The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organisation working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.
In Australia, The Nature Conservancy plays a key role in protected area establishment and policy advice. The Nature Conservancy supports other conservation non-government organisations to buy and manage high priority land as well as supporting the creation of Indigenous Protected Areas. It also has a key role in broader conservation initiatives by convening stakeholders, building the capacity of key partners, providing scientific, conservation planning, policy and management expertise, and driving and leveraging successful large-scale conservation results. The Nature Conservancy works in partnership with many of Australia's other conservation organisations, including Bush Heritage Australia, Greening Australia and the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance.
Since 1999, The Nature Conservancy has invested more than $10 million to help Australia build our National Reserve System. For example it has helped Bush Heritage, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Trust for Nature acquire some of the reserve system's conservations jewels, from Cravens Peak in Queensland to Ned's Corner on the Murray River in Victoria. An additional $10 million has been invested in helping these non-government organisations manage the properties.
One of The Nature Conservancy's strengths is its ability to develop positive working relationships with and secure financial support from the business community. With the establishment of the Corporate Conservation Council in 2007, The Nature Conservancy is strengthening the ties between business and conservation and is working to engage the corporate sector in building a sustainable environment.
In 2006, The Nature Conservancy announced one of its largest ever private donations, with the commitment of $10 million over five years by Australian philanthropist and businessman, Mr David Thomas. Mr Thomas, founder of the Thomas Foundation, created the David Thomas Challenge to inspire and encourage fellow Australians in making significant philanthropic contributions to support conservation. Through the Challenge, he committed to match their gifts, thereby leveraging his $10 million contribution to raise a record $20 million to save the country's most at-risk lands, waters and wildlife.
The Thomas Challenge has already raised significant funds from private philanthropists to support conservation projects in Australia. For example, private donations were matched by $481,000 through the David Thomas Challenge to help Bush Heritage Australia buy Yourka in north Queensland - a vast landscape of diverse woodlands, rainforests and wetlands, as well as rare wildlife habitat for threatened species like the Red Goshawk.
You can contribute to the Thomas Challenge
More information
- The Nature Conservancy's Australia Program
- Cravens Peak case study
- Conserving the mighty Murray case study
