sandy site.

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To be in this space where a lot of our untouched scrubs are is fantastic, a sense of being at home.

Clyde Rigney, One of the Ngarrindjeri elders who made the project possible (left), One of the Ngarrindjeri elders who made the project possible (left)

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The Impact

The Mount Sandy project ensures permanent protection for a regionally and culturally important pocket of biodiversity-rich land in partnership with its Traditional Owners. Local birds, animals and plants flourish undisturbed, while native plants for revegetation will be supplied by the local nursery at Raukkan Aboriginal Community, a self-governed Indigenous community 50 kilometres northwest of the project site. Raukkan community members are also employed for onsite works including vegetation monitoring and mapping, fencing, and pest and weed control.

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Project Progress

August 2019
May 2019
September 2020
June 2021
July 2021
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Project Progress

The project is launched

The local community–the Traditional Custodians and non-indigenous Australians–come together in the name of environmental conservation and people partnerships.
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Project Progress

A lesson from Wayne on propagating native seeds

Seeds of endangered vegetation, found on the Mount Sandy site, are successfully propagated at the Raukkan nursery. Manager Wayne shares his wisdom with Rhyannon and Jorge from South Pole's Melbourne office during a site visit. Reflecting on her visit, Rhyannon explains how the Mount Sandy project allows companies to take their climate action one step further.

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Project Progress

Readying the soil for planting

Clyde Rigny, project manager and local Ngarrindjeri Elder, tills the land to prepare it for sowing native plants.

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Project Progress

International recognition!

Our project partner, Cassina, the biodiversity extraordinaires who are supporting Mount Sandy's Traditional Landowners to protect the site, has been shortlisted for the UNCCD’s Land for Life Award in recognition of the wide-reaching impact their work is having! We are proud to be working with dedicated people who are committed to long-term climate action.

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Project Progress

Planting and beyond!

As Australia gets used to more frequent extreme weather, ecosystems must be strong and healthy if they are to offer protection and resistance. Over 30 species of native vegetation are being planted to revitalise the area. Whether its ground cover plants helping to lock moisture in the soil, shrubs creating cover for wildlife to move around or large trees providing shade; each species has a role to play. Read the latest from the project.

About EcoAustralia

EcoAustralia is a stapled product that blends carbon credits with biodiversity protection. Each EcoAustralia credit consists of one Australian Biodiversity Unit, equal to 1.5m2 of government-accredited, permanently protected Australian vegetation, and 1 tCO2e of avoided emissions from a Gold Standard certified project.

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Project ID: 302443
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