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| Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland |
| Formation | 1962 |
| Headquarters | Queensland |
| Region served | Queensland |
| Leader title | President |
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland is an Australian conservation organization founded in 1962 focused on preserving native fauna and habitats across Queensland. It has engaged in landmark campaigns involving species such as the Brisbane River-region koala, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Daintree Rainforest, and has liaised with institutions including the Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, and James Cook University. The society has influenced policy debates around legislation such as the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) and engaged with national processes like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The society was established during a period of activism epitomized by campaigns against projects affecting Fraser Island, Cooloola and the Daintree National Park; early supporters included figures associated with Australian Conservation Foundation and activists from the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia movement. In the 1970s and 1980s it campaigned alongside groups opposing developments at Raine Island, the Tip of Cape York Peninsula, and threats to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, interacting with politicians from the Australian Labor Party and legal efforts referencing precedents like decisions from the High Court of Australia. The society has contributed data to long-term monitoring programs run with partners at University of Queensland, Griffith University, and Charles Darwin University.
The society's stated mission emphasizes protection of native species, restoration of ecosystems, and public engagement through citizen science; it works on species including the southern cassowary, northern quoll, greater glider, and migratory shorebirds that use sites such as Moreton Bay and Gulf of Carpentaria. Activities span threatened species surveys linked to standards under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, habitat rehabilitation projects referencing techniques used in Wet Tropics of Queensland management, and policy submissions to bodies like the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories and inquiries into resource projects such as those near Galilee Basin.
The society is structured with a state council, regional branches, and volunteer working groups modeled after community conservation networks found in organizations like the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and World Wildlife Fund Australia. Governance includes an elected board, committees for science and policy, and branch convenors coordinating fieldwork across landscapes from the Mitchell Grass Downs to the Cape York Peninsula. The society collaborates with advisory panels including academics from Monash University, Australian National University, and Macquarie University.
Notable campaigns have addressed protection of the Great Barrier Reef, threatened wetlands at Moreton Bay Ramsar Site, and preservation of forest corridors linking the Brisbane River catchment to remnant habitats in the Lockyer Valley. Projects include monitoring of mangroves and seagrass beds in partnership with marine science groups at Southern Cross University and rehabilitation of riparian zones informed by research from CSIRO and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The society has campaigned on issues involving infrastructure proposals such as ports near Abbot Point and mining impacts in the Bowen Basin, and contributed expertise to recovery plans for species listed under the EPBC Act.
The society produces newsletters, field guides, and scientific reports and has contributed to community education programs similar to those run by State Library of Queensland and Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Its publications have documented regional fauna records shared with repositories such as the Atlas of Living Australia and have supported citizen science platforms modeled on initiatives by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme and the eBird project. Educational outreach includes workshops hosted with educators from the Queensland University of Technology and interpretive programs at local sites like the Glass House Mountains.
Partnerships extend to environmental legal advocates including Environmental Defenders Office and research collaborations with institutions such as Griffith University and James Cook University, as well as alliances with community groups like Bush Heritage Australia and Landcare Australia. The society has made submissions to parliamentary inquiries and engaged in advocacy around international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and regional planning instruments like the Queensland Plan. It has advised heritage and planning bodies including the National Trust of Australia (Queensland).
Funding comes from membership subscriptions, grants from philanthropic bodies akin to the Ian Potter Foundation and government funding mechanisms including environment program grants administered by agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment; revenue is supplemented by donations and fundraising events run in coordination with corporate partners and community sponsors. Membership comprises volunteers, amateur naturalists, and professionals who liaise with conservation science networks including the Australasian Wildlife Management Society and international conservation organizations like IUCN.
Category:Environment of Queensland Category:Conservation organizations based in Australia