Kwongan Foundation

The KWONGAN Foundation for the Conservation of Australian Native Plants

Honorary Patrons of the Foundation:

• Professor Alan Robson, Vice Chancellor, UWA Mr. Peter Cundell
• Ms Marion Blackwell
• Professor Steve Hopper, Director Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
• Ms Philippa Nikulinsky
• Mr David Templeman, MLA

Patrons

• Professor Hans Lambers
• Dr Marion Cambridge
• Dr Rob Keogh
• Dr Cleve Hassell
• Mr Jock Clough

The southwest of Western Australia is recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot: a world heritage area with a unique flora rich in threatened species.

In Western Australia, we continue to discover plant species at an exceptional rate. Understanding their biology is a major challenge, all the more urgent because of unprecedented threats posed by dieback disease, invasive weeds, land clearing, grazing, salinity, groundwater extraction and urban development. Of the 8,000 native species in this region, more than 2,500 border on extinction.

Plants provide many of the essentials of life - clean oxygenated air, filtered water, healthy soils, food, fibre and half the medicines still in use.
Who knows which endangered Australian plant, living in the wild and at risk of extinction, might be tomorrow's salvation for a critical life-support function? Losing species from such an extraordinarily rich tapestry is like removing forever great works of art from a large gallery. While we may not suffer immediate consequences, we and our descendants would be immeasurably diminished by such loss.

Fortunately, the scientific tools and management know-how to make a difference are available to us. Real progress is being made but much more is required. There are many young people training as conservation biologists and many more involved in community groups.

The KWONGAN Foundation for the Conservation of Australian Native Plants has been established in March 2006 to provide resources for research and study at UWA; to implement the gathering and sharing of knowledge; to enable long-term planning and attract world-class researchers; and to achieve tangible improvements in the long-term conservation prospects of endangered plants.

Objectives of the Foundation

The Foundation will provide the resources to:

* implement the gathering and sharing of knowledge about our unique flora
* enable planning on a long-term basis for conservation of these plant species
* attract world-class researchers to Western Australia to achieve significant advances and stem the tide of looming extinction for so many species
* address new problems as they arise
* facilitate conservation objectives of the community, industry and Government
* help provide a secure basis for the State's tourist industry
* discover many valuable compounds for medicine and industry
* involve community groups helping with this challenge

The Foundation will provide essential income to support promising young researchers in this urgent field of community need

All this cannot be achieved without your valuable support. All donations make a measurable difference. Please consider a contribution (tax deductible) to the Foundation. All donations of $5000.00 and above will entitle you to become a Patron of the Kwongan Foundation.

For more information please contact Prof Hans Lambers at hans.lambers@uwa.edu.au

• Future Activities

Biodiversity on the Verge 13 - 14 Sept 2008

• Past Activities Organised

Forests of the Darling Plateau 5 - 6 May 2007

Kwongan Colloquium 25 - 26 March 2006