Foundation of the Programme: Engaging the Community

Abstract

The formal project on conservation of the Richmond birdwing programme began in 1992, and was progressively re-organised from 2001 to follow guidelines in the Recovery Plan (1996). Under different groups, coordination of the activities by widely distributed members of the community was needed, following the conclusion of the school-based Adopt-a-Caterpillar Scheme (p. xx). That project had received substantial funding from donors but members of the community wished to see other birdwing recovery actions coordinated by a community-based group, particularly cultivation, planting, monitoring and mapping the food plant vines, and longer-term plans to restore habitat corridors for the birdwing over a substantial area in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern NSW. ‘Recovery’ activities by all groups, followed the basic objectives and criteria listed in the Draft Recovery Plan (1996), and these were used in many successful bids for external funds from government agencies and industries, with some of those bids including informal reviews of progress since 1996. The first substantive review of progress was made by Sands and Scott (2001), and later commentaries made by Sands (2008) and most recently by Valentine and Johnston (2012).