Water for Nature is an initiative of Nature Foundation, an apolitical not-for-profit foundation that invests in conserving, restoring and protecting South Australian landscapes, flora and fauna to ensure their survival.

Our mission is to work with SA River Murray communities to source water and deliver community-driven projects that benefit wetlands and floodplains and the species they support.

Established during the recent drought, Water for Nature has been helping to redress the loss and stress to the ecosystems and habitats of the River Murray caused by drought, salinity and river regulation.  The program recognises that the River Red Gum and Black Box woodlands, lignum swamps and samphire floodplains provide habitat for many species of threatened and vulnerable birds, fish, frogs and invertebrates and that intervention is needed urgently.

In a coup for the environment, Nature Foundation announced in late 2012 that it had been allocated 50 gigalitres over 5 years of Commonwealth environmental water to assist in the rehabilitation of wetlands and floodplains along the South Australian section of the River Murray.  This long-term agreement between the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and the Nature Foundaton is the first of its type in the Murray-Darling.

Wetlands need regular watering to remain healthy. Healthy wetland environments are important on environmental, economic and cultural/social fronts; providing an optimal environment for flora and fauna, improved water quality for human consumption, agricultural use and opportunities for recreation and tourism.

Every watering site incurs significant costs per megalitre to deliver environmental water. The operational costs can vary depending on the size of the watering action and the amount of in-kind, volunteer, watering equipment, flow control structures and management support provided to the Foundation but without cash resources these projects are simply not achievable.

We need your help to fund watering sites along the River Murray in order to deliver positive environmental outcomes.