Tree Changers

Following my book review of OLd Land, New landcapes I received an e mail from author Dr Chris Williams which is included below. He is the Director of Bush Protection for Trust For Nature in Victoria and also shares a farm with his brother in central NSW in Australia.

Hi Lindsay,

Thanks for your review of Old Land, New Landscapes and the insightful comments about Australia and our environment.

As you know, I'm the author (!) and I just wanted to emphasise to your international co-bloggers that you are spot-on to say that Australia is the most urbanised country on the planet.

This really shocks a lot of people brought up on the myth of rugged Auusies living in the bush and the outback. The strange thing is that at the very time that Australia realises how precious its landscapes and wildlife are to everyone on Earth, we also have even fewer people living in rural areas.

What we do have though are 'tree changers' the people moving inland from our cities and not just 'sea changing'; these are often the people who signing covenants to protect nature and who have become the 'new pioneers'. At the same time we need to support existing farming communties.

Anyway, thanks again and I will send you photos sometime of my own slice of the wilderness, in the old volcanic landscape of the Warrumbungle National Park in New South Wales.
Cheers!