Arabic version: استعادة كرم في ريفرلاند تدعم ببغاوات الريجنت

According to ABC News, Tony and Cherie Townsend have transformed 40 acres of former vineyards at Murtho in South Australia’s Riverland into native vegetation, creating habitat intended to support the endangered regent parrot. The couple chose in 2022 not to replace the vines with another crop.

The riverfront property sits along a flight path for the native birds and was identified as close to an ideal site for regent parrots. The Townsends worked with the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, while the South Australian Regent Parrot Recovery Team was consulted on ways to attract parrots and help boost their population.

Regent parrots breed in river red gums along the River Murray corridor and forage in mallee vegetation. In its most recent census, the Landscape Board recorded 400 breeding pairs in the Riverland. Threatened fauna ecologist Melissa Burford said restoring land to its natural form helps provide the forage food the birds need.

The restoration comes as Riverland wine grape growers face oversupply and falling global wine consumption, with vines increasingly removed across the region. While growers have been encouraged to move to crops such as almonds or olives, the Townsends said their aim was to return the land to its natural state. They reused some polyethylene pipe for trees and used a small portion of their water allocation to establish plants.

The project remains in its early stages, but flowers are already blooming and local school students have taken part in restoration work. Tony Townsend said four generations of his family have helped plant the site, which the couple hope will provide benefits for bird life and future generations.