‘The environmental movement needs many hands’: saving Australia’s biodiversity is getting personal

Powered by individual donations and bequests, the country now has one of the world’s largest networks of privately protected and managed land

by James Norman, Fri 17 Apr 2026

Excerpt: "Over three decades later, #BushHeritage today owns and protects 45 bought or gifted bush reserves around #Australia – covering more than 1.4m hectares of land and providing habitat for over 9,000 native species. Working with #FirstNations communities and farmers, it supports the management of an additional 20.5m hectares beyond what it owns directly.

" 'Some of Australia’s most threatened and fragile #ecosystems and #wildlife sit outside of the national reserve system,' says Rachel Lowry, Bush Heritage Australia’s chief executive officer.

" 'They’re found on private land or pastoral country, and they may have deep cultural and ecological values, but they’re not protected from threats such as #LandClearing, #mining or #InvasiveSpecies.'

"The organisation reports a rise in the number of personal bequests, from 2,500 in 2022 to more than 4,600 bequests last year. Lowry puts the increase down to a personal desire to have a meaningful impact on the worsening global climate and #biodiversity crisis.

"Bush Heritage’s model has inspired other groups around Australia to acquire and conserve lands and forests of significant ecological value. One such example is the #NorthEastTasmania #LandTrust (#NETLT), which secretary Dr Christine Hosking describes as 'a microcosm of Bush Heritage'.

"Formed in 2009, the organisation manages donated land through weed control and regeneration of the native environment.

" 'Currently, we have 10 acres [4 hectares] of endangered eucalyptus forest in #BinalongBay that adjoins the #BayOfFires #Conservation Area, and a smaller patch of coastal habitat for the endangered swift parrot,' she says."

#SolarPunkSunday #LandConservation #EndangeredSpecies #ClimateCrisis #ProtectTheForest #ProtectTheForests #Regeneration #PreserveNature #Conservationists #NativeAustralians #TraditionalLandManagement

The Esto’k Gna Fight to Protect #SacredLands from #SpaceX Expansion

Oct 14, 2025

Key takeaways:

- Tribal nation challenges #SpaceX expansion: The Esto’k Gna, or #CarrizoComecrudo Tribe of #Texas, oppose SpaceX’s ongoing expansion at Boca Chica, saying the project desecrates sacred lands and harms protected ecosystems.
- #EnvironmentalDamage documented: Tribal leaders and #conservationists report that rocket launches have caused #fires, #debris fallout, and #HabitatLoss in an area home to #EndangeredSpecies.
- Lack of consultation and oversight: The Esto’k Gna say they were never properly consulted by federal or state agencies, despite legal obligations to consider Indigenous rights and cultural heritage in environmental reviews.
- Broader fight for recognition: The Tribe’s concerns highlight ongoing struggles for federal acknowledgment and protection of #IndigenousSovereignty in the face of high-tech industrial expansion.

Excerpt: "On the southernmost edge of Texas, where the Rio Grande meets the Gulf, the Esto’k Gna Tribal Nation — also known as the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas — still hopes to protect what remains of its ancestral lands from Elon Musk’s expanding SpaceX base.

The tribe says the company’s operations at Boca Chica — rebranded 'Starbase' — have devastated fragile #ecosystems, desecrated #SacredSites, and cut off traditional access to the coastline that forms the heart of their creation story. What SpaceX hails as a gateway to Mars, tribal leaders call a continuation of the centuries-long #erasure of Indigenous peoples in the name of progress. As Tribal Chairman #JuanMancias recently told Decatur Metro, 'They dream of reaching Mars. We’re just trying to stay on Earth.' "

Read more:
https://icmagazine.org/the-estok-gna-fight-to-protect-sacred-lands-from-spacex-expansion/

Watch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPcDYLEKc0c

#CulturalGenocide #EstokGna #IntercontinentalCry #ReaderSupportedNews #SacredLand #BocaChicaBeach #RocketLaunch #Pollution #CarrizoComecrudoTribe #ProtectTheSacred #Colonialism
#CorporateColonialism #OccupySpaceX #TwoHeartedPeople #GarciaPasture #EndangeredSpecies #AncestralLand #ElonSucks #StarbaseCity

Sicilianews24.it: I conservazionisti sono in crisi: esaurimento e disillusioni nel settore della salvaguardia.

La Crisi Psicologica nei Professionisti della Conservazione
La conservazione dell’ambiente è stata tradizionalmente vista come una missione morale. Per molti che operano in questo settore, il senso di scopo è ciò che permette di affrontare le difficoltà, lavorare in luoghi remoti e affrontare problemi che raramente offrono vittorie rapide. Recentemente, tuttavia, questo intenso impegno sta causando un significativo stress psicologico, come riportato da Jeremy Hance di Mongabay. La crescita di casi di burnout, depressione e suicidi tra i professionisti della conservazione ha portato alcuni leader a definire una vera e propria crisi all’interno del settore.
La Realtà della Conservazione Ambientale
Parte della pressione deriva dalle condizioni del mondo naturale. Negli ultimi decenni, le popolazioni di fauna selvatica hanno subito un drastico calo, gli ecosistemi si stanno degradando e i rischi legati al cambiamento climatico continuano ad aumentare. Coloro che hanno il compito di fermare queste perdite affrontano quotidianamente tali sfide, spesso con strumenti limitati e senza la certezza che i loro sforzi porteranno a risultati concreti. Questo porta a una forma di dolore che è sia cronico che socialmente incompreso. A differenza del lutto per la perdita di una persona, il dolore per la perdita di specie o paesaggi non suscita spesso la stessa empatia pubblica, ma può essere altrettanto opprimente.

L'articolo I conservazionisti sono in crisi: esaurimento e disillusioni nel settore della salvaguardia. sembra essere il primo su Sicilianews24.it.

Conservationists are in crisis: exhaustion and disillusionment in the field of protection.

The Psychological Crisis in Conservation Professionals
The conservation of the environment has traditionally been viewed as a moral mission. For many who operate in this sector, the sense of purpose is what allows them to cope with difficulties, work in remote locations, and tackle problems that rarely offer quick victories. However, recently, this intense commitment is causing significant psychological stress, as reported by Jeremy Hance of Mongabay. The rise of cases of burnout, depression, and suicide among conservation professionals has led some leaders to define a genuine crisis within the sector.

The Reality of Environmental Conservation
Part of the pressure comes from the conditions of the natural world. Over the past decades, wildlife populations have declined dramatically, ecosystems are degrading, and the risks associated with climate change continue to increase. Those who have the task of stopping these losses face these challenges daily, often with limited tools and without the certainty that their efforts will lead to concrete results. This leads to a form of pain that is both chronic and socially misunderstood. Unlike the grief for the loss of a person, the pain for the loss of species or landscapes often does not elicit the same public empathy, but can be just as overwhelming.

The article “Conservationists are in Crisis: Burnout and Disillusionment in the Safeguarding Sector” appears to be the first on Sicilianews24.it.

#JeremyHance #Mongabay #Conservationists #first

https://www.sicilianews24.it/i-conservazionisti-sono-in-crisi-esaurimento-e-disillusioni-nel-settore-della-salvaguardia-822868.html