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The Banrock Station Wetlands Foundation Canada (BSWFC) was established in 2000 as a registered charity to support wetlands conservation projects across Canada. Since its inception, the Foundation has disbursed over $90,000 to its Canadian partners. In Ontario, the BSWFC works with the ROM Foundation by supporting fieldwork at Walpole Island, an ecologically sensitive sight at the mouth of the St. Clair River. The contribution has funded research by the ROM’s Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, along with Walpole Island First Nation members, who have been studying many of the rare and endangered species that make Walpole Island their home. Money for the Banrock Station Wetlands Foundation Canada is raised directly through the sale of Banrock Station wines from Australia. Every bottle of Banrock Station wine sold helps raise money for wetland conservation.
Banrock Station lies at the junction of Banrock Creek and the Murray River, downstream from Kingston-on-Murray in South Australia’s Riverland region. It was acquired by the BRL Hardy Wine Company in 1994.
The property was suffering from prolonged farming and stock grazing in what was a very fragile environment. Prior to the purchase a conservation group, Wetland Care Australia, had carried out some restoration work along the 12.5 kilometres (7.5 miles) of wetlands bordering the Murray River on the northern boundary of the property.
This environmental work provided the inspiration for BRL Hardy to embark on a unique project. They continued the wetland work and returned the property to its natural state through de-stocking and re- vegetation and by using proceeds from the sale of Banrock Station wines to fund environmental projects around Australia.
The 1700-hectare (4200 acres) property has just 250 hectares (620 acres) devoted to premium grape varieties such as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Semillon.
The remaining land, including 12.5 kilometres (7.5 miles) of river frontage adjacent to the Banrock Lagoon and wetlands is being returned to its native state.
The wetlands at Banrock Station are an on-going responsibility shared with Wetland Care Australia, one of Australia’s prominent wetland conservation groups. Carp barriers have been installed to rid the main lagoon of this voracious plant eating, bottom-feeding fish. This has returned the water to its natural pristine condition regenerating native waterweeds. Wetting and drying cycles are controlled to replicate natural conditions, encouraging flora and fauna to return.
A huge re-vegetation program has been undertaken, planting stands of swamp paperbark and saltbush. The results are encouraging. White-eyed ducks and other native birds, native fish, frogs and insects are returning in ever-increasing numbers. New river redgum saplings are re-establishing themselves among the native lignums.
The donations from every Banrock Station bottle have already raised more than $1,000,000 AUD for environmental projects around the world and will continue to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservation programs during the coming years.
Following the outstanding success of the Australian program, Banrock Station saw the opportunity to take the concept to the international marketplace. Since mid-1999 a number of new sponsorships have been arranged in countries like Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States. Consumers are making the connection and are purchasing Banrock Station wines more often. In Great Britain it is one of the largest selling wine brands in the country.
For more information, please feel free to contact us. |
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Last Updated 01/14/08 Copyright 2008 Churchill Cellars Ltd. All rights reserved |
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