The Wilderness Society (Australia) facts for kids
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| Founded | 1976, Nipaluna, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
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| Focus | Environmentalism, Peace |
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Area served
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Australia |
| Method | Nonviolence, Lobbying, Research, Innovation |
| Website | www.wilderness.org.au |
The Wilderness Society is an Australian group that works to protect nature. It is a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't aim to make money. Instead, it focuses on speaking up for the environment.
This group is made up of many people who care about Australia's wild places. It has offices in major cities across Australia. These offices help organize campaigns and connect with local communities.
Contents
A Look Back at History
The Wilderness Society started in 1976. It was first called the Tasmanian Wilderness Society. The group grew from earlier committees that fought to protect special places in Tasmania.
These earlier groups protested against flooding a beautiful area called Lake Pedder. Many people from these groups came together to form the new society. Even from the start, the group had supporters all over Australia.
One of their biggest early fights was to save the Franklin River. This campaign lasted for seven years, from 1976 to 1983. The Tasmanian Wilderness Society played a huge part in this effort.
In 1981, work on the Franklin Dam was stopped. This happened after Australia's highest court agreed that the government could protect the river. This was because the river was part of a World Heritage area. After this big win, the group became known as The Wilderness Society. This showed they were working on issues all across Australia, not just in Tasmania.
In 2005, a forestry company tried to sue The Wilderness Society. They claimed the group's actions had hurt their business. But in 2009, the court told the company to pay the Wilderness Society money instead. The company also had to stop their lawsuit. This was a big victory for the society.
What They Campaign For
For many years, The Wilderness Society has worked to show how important wilderness is. They believe wild places are special parts of Australia's environment. They want to keep these areas safe for people in the future. Because of their work, many states in Australia now recognize and protect wilderness areas.
The Wilderness Society has worked on many important campaigns, including:
- Protecting the Franklin River from being dammed.
- Stopping logging in very old forests. These are forests with ancient trees that are vital for nature.
- Saving homes for animals and plants that are in danger.
- Protecting Queensland's Wild Rivers and the Cape York Peninsula.
- Working across Australia to fight climate change. They want to keep fossil fuels like coal and gas in the ground.
- The Kimberley Campaign: They fought against plans to build a big industrial site near Broome. In 2012, they held a concert to raise awareness. Famous musicians like The John Butler Trio played there. Dr. Bob Brown, a former leader of the Australian Greens, also spoke.
- Since 2018, they have been pushing for stronger national nature laws. They want an independent group to make sure these laws are followed.
- Protecting the Great Australian Bight from oil drilling. Four major oil companies have now stopped their plans to drill there.
- In 2022, they helped stop a new coal mine near Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. Many people signed petitions and wrote to politicians to make this happen.
- Helping to end logging in native forests in Victoria. The government announced this would happen from 2024. This was a goal they worked on for decades with other groups.
- Helping to protect the rivers and floodplains of Queensland's Channel Country in 2023. They worked to stop new fossil fuel projects there.
Their View on Nuclear Energy
The Wilderness Society does not support using nuclear energy.
How They Get Money
In the past, The Wilderness Society raised money through special shops. These shops were very popular for their calendars and posters. These items featured amazing photos by artists like Peter Dombrovskis. The shops were also places where people could donate money and meet other members.
Now, much of their fundraising happens online. They use their website, online store, and email lists. However, they still send letters by mail to supporters.
Today, The Wilderness Society gets money from different places. Most of their funds come from donations from people. This includes gifts left in people's wills. They also get money from members' fees, grants, and selling merchandise.
Wilderness Journal
The society publishes a magazine called the Wilderness Journal. This journal shares many stories about nature and people. It covers topics like the communities and forests of East Gippsland. It also features photo stories about areas affected by bushfires.
Other stories include art made from trash and efforts to regrow giant kelp forests in Tasmania. The journal also takes readers on a journey into Mirning country. This is a special area along the coast of the Great Australian Bight.
