On June 1st, 2024, 30 people ran 30km through Tallaganda State Forest to call for its protection as part of Australia’s commitment to 30 x 30 – the global target to protect at least 30% of earth’s and and waters by 2030.
Our goals were to increase awareness of Tallaganda’s ecological significance and raise funds for a campaign led by NPA NSW and Wilderness Australia to convert the state forest portion of Tallaganda into a permanently protected national park.
After days of strong winds and heavy rain, the weather cleared just in time for the run. We were joined by representatives of NPANSW, Wilderness Australia, WWF, South East Forest Rescue, Canberra Forest Alliance, and event sponsor Paddy Pallin, as well as ACT Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Shane Rattenbury. It was moving to see the running and conservation communities come together to support this beautiful forest.
We exceeded both our goals, drawing significant local media coverage for Tallaganda and raising an incredible $30,000 – twice our initial fundraising target. You can read more about the national park campaign and how the funds will be used here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/tallaganda30x30
“I loved the 30×30 event in Tallaganda. It forged a brand new community of people committed to saving this native forest. I’m a trail runner and care deeply for our natural world. But caring for the forest alone will not save it, and it cannot save itself, so we must step up, be informed, raise awareness, and get involved, This felt like the beginning of something much bigger.”
-Doug Richards, Tallaganda 30×30 runner.
“I grew up in Canberra, but before participating as a volunteer in the Tallaganda 30×30 I couldn’t have told you where Tallaganda was or why it mattered. Now, I feel like I have a much clearer answer to both. One visit to Tallaganda – to see biodiversity and complexity of the healthy areas of the forest, in stark contrast to the destruction left by the logging activity – was enough to know that something must be done immediately. It also made me question why such logging is still allowed to continue.” -Tim Fulton, Tallaganda 30×30 volunteer
“In my lifetime, Eastern Quolls became extinct on the mainland. The loss of the Tasmanian Tiger long ago is widely lamented despite numerous predictions they were at risk. The current concerns over the decline of the Greater Glider numbers are genuine, and we know that Tallaganda is a stronghold for them. It was great to see so many generations in Tallaganda, running and volunteering to protect this valuable forest.”
-Dave Gallan, President of the Far South Coast Branch of NPA NSW.
What’s Next?
We’re planning to hold this event again in 2025, scaling up to allow more than 30 people to enter and offering two distance options. This will only be possible with a dedicated volunteer crew – please reach out at runforforests@gmail.com if you’re keen to be part of the organising committee, or to support in any other way. Creative ideas are welcome! Stay tuned to the blog and Instagram for updates on next year’s run.
Thank you
When I first started planning this run, I imagined it as an informal run through Tallaganda with a few friends – I never intended to organise a proper event. But one conversation led to another, and it snowballed into something bigger.
I’d like to thank some key people who played a crucial role in pushing that snowball along, in no particular order: Anna Johnstone, Doug Richards, Ben Alexander, Ana Gracanin, David Gallan, Gary Dunnett, Ella Magee-Carr, Andrew Wong, Kita Ashman, Emma Williams, Ian Alexander, Murray Bruce, Judy Anderson, Ilea Buffier, Ana Vidal, Izzy Vaughn, Joy Clements, Scotty Foster, Shane Rattenbury, and Gav Godkin (Coach G). I’ve omitted a few wonderful people who would prefer to remain anonymous, but you know who you are.
A massive thank you to NPA NSW and Wilderness Australia for hosting the event – it’s been an absolute privilege to partner with organisations that have such a strong track record of protecting nature. We also couldn’t have had the impact we did without Paddy Pallin’s sponsorship – thank you so much for your support. Special thanks to the Alexander family and Natalie Haig for making very cool mementos for the runners and volunteers.
Thank you to Running for Resilience, Canberra Runners, Hillseekers, and Eager2Elite for getting behind this project and spreading the word about Tallaganda within the running community. If you’re based in Canberra and looking for a crew to run with, I can’t recommend these groups highly enough.
And finally, a huge thank you to all the Tallaganda 30×30 runners, volunteers, and donors – you’re an incredible group of people and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together next year.
This article is based on an email and blog post first published 7 October 2024.