How will my bequest make a difference

To ensure finances from the bequest program remain for generations to come, the ForeverWild Trust has been established. 

Unless otherwise specified, funds from bequests feed directly into the ForeverWild Trust.  Interest earned from the Trust is distributed annually towards Wild Country campaigns across the country, allowing The Wilderness Society to continue its long-term goals to protect Australia’s spectacular wilderness, save our disappearing wildlife and secure a healthy environment well into the future.

Your bequest to The Wilderness Society will directly contribute towards WildCountry – it will fund cutting-edge scientific research, build healthy communities and give life on Earth a future.

Below are just two examples of many long-term initiatives that will benefit from the Forever Wild bequest program:

a) Gondwana Link – connecting the land, connecting the community

Gondwana Link aims to restore ecological connectivity from the woodlands of the WA Goldfields, through the Fitzgerald River and Stirling Range National Parks, to the karri and jarrah forests of the south-west tip of the continent – a distance spanning approximately 1000 kilometres.

Never before has a conservation vision captured and brought together such a variety of stakeholders. Guided by the principals of WildCountry, an alliance of environmental and other community groups are contributing their knowledge and existing expertise to the Gondwana Link project. For example, land acquisition is occurring through Australian Bush Heritage Fund and private individuals; restoration of degraded land through Greening Australia; science, education, and advocacy through The Wilderness Society. Anyone from the community can play a part.

b) Developing a Conservation Economy on Cape York

On Cape York Peninsula, the challenge is finding compatible industries that support nature protection rather than destructive developments such as mining. By developing a ‘conservation economy’ we can protect nature while offering a livelihood for indigenous communities who wish to conserve their land. This could include tourism, scientific research, alternative energy generation and sustainable cattle, fishing and forestry industries.

In addition to funding these long-term initiatives, there are many ways your bequest will continue to build our WildCountry vision including:

• funding small grants to support regional partners and small community groups collaborating on landscape conservation initiatives such as Gondwana Link;
• establishing new campaign centres in regional Australia;
• developing educational programs and communications materials to inspire local communities;
• employing educators, scientists and communicators;
• funding research scholarships and WildCountry Coordinators across the country.