Wilderness Foundation Africa

Wilderness Foundation Africa (WFA) is an African-based conservation non-governmental organisation that protects and sustains landscapes through an agile and innovative approach to conservation. Its work spans direct-action anti-poaching, landscape wilderness management, developing young leaders from disadvantaged communities, building climate resilience, and incubating emerging non-profit organisations. The organisation frames its mission around three pillars: Species, Spaces and People, aiming to integrate them to protect and sustain life on earth. The vision for WFA was conceived in the wilderness area of Imfolozi in the late 1960s by participants of Wilderness Leadership School trails. Moved by the transformative experience of a wilderness trail, they convinced Dr Ian Player to establish an organisation that would champion both the protection and creation of wilderness areas. WFA was officially registered as a non-profit organisation in late 1972. Dr Andrew Muir took over the organisation from Ian Player in 2000. In 2015 WFA co-founded Wilderness Foundation Global (WFG), an international alliance of action-oriented, like-minded organisations. WFA's work has received recognition including a Rolex Laureate award for enterprise in 2008. Its programmes include aerial support for rhino and elephant protection and monitoring, rhino horn demand reduction in Vietnam, youth wilderness nature trails, accredited vocational training and employment in eco-tourism and conservation, adding hectares to the formal conservation landscape, and contributing to World Heritage Sites declared in Africa. The organisation also engages in advocacy at government level and climate change initiatives. WFA is governed by a Board of Trustees, currently chaired by Todani Moyo. It operates primarily in South Africa and across Africa, with demand-reduction work reaching Vietnam, and participates in global conservation forums such as the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Its latest news includes the launch of the Africa Travel Guide 2050 and the Global Launch of the Antarctic Rights Alliance.

The vision for Wilderness Foundation Africa (WFA) was conceived in the wilderness area of Imfolozi in the late 1960s by participants of Wilderness Leadership School trails. Being moved by the transformative experience of a wilderness trail, they convinced Dr Ian Player to establish an organisation that would champion both the protection and creation of wilderness areas. An organisation was needed to create public awareness of the importance of wilderness and to advocate against ongoing threats to protected areas from issues such as de-proclamation and coal mining. WFA was officially registered as a non-profit organisation in late 1972. Dr Andrew Muir took over the organisation from Ian Player in 2000. WFA has become a recognised African-based conservation organisation that protects and sustains landscapes through its agile and innovative approach to conservation, with the work receiving a Rolex Laureate award for enterprise in 2008. Whether it is landscape wilderness management, developing young leaders from disadvantaged communities, direct action anti-poaching, advocacy at a government level or the incubation of emerging non-profit organisations, Wilderness Foundation Africa focuses its sustainable fifty year experience on lasting impacts. In 2015 WFA co-founded Wilderness Foundation Global (WFG), an international alliance of action-oriented, like-minded organisations who understand that wilderness areas have local meaning and global significance, with direct importance to human well-being and inspiration.

• 2015

  Co-founded Wilderness Foundation Global (WFG)

• 2008

  Received Rolex Laureate award for enterprise

• 2000

  Dr Andrew Muir took over the organisation from Ian Player

• 1972

  WFA officially registered as a non-profit organisation

African-based conservation NGO focused on lasting impacts through species, spaces and people.

Product categories. Anti-poaching operations · Wilderness management · Youth leadership development · Climate resilience programmes · NGO incubation · Advocacy

1. 1Wilderness Foundation Home - Wilderness Foundation Africawildernessfoundation.co.za
2. 2About Us - Wilderness Foundation Africawildernessfoundation.co.za
3. 3Wikidatawikidata.org