Protecting a vital ecosystem
Protected with a conservation covenant, this special place is also a key area for Trust for Nature because it safeguards waterways flowing into Port Phillip Bay. As the climate warms, it has been identified as a refuge that will help animals and plants adapt. It also connects to Mornington Peninsula National Park, contributing to a network of protected areas on the peninsula.
Protected with a conservation covenant, this special place is also a key area for Trust for Nature because it safeguards waterways flowing into Port Phillip Bay. As the climate warms, it has been identified as a refuge that will help animals and plants adapt. It also connects to Mornington Peninsula National Park, contributing to a network of protected areas on the peninsula.
“We covenanted the property here because we want every level of protection that we can to preserve this block, and we want to preserve the block in terms of fighting off invasive species and in the legal sense too,” says Rudi. “We feel like we are doing everything we can to protect it.”
A shared passion for conservation
Conservation has been a journey that brought Jennifer and Rudi together. Born in the US, Jennifer received an early introduction to the wonder of nature through her father, a keen bird-watcher. When she met Rudi, the son of Latvian refugees, she took him hiking and he soon became as passionate as her. They have enjoyed the process of learning about their property and how to manage it.
Conservation has been a journey that brought Jennifer and Rudi together. Born in the US, Jennifer received an early introduction to the wonder of nature through her father, a keen bird-watcher. When she met Rudi, the son of Latvian refugees, she took him hiking and he soon became as passionate as her. They have enjoyed the process of learning about their property and how to manage it.
“You go on this journey of getting to know your property. You might start with one area of interest, then it all comes together. You can build knowledge and you don’t have to do it all yourselves. Everyone who comes through teaches us something,” says Jennifer.
Preserving an ancient landscape
Jennifer and Rudi have complementary passions; for him, it’s the grasses and smaller plants. For Jennifer, it’s birds and trees, particularly a large, ancient Coastal Manna Gum living on the property.
Jennifer and Rudi have complementary passions; for him, it’s the grasses and smaller plants. For Jennifer, it’s birds and trees, particularly a large, ancient Coastal Manna Gum living on the property.
“It’s all scraggly and stunted, we don’t know how old but at least 400 years. I admire it because of its age and its survival in really sandy, nutrient-poor soil. You get this feeling that you’re on this ancient land that was home to people for thousands of years, and we do feel that sense of just temporarily being stewards of it.”
From one conservation project to another
The property at Boneo is the pair’s second conservation covenant. The first they found when looking for a country property to take their children, when they came across a beautiful woodland site at Fernbank on Gunaikurnai Country. Jennifer recalls arriving at the property one day to find an enormous monitor beside the car.
The property at Boneo is the pair’s second conservation covenant. The first they found when looking for a country property to take their children, when they came across a beautiful woodland site at Fernbank on Gunaikurnai Country. Jennifer recalls arriving at the property one day to find an enormous monitor beside the car.
“It was the biggest tree monitor I’d ever seen. It turned out there was a dead kangaroo under the house, and it was like a goanna party. What an absolute privilege to see something like that.”
From Fernbank, they had the covenant bug, and in 2013 found the property at Boneo. Since then, they’ve dedicated huge amounts of time to improving habitat, supported by Melbourne Water and Mornington Peninsula Shire.
Advocating for private land conservation
Jennifer also served as a dedicated and passionate Trustee of Trust for Nature, advocating for the role of private land in conservation.
Jennifer also served as a dedicated and passionate Trustee of Trust for Nature, advocating for the role of private land in conservation.
“I really believe in what Trust for Nature stands for. I’ve worked a lot on public land, which is really important, but with two-thirds of nature on private land we’re not going to preserve wildlife, plants, and fungi without it.”
