Today's Weekend Australian has an article on corporate funding of
conservation groups. It mentions Southcorp is believed to be giving the
Australian Conservation Foundation $200,000 per year, for three years
to fund an anti-salinity program. Southcorp is the biggest Australian
wine company and one the biggest in the world. It owns many well known
brands including Penfolds, Rosemount, Lindemans, Seppelt and Wynns .
Southcorp is supposed to be demanding improved environmental practices
from the grape growers who supply it. Perhaps Birds Australia can
approach ACF/Southcorp for these improved environmental practices to
include the treatment of birds.
Also in the Weekend Australian is a depressing piece on the state of
the Murray. One postive part is Banrock Station - a Murray property
bought seven years ago by BRL Hardy, Australia's 2nd biggest wine company.
Apparently 3/4 of Banrock Station have been reserved for environmental
uses including brand.
It may be not only altruism that motivates BRL Hardy's actions. Australia
produces a large and fast-increasing amount of reasonable quality wine.
There is strong competition at around $10/bottle. Image is crucial and
brands are difficult and expensive to establish. The Banrock Station
brand is said to have been extremely successful.
One reason that much of Banrock Station could be reserved for
environmental uses is that wine grapes don't use much land - approximately
120,000 hectares produces all of Australia's wine. This is about half
the size of Newhaven Station.
Andrew Taylor
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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