Friends of Parks South Australia, registered as Friends of Parks Inc., (FoPInc), is an independent

umbrella organisation An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and ofte ...

established to serve and represent the interests of

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

community groups helping to protect flora, fauna, heritage and other significant sites within

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

's protected area system. FoPInc collaborates with the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia (NPWS), FoPInc has 146 member groups.

History

"Friends" groups are typically affiliated with a specific conservation park, historic site or other

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

. The first such group started at Fort Glanville Conservation Park in 1980, where there had been an existing historical society. The second group was formed at

Ferguson Conservation Park Ferguson Conservation Park, formerly Ferguson National Pleasure Resort and Ferguson Recreation Park, is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located within the Adelaide metropolitan area in the suburb of Stonyfell, about ...

in Stonyfell. In 1983, the National Parks and Wildlife Service set up the Friends of Old Government House in

Belair National Park Belair National Park (formerly known as the National Park and as Belair Recreation Park) is a protected area in Belair, South Australia, southeast of Adelaide city centre; it covers an area of . It was proclaimed in 1891 and was the first natio ...

. The success of the Friends model had been demonstrated and in the following years many more groups were set up.Dene Cordes awarded OAM for service to conservation and environment
''The Islander'', 11 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018. FoPInc was established as a

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...

on 1 November 1999, and has an associated gift fund with Deductible Gift Recipient status.

Description and structure

FoPInc is governed by a board, and is supported by a secretariat provided through DEW's Volunteer Support Programs Unit, based in Adelaide, which coordinates the network of member groups. Member groups may be either "''full''" (working on-park, and may or may not be incorporated in their own right), or "''affiliate''" (involved with other DEW-endorsed projects, and incorporated in their own right). Each group is supported by a NPWS Liaison Ranger in order to ensure co-ordination with the goals and policies of DEW and park management plans. The objectives of "Friends" groups are: to provide opportunities for public participation in the management of national parks and historic sites; to raise funds to support national parks, historic sites and the social functions of the Friends group; to publicise national parks and historic sites as well as the objectives of the Friends; and to provide cultural and social events for the benefit of members, staff and the general public. Each Friends group is financially self-supporting, through a combination of members fees and fund-raising. In addition, the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) provides "Small Grants" for which individual groups may apply on a project basis. Collectively FoPInc represents over 5,000 individual volunteers in South Australia, who are each affiliated with one or more specific member groups associated with a national park or historic site. In 2015–16, members of ''Friends'' groups contributed the equivalent of 11,161 days of volunteer work to the state's protected areas. the president of Friends of Parks is Duncan MacKenzie .MACKENZIE, Duncan OAM
The Geelong College, 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2022.

List of places with Friends groups

Parks

Buildings

Adelaide Gaol Adelaide Gaol is a former Australian prison located in the Park Lands of Adelaide, in the state of South Australia. The gaol was the first permanent one in South Australia and operated from 1841 until 1988. The Gaol is one of the two oldest bu ...

* Fort Glanville * Martindale Hall *

Mt Lofty Fire Tower The Mount Lofty Fire Tower sits on top of Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills just to the east of the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The 34m high tower has a commanding view over a huge area of the rural areas surrounding Adelaide, and on a ...

* Old Government House

Other

Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (ADS) is a marine protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located on the east coast of Gulf St Vincent in and adjoining the north-western part of the Adelaide, covering the estuary of the Port River ar ...

* Gamble Garden *

Gulf St Vincent Gulf St Vincent, sometimes referred to as St Vincent Gulf, St Vincent's Gulf or Gulf of St Vincent, is the eastern of two large inlets of water on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, the other being the larger Sp ...

* Heysen Walking Trails and other Walking Trails * Society for Underwater Historical Research (2002 to 2012) * Sporting Shooters Association of Australia's Conservation and wildlife management branch *

State Herbarium of South Australia The State Herbarium of South Australia, sometimes called the South Australian Herbarium, and having the herbarium code, AD, is located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is one of several State and Commonwealth herbaria in Australia. The Depa ...

Footnotes

References

External links

*{{official, https://www.friendsofparkssa.org.au/ Nature conservation organisations based in Australia 1993 establishments in Australia