Calperum Station, Riverland Biosphere Reserve

One of the locations we'll be exploring in Australia is Calperum Station in the Riverland Biosphere Reserve. What is a Biosphere Reserve? I didn't know. The Parks and Reserves page on the Australian Government's website, says: 'Biosphere Reserve' is an international designation made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on the basis of nominations submitted by countries participating in the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB).

One interesting distinction of a Biosphere Reserve is that "people are an integral component." In other words, it exists to a large extent to promote and develop sustainable living practices.

The Riverland Biosphere is largely made up of mallee woodlands, mostly eucalypts. "Mallee" is a term describing the habit of growth where several stems grow from a mallee root just below ground level. "The Mallee scrubland of Australia is one of the most endangered vegetation types in the world, with approximately 80 per cent cleared for agriculture in the past 150 years. The mallee, like many parts of Australia, has not responded well to imposed European style land use. In the past the fragile soils and vegetation have been overexposed to grazing and inappropriate land use." (Australian Government website, Parks and Reserves)

Mallee Eucalypt