Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.4:
The Koala - a species with remnant populations in some areas of temperate woodland in eastern
Australia. This iconic species is clearly linked with Australia. But it is also worth a fortune to the country as it
attracts over $1 billion annually through the tourism industry. (Photo by Julian Robinson)
heritage and culture. The vast majority of species on this continent can be found in
Australia and nowhere else. This is true for virtually every group of plants and
animals, from mosses and lichens to flowering shrubs and trees, and from
invertebrates to frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Australians therefore have a
custodial responsibility to conserve species that are unique to this nation.
Moreover, we have a custodial responsibility to the Indigenous people who cared
for temperate woodlands and their biodiversity for tens of thousands of years
before the arrival of Europeans.
Australia's temperate woodlands are also culturally important for Australians
of European descent. They are places where gold was first discovered, were home
to some of the nation's most notorious bushrangers, are featured in classic
paintings by masters such as Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Jane Sutherland and
Fredrick McCubbin (see Figure 1.5), and were the backdrop for poems by iconic
authors such as Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson. There are therefore
compelling historical and cultural reasons for informed management and
