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| Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia |
| Formation | 1927 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Leader title | President |
Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia is an Australian non-governmental conservation organization founded in 1927 that advocates for native fauna and habitat protection across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. The society has been involved in campaigns, research, community education and legal actions affecting species such as the koala, platypus, tasmanian devil, and numerous shorebird and marine turtle populations, engaging with institutions like the Australian Museum, Museum Victoria, CSIRO, Australian National University, and the University of Sydney.
The society was established in 1927 amid rising concern about deforestation, hunting and species decline following events including the Great Depression and earlier conservation milestones like the formation of the Royal National Park. Early campaigns paralleled efforts by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and echoed international movements exemplified by the IUCN and the creation of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW). Over decades it intersected with landmark Australian policy moments such as the passage of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and legal precedents influenced by cases in the High Court of Australia and environmental litigation involving the Australian Conservation Foundation and the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The society is governed by a board and committees, modeled on nonprofit structures similar to the Australian Red Cross and the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. Leadership roles have involved collaboration with figures from the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Geographic Society, and academics affiliated with the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, and Monash University. Financial oversight aligns with standards used by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and reporting practices comparable to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The society maintains state branches that coordinate with agencies like the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania and local councils such as Sydney City Council and Brisbane City Council.
Programs have targeted species protection, habitat restoration, and anti-logging campaigns similar to historic campaigns against logging in places like the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Campaigns have addressed threats from development in regions such as the Daintree Rainforest, mining in the Pilbara, agricultural clearing on the Nullarbor Plain, and coastal development affecting Great Barrier Reef catchments. The society has run petitions, legal challenges and advocacy alongside organizations like Friends of the Earth Australia, Bush Heritage Australia, and Conservation Volunteers Australia to protect sites from projects linked to companies active in the mining industry and infrastructure plans debated in the Parliament of Australia.
The society has produced reports, field guides and technical briefings disseminated through outlets similar to the Australian Zoologist, Emu (journal), and the Biological Conservation (journal). Research collaborations have involved the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the Queensland Herbarium, and university research centers at James Cook University and the University of Tasmania. Publications have documented population trends for species such as the grey-headed flying fox, eastern bettong, and migratory shorebird assemblages recorded at sites like Ramsar-listed areas and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Community programs include citizen science initiatives resembling projects by BirdLife Australia, volunteer habitat restoration like those coordinated by Landcare Australia, and school outreach in partnership with institutions such as Australian Council for Educational Research and state education departments. The society organizes workshops, public lectures, and guided field trips to sites including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Wilsons Promontory National Park, and the Blue Mountains National Park to promote stewardship and species awareness among groups like the Scout Association of Australia and tertiary students from the University of New South Wales.
The society has partnered with governmental bodies including state environment departments, scientific agencies such as the CSIRO, and international bodies like the IUCN and Convention on Biological Diversity. It has worked with other NGOs such as WWF-Australia, The Nature Conservancy, and the Environmental Defenders Office to pursue conservation outcomes and legal remedies, and with industry partners for habitat offsets in contexts involving corporations listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and infrastructure proponents engaging with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
The society has contributed to legal protections and successful campaigns to establish reserves and influence policy, being cited in debates in the Federal Court of Australia and parliamentary inquiries. Controversies have arisen over priorities and tactics, including disputes with logging interests in Gondwana Rainforests and adversarial actions against developers that paralleled conflicts experienced by groups like the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. Criticisms have sometimes come from agricultural lobby groups represented at forums such as the National Farmers' Federation and from political figures in state parliaments, particularly during high-profile disputes over resources in regions like the Great Otway National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness.