Gluepot

Gluepot Reserve is part of the largest block of intact mallee left in Australia and so the viability of threatened bird populations and other flora and fauna is high. Prior to fires in 2006 (that burnt 8,000 ha) the last major fire on Gluepot was over half a century ago in December 1950. Importantly, some whole areas were not burnt at all during these widespread fires. A mosaic of fire impacts, together with a diversity of understoreys within the mallee and other woodland communities gives rise to a wide variety of niches for birds and other wildlife. Many of the trees within the mallee and Casuarina woodland are hundreds of years old with numerous hollows. Such old-growth habitat is essential for many species including threatened species, such as the Black-eared Miner.

Gluepot Reserve is protected in perpetuity as a conservation reserve by the signing of a South Australian Heritage Agreement. Gluepot is also part of the National Reserve System and is further protected under the Commonwealth EPBC Act as 'critical habitat' - the first area of land on mainland Australia to have achieved this protection.

Volunteers are the life blood of the Reserve and come from all over Australia and overseas to generously donate their time

Since the Reserve was purchased in July 1997 volunteers have donated approximately 300,000 hours and 1,700,000 km in mileage which equates to a $5 million contribution. Every year 22,000 hours of volunteer effort are generously donated to Gluepot

Volunteer Ranger positions have historically been booked out 2 - 3 years in advance. The Reserve's Assistant Ranger Training Program offers young graduates and under-graduates the opportunity to obtain training in many facets of conservation and park management, scientific research and monitoring methodology, and a wide range of other skills not available in any other training programs; and this service is free of charge. Overseas students come to stay at the Reserve for months at a time and many undertake special projects around the Reserve as part of their university course. The Reserve provides a supervisor/mentor to these projects.

A skilled volunteer Management Committee is responsible for all management issues. They ensure the Reserve is manned on a continuous basis by Volunteer Rangers and Assistant Rangers.

The Reserve has been extremely successful in creating a 'Quality Centre for Scientific Research' and attracts several Australian universities, students and research institutions to conduct ongoing research projects at Gluepot.

Gluepot has 95 biodiversity sites, the greatest number of any Australian land area. These sites are monitored annually by Reserve personnel for vegetation, birds, mammals and reptiles. Gluepot also has the highest concentration of Atlassed sites in Australia, which contributes to BirdLife Australia's most successful and longest running bird monitoring project. Monitoring sites have also been established in burnt areas to monitor vegetation and fauna recovery in those areas. 

Feral pests, such as goats and foxes, and noxious weeds are controlled and monitored.

And of course Gluepot remains the field study centre for the endangered Black-eared Miner.

Gluepot is the recipient of 35 national and international awards in the fields of science and monitoring, biodiversity conservation, environment, sustainable ecotourism, health and the built environment - including five Landcare awards.

The Reserve has been an industry leader in the accreditation process and was one of the first tourism attractions in South Australia to achieve Advanced Eco Certification and National Tourism Accreditation.

By successfully combining the elements of biodiversity conservation through land management, scientific research and monitoring, environmental education and sustainable ecotourism, Gluepot Reserve has taken conservation management into a new era. The Reserve is providing an international model to show that sustainable use of the landscape is both feasible and desirable. A highly successful program of this size and complexity is unique in Australian land management.