This collection of Pacific Conservation Biology contains papers about The Natural History of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia. Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve is one of the most important nature conservation areas along the south coast of Western Australia. Its importance is based on several factors. First, it contains remnant populations of rare fauna and flora of which the best known are the noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus) or Jimuluk (Noongar name) and Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) or Ngilkat. Both were believed to be extinct for about a century until being rediscovered on the reserve in the early 1960s and 1990s respectively. Second, it is a place where considerable research effort has been concentrated since the gazettal of the area as a nature reserve in 1967; therefore, it has the potential to serve as a model for development of management practices for the region. Third, it is one of the few examples where the needs for nature conservation over-rode the needs for commercial development.
This collection of Pacific Conservation Biology had its genesis in 1981 when the Western Australian Department of Fisheries and Wildlife decided to produce a management plan for Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. In order to do this, there was a need to prepare a comprehensive background document to provide a basis for planning and, at the same time, it was recognised that such a document would encourage further research. As a result, Angas Hopkins and Graeme Smith edited a volume of 23 papers covering a range of subjects from the European history of the establishment of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, its geology, climate, biota, and management. The papers were peer-reviewed and laid out in July 1991 as a mock-up for publication. For some reason, the project went no further. Smith died in 1999 and Hopkins in 2016 without seeing their creation to publication.
Denis Saunders took on the challenge of arranging the up-dating of the original papers for publication in this collection of Pacific Conservation Biology. This was no easy task, as of the 22 contributors to the original 1991 bulletin, 13 were either dead, incapacitated, or uncontactable. This special issue is an important collection of papers providing past and current knowledge of the nature reserve.
Guest Editors
A. J. M. Hopkins
G. T. Smith
D. A. Saunders
