Heartlands: diversity or dust

Narrated by Richard Bawden this episode looks at a small group of farmers who have developed a meaningful relationship with the land. When these farmers arrived on their selections in Western Australia in the fifties, they were required by the Lands Department to clear a certain percentage of their land. Initially, believing that opening up the land and growing wheat was a worthy enterprise, they readily cleared the native bush. As time went on some of them realised that this practice was doing great damage, increasing salinity and rendering the land barren. Gradually they developed an understanding of the balance of the natural environment, and realised that the ‘empty’ land they had settled contained plant species of enormous diversity. Led by Veronica Kingdon, the farmers conducted and won a campaign against the Lands Department. Their political lobbying has stopped all major land clearing in the state. Their efforts also contributed to the establishment of Fitzgerald National Park, one of the richest botanical regions in the world. Now self-taught botanists, geologists, nature photographers and seed collectors they conduct a wildflower show each year to raise awareness about plant diversity in the region. Their efforts are a model for showing how a small group of dedicated individuals can bring about profound change.