Nigel Sharp
{{Short description|Australian conservationist}}
{{Orphan|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Nigel Wimble Sharp
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|07|28}}
|birth_place = Hamilton, Victoria, Australia
|nationality = Australian
|occupation = Conservationist
|spouse = Rosemary Etherton
|website = www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-sharp-tiverton/
}}
Nigel Sharp is an Australian conservationist and biodiversity impact investor known for his work on the continent of Australia with threatened species conservation, new business models of regenerative agriculture and urbanism, nature-based tourism, and indigenous enterprise development.
Early years
Nigel Sharp was born on July 28, 1961, in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. Growing up on his family’s farm in Branxholme, Victoria, he later credited much of his interest and passion for conservation through helping his father plant and protect creek lines on their farm and in surrounding areas, to combat rising soil salinity levels, which was a major issue at the time.{{cite web|title=Our People|url=https://tiverton-rothwell.com.au/our-people/nigel-sharp|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Tiverton Agricultural Impact Fund}}
Career
Sharp began his career as a qualified property valuer, and gained experience running a listed company trust. He worked in senior positions across the property funds management and property development industries, including both rural and urban property projects.
He began involvement in conservation in 2000 when he helped rescue the predator-free ecosystem at Mt Rothwell Sanctuary{{cite web|title=Mt Rothwell {{!}} Conservation and Research Reserve {{!}} Little River|url=https://www.mtrothwell.com.au/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Mtrothwell}} Little River, Victoria and introduced a breeding program for species such as the Eastern Quoll, Eastern barred bandicoot and Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.{{cite web|title=Back from the brink: new hope for an Australian species rescued from Black Summer bushfires|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/small-business-secrets/article/back-from-the-brink-new-hope-for-an-australian-species-rescued-from-black-summer-bushfires/2qgjlj0qt|access-date=2 November 2022|website=SBS News}}
In 2010, he and business partner Harry Youngman, widened their collective conservation work by purchasing Tiverton Farm,{{cite web|title=Tiverton Farm and Mt Rothwell|url=https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/tiverton-farm-and-mt-rothwell/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Food and Land Use Coalition}} a {{convert|1000|hectare|acre|adj=on}} working sheep property in Western Victoria, for the purpose of eradicating non-native species and reintroducing Eastern Barred Bandicoot and Eastern Quoll,{{cite web|last=Hub|first=T. S. R.|title=Private land manager profile: Nigel Sharp|url=https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/news-and-media/latest-news/private-land-manager-profile-nigel-sharp|access-date=2 November 2022|website=TSR Hub}} while maintaining a viable agricultural business.
In 2016 Sharp founded the Odonata Foundation,{{Cite web|title=Odonata Foundation – New solutions for ending extinction|url=https://odonata.org.au/|access-date=2 November 2022}} specialising in the business of biodiversity. Odonata designs and manages financially sustainable conservation projects, educating the public and empowering businesses to embrace biodiversity,.{{cite web|title=Supporting sustainable agriculture - NAB |url=https://www.nab.com.au/about-us/more-than-money/customers-community/supporting-communities/odonata|access-date=2 November 2022|website=www.nab.com.au}} Odonata projects have included the National Sanctuary Network (formerly the South-East Australia Sanctuary Operations Network),{{cite web|title=Sanctuaries – Odonata Foundation|url=https://odonata.org.au/our-work/season/|access-date=2 November 2022}} the Great Australian Wildlife Search,{{cite web|title=Great Australian Wildlife Search – Odonata Foundation|url=https://odonata.org.au/get-involved/great-aus-wildlife-search/|access-date=2 November 2022}} Odonata Academy,{{cite web|title=Establish a Sanctuary – Odonata Foundation|url=https://odonata.org.au/get-involved/establish-a-sanctuary/|access-date=2 November 2022}} Melbourne Skyfarm,{{cite web|title=Melbourne SkyFarm|url=https://www.melbourneskyfarm.com.au/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Melbourne Skyfarm}} Wild Idea Business Incubator,{{cite web|title=WILD IDEA {{!}} Wild Idea Incubator|url=https://www.wildideaincubator.com/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=www.wildideaincubator.com}} and the organisation manages both Tiverton Farm and Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre.
In 2017, the knowledge gained from projects at Mt Rothwell and Tiverton Farm enabled, Nigel Sharp and Harry Youngman to establish Tiverton-Rothwell and the Tiverton Agricultural Impact Fund{{cite web|title=Tiverton Agricultural Impact Fund |url=https://tiverton-rothwell.com.au/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Tiverton Agricultural Impact Fund |language=en-GB}} to promote regenerative agricultural practices and demonstrate farming’s importance in protecting and restoring natural capital. Among other projects the Fund is responsible for the purchase of Juanburg station, a site of a globally significant conservation, and a project to restore the Great Cumbung Swamp{{cite web|title=Saving the Great Cumbung|url=https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/land-and-freshwater/land-freshwater-stories/saving-the-great-cumbung/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=The Nature Conservancy Australia}} in partnership with The Nature Conservancy Australia.{{cite web|title=Wildlife & Environmental Conservation Organisation|url=https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=The Nature Conservancy Australia}}
Key conservation projects
2022 – Successfully returned a breeding population of Eastern Quolls into Tiverton Farm, returning the species to a region it had been extinct for 70 years.{{cite news|date=29 July 2022|title=Rare, 'fiercely cute' eastern quolls return to regional Victoria after 70 years|work=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-29/eastern-quolls-released-tiverton-regional-victoria/101283244|last=Jeuniewic|first=Lexie|access-date=2 November 2022}}
2021 – Helped establish the Byron Bay mobile wildlife hospital, based in Knockrow, NSW.{{cite web|title=Wildlife Recovery Australia: Mobile wildlife hospitals|url=https://www.wildliferecoveryaustralia.com/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=www.wildliferecoveryaustralia.com}}
2021 – Originated the concept of “regenerative urbanism” at the Glen Junor development outside Melbourne, creating a high value corridor connecting Brisbane Ranges National Park and the Werribee Gorge State Park.{{cite web|last=Johnston|first=Poppy|date=16 February 2021|title=A regenerative housing estate at Gisborne that’s attracted a lot of savvy people and community buy in|url=https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/residential-2/a-regenerative-housing-estate-at-gisborne-thats-attracted-a-lot-of-savvy-people-and-community-buy-in/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=The Fifth Estate}}
2020 – Founded the South-East Australia Sanctuary Operations Network (now the National Sanctuary Network), bringing diversity and connectivity to threatened species conservation.{{cite web|date=1 October 2020|title=Purposeful partnerships: Odonata + Saving our Species|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/news/purposeful-partnerships-odonata-saving-our-species|access-date=2 November 2022|website=NSW Environment and Heritage}}{{cite web|date=20 May 2022|title=SEASON PROGRAM {{!}} Saving Australian wildlife from extinction|url=https://carbonlandscapes.com.au/carbon-landscapes-to-play-key-role-in-groundbreaking-plan-to-save-australian-wildlife-from-extinction/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Carbon Landscapes}}
2020 – Secured the down-listing from extinct to critically endangered of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot.{{cite web|title=The fight to save one of Australia's most endangered native animals from extinction|last=Fulloon|first=Sandra|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-fight-to-save-one-of-australias-most-endangered-native-animals-from-extinction/r0z4pjvsa|date=19 October 2019|access-date=2 November 2022|website=SBS News}}
2019 – Marshalled the emergency bushfire evacuation and translocation of Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies from Canberra, saving them from local extinction.{{cite web|title=Back from the brink: new hope for an Australian species rescued from Black Summer bushfires|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/small-business-secrets/article/back-from-the-brink-new-hope-for-an-australian-species-rescued-from-black-summer-bushfires/2qgjlj0qt|access-date=2 November 2022|website=SBS News}}{{cite news|date=10 February 2020|title=Aptly named Wallaby Airlines to the rescue evacuating endangered animals from Canberra|agency=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-11/wallaby-airlines-hops-in-to-help-evacuate-endangered-wildlife/11949762|access-date=2 November 2022}}
2019 – Co-designed Melbourne SkyFarm Environmental Education Centre.{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Georgia|date=13 May 2019|title=Melbourne gives green light to city skyfarm|url=https://www.governmentnews.com.au/melbourne-gives-green-light-to-city-skyfarm/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Government News}}
2017 – Integrated threatened species programs into three regenerative agriculture enterprises: Orana Park farm,{{cite web|date=28 February 2022|title=Eastern barred bandicoot: how the little diggers rebounded|url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2022/02/eastern-barred-bandicoot-how-the-little-diggers-rebounded/|last=Meneguzzi|first=Justin|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Australian Geographic}} Picardy Station{{cite web |title=Tiverton Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy buyers of NSW cattle stations|url=https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/tiverton-agriculture-the-nature-conservancy-buyers-of-nsw-cattle-stations-20190123-h1adcu|last=Schlesinger|first=Larry|date=23 January 2019|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Australian Financial Review}} and Sunland Fresh Fruit.{{cite web|title=Sunland Fresh Fruit Orchards sold to Nigel Sharp Orana Agriculture for $20m|url=https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/sunland-fresh-fruit-orchards-sold-to-nigel-sharp-orana-agriculture-for-20m-20180719-h12wkd|last=Schlesinger|first=Larry|date=22 July 2018|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Australian Financial Review}}
Awards and honours
The Australian Impact Investment Awards (2020) - Outstanding Individual Achievement{{cite web|title=Australian Impact Investment Awards|url=https://www.socialimpacthub.org/initiative/australian-impact-investment-awards|access-date=2 November 2022|website=Social Impact Hub}}
Zoos Victoria{{cite web|title=Zoos Victoria|url=https://www.zoo.org.au/|access-date=2 November 2022|website=www.zoo.org.au}} - Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)
References
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