Alleena
Situated in the heart of New South Wales’ Riverina, adjacent to national parks and revegetated landscapes, Alleena offers landscape-scale connectivity for species movement and dispersal, as well as habitat for a variety of threatened woodland bird species.
About Alleena
Situated in the heart of New South Wales’ Riverina, this project spans 497.58 hectares, adjacent to NSW National Parks and revegetated landscapes. Alleena has served as a dedicated conservation reserve since 2020, with five conservation areas protected in perpetuity by a Conservation Agreement through the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).
Home to 98 bird species, the project aims to combat the decline of birds reliant on intact woodland ecosystems for foraging and nesting. Many of these once-common species, such as the Dusky Woodswallow, are now found almost exclusively in small, fragmented habitat remnants on private land, within State Forests, or in Nature Reserves.
The Alleena project provides landscape-scale connectivity to support species movement and dispersal, as well as vital habitat for a range of threatened woodland birds, including the Brown Treecreeper, Dusky Woodswallow, Gilbert’s Whistler, Grey-crowned Babbler, Pink Cockatoo, Scarlet Robin, Spotted Harrier, Superb Parrot, and White-fronted Chat.
The diverse habitat and variety of plant species create an ideal environment for these woodland birds, offering essential features such as fallen timber, leaf litter, native grasses, forbs, dense prickly shrubs, and both small and large tree hollows.
A total of 171 species of native plants have been recorded, including the noteworthy addition of the Spiny Peppercress, a species classified as vulnerable under both Australian and NSW State legislation. A variety of native mammals can also be found across the property including Yellow-footed Antechinus and Dunnart species, often spotted exploring the fallen timber in the understory.
Vegetation communities
Blue Mallee – Bull Mallee – Green Mallee Plant Community Type (PCT) is included in the NSW Government’s Biodiversity Conservation Act listing of Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs). Some areas of this PCT type on the property meet the criteria for listing as the critically endangered Mallee and Mallee-Broombush dominated woodland and shrubland, lacking Triodia, in the NSW South Western Slopes Bioregion TEC.
Western Grey Box – White Cypress Pine tall woodland Plant Community Type (PCT) is included in both the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act’s listing of Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs). Some areas of this PCT type on the property meet the criteria for listing as the endangered Inland Grey Box Woodland in the Riverina, NSW South Western Slopes, Cobar Peneplain, Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions TEC.
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Green Mallee Shrubland
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Green Mallee - Broombush (TEC)
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Mugga Ironbark - Western Grey Box Woodland
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Inland Grey Box Woodland (TEC)
Monitoring Highlight
Project Report: Alleena
To celebrate World Wildlife Conservation Day we’ve released our first Annual Project Report for Alleena alongside a new mini-doco detailing our Spring monitoring at the property.
Flagship Species
The property is home to over 98 bird species identified incredibly rich assemblage of avian species featured rare and endangered species such as Brown Treecreeper, Gilbert’s Whistler, Grey-crowned Babbler, Pink Cockatoo, Scarlet Robin, Spotted Harrier, Superb Parrot and White-fronted Chat.
It also includes threatened plant species such as the Spiny Peppercress (Lepidium aschersonii), a species classified as vulnerable under both Australian and NSW State legislation.
Spiny Peppercress
Lepidium aschersonii
Spiny peppercress is a small perennial herb growing up to 30cm high and is endemic to mainland southern Australia. Despite its wide range, the species is patchily distributed, and much of its habitat has been lost to agriculture. Remaining populations are small, isolated, and increasingly vulnerable to threats such as grazing, weed invasion, and other forms of habitat destruction.
Spiny Peppercress is listed as vulnerable under both the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Yellow-footed Antechinus
Scientific name
The Yellow-footed Antechinus is a small marsupial from the dasyurid family, and it’s typically found in dry forests on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range. It has a distinctive pointed muzzle and short, broad feet of yellow-brown colour, hence its name.
The Yellow-footed Antechinus mainly feeds on invertebrates, eggs, nectar, and sometimes even small vertebrates. This diverse diet enables it to thrive in its natural habitat, showcasing its adaptability and resourcefulness.
Superb Parrot
Polytelis swainsonii
The Superb Parrot is a strikingly vibrant species native to south-eastern Australia. Found in the woodlands and riverine forests of New South Wales and Victoria, it is easily recognised by its bright green plumage, with males displaying a distinctive yellow face and red throat patch, while females are slightly duller in coloration.
Unfortunately, habitat loss and fragmentation have led to a decline in their population, and Superb Parrot is listed as vulnerable under both the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Conservation Partner
The property, owned and managed by Wilderlands’ conservation partner, Cassinia Environmental, is now operating as a dedicated conservation reserve.
Alleena’s five conservation areas have been protected using a Conservation Agreement made under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) and administered by the Biodiversity Conservation Trust. The total property size is 941 hectares with 444 hectares for revegetation and 497 covenanted for protection.
Wilderlands has selected Cassinia Environmental as our conservation partner across a number of projects given their deep expertise in managing land for conservation outcomes. Over the past 20 years, they have delivered over 100 landscape-scale projects across four states for a diverse range of stakeholders, including State and Federal Governments, international corporations, NGOs, and Traditional Owners.
Monitoring
Wilderlands undertake various monitoring activities throughout the year. These activities include standardised bird surveys, quadrats, transects, tree density and size distribution assessments, photopoint monitoring, passive acoustic recording, as well as deployment of remote cameras.
Floristic quadrats
Transects
Bird surveys
Remote cameras
Biological Diversity Units (BDU’s)
How do Wilderlands Create Biodiversity Credits?
At the Alleena site, one BDU equates to one square meter of land permanently protected and actively managed to maintain and enhance the integrity of its biological diversity.
Wilderlands geotags each unit and registers the now “voluntary” units on the independently managed Vegetation Link registry – effectively creating the Biological Diversity Units.
When you purchase these units, each purchase is linked to a certificate of Sale issued by Vegetation Link.
Periodic inspections are conducted by the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, with additional monitoring conducted by Wilderlands Ecologists.
Gallery
What's happening
Project Report: Alleena
al.ive body partners to protect patches of biodiversity with every purchase on World Earth Day
TEM partners with Wilderlands to deliver measurable impact beyond carbon
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Alleena
Located in the heart of the NSW Riverina, this 4500 acre landscape is addressing the decline of the suite of birds dependent on intact woodland ecosystems for foraging and nesting.