For Newcastle trauma surgeon Zsolt J. Balogh, the operating theatre is where he’s spent years mending broken bodies with steady hands and a sharp focus. But beyond the hospital corridors, it’s the rugged beauty of our landscapes that drives a long-held passion for conservation beyond individual human lives.
Zsolt has permanently protected a 314-hectare strategic undeveloped land, known as COBRA, or Curricabark Open-air Biodiversity Restoration laborAtory, if we’re being formal.
Located between Woko National Park, Curracabundi State Conservation Area, and Watchimbark Nature Reserve, the reserve forms a vital wildlife corridor and sanctuary for threatened species like the brush-tailed rock-wallaby and spotted-tailed quoll.
Originally from Hungary, Zsolt is stewarding not just one, but 2 reserves for ecological restoration—one in Australia and another 150 acres on the Great Hungarian Plain. He also committed to jaguar (Panthera onca) conservation in the state of Sonora, Mexico through the habitat and prey protection concept.
“I’ve dreamed since childhood of places untouched by humans, to let everything grow and watch what happens,” Zsolt said. “This is my way of giving back to nature.”
Zsolt’s management is deliberately low-impact. He favours manual weed control over broad spraying, practicing cultural burning with the land’s traditional owners, and small-scale replanting without fencing allowing native fauna to move freely. Even invasive species like blackberry are removed gradually as native flora takes over their existing ecological niche to avoid disrupting existing bird habitats.
He’s been encouraged to see that removing all cattle from the property on acquisition four years ago helped natural regeneration to flourish. Established shade trees are now surrounded by young growth, waterways have cleared, riparian ecosystem is on the mend and the number of bird species have been recorded on site is close second only to long established national parks in the region.
Senior Regional Conservation Officer Jesse Gollan described Zsolt’s approach as “a model of restraint and respect for natural processes”.
“This property is an important link between two major protected areas,” Jesse said.
“By committing the entire block to conservation, Zsolt has created uninterrupted habitat in a fire-affected landscape. His patience and targeted management allow the land’s natural resilience to come through.”
Zsolt example is inspirational to other landholders and members of the society to restore any extent of natural environment based on individual’s ability.
“If you give land back to nature, let it be for nature not for business models or constant development,” he said.
Looking ahead, Zsolt is eager to see the journey highlighted by wins of the nature, which ultimately creates conducive environment for global human health and sustainability.
“With already 141 bird species observed on COBRA, I’d love to document that number grow and to see native vegetation continue to flourish, supporting even more biodiversity and safe habitat for vulnerable marsupials.”