Taking steps to save nature

A MAN who walked from Adelaide to Tasmania to encourage people to reconnect with nature has arrived in Hobart.

Tristan O’Brien, 28, left Adelaide on September 18 to walk 1900km to raise awareness of Australia’s more than 1900 threatened species.

His walk is also supporting conservation charities BioR Australia and Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre.

“Because the majority of Australia’s, and the world’s, population now lives in cities, we have lost the benefits to childhood development, health and community that exposure to nature provides,” Mr O’Brien said.

“This means we have lost some of our understanding about why conserving and protecting nature is important for our health as a society and for biodiversity conservation.

“1900 Footprints is my way of highlighting why, as a society, reconnecting with nature is needed now more than ever.

“Seeing Tasmania’s natural beauty, coming across the unique wildlife along the way and getting the chance to meet the kind-hearted people here has been an amazing experience, I feel very lucky to be able to do it in the name of environment conservation.”

Money raised by 1900 Footprints will go towards funding and maintaining restoration work on a 1700ha property managed by BioR that supports declining species in Monarto, South Australia.

Further donations will be used to sponsor socially disadvantaged young people to attend a camp.