Building a Conservation Community in Western Australia

I have just returned from a short holiday in the United States followed by a conference in Washington DC.   It was quite an experience being at the centre of all that political power, but I did wonder what I could learn in the US that could help us with protecting the environment here in Western Australia. After meeting with some non-government environmental advocacy organisations in including the PEW Environment group and the Sierra Club, I started to realise that there are some key differences and some striking similarities to what we are facing back home.

The images and stories we tend to see through commercial media would make us believe that the USA is so comprehensively controlled by corporate interests that individual citizens or the environment are almost totally ignored. I was therefore surprised to notice a very strong sense of community in the USA. People seemed to identify more readily, and more strongly around particular issues, whether it was the overwhelming community support for the street-art in San Francisco, or the community groups working so hard to prevent coal mining by mountaintop-removal on traditional lands in West Virginia.  These people were prepared to join together around a cause and get active in politically powerful ways that force decision makers to take notice. 

So how do we strengthen the environment, conservation and sustainability community in Western Australia? Part of the answer of course is the Conservation Council itself, and with nearly 100 grass roots community member groups involved with the Conservation Council we already have a strong network covering almost any environmental or sustainability issue you care to name.  It is a constant challenge for us to find new ways to harness this power and potential in effective ways that drive real change, but that’s our job as a peak community group for conservation and sustainability issues in WA.

One of the initiatives we have recently been involved with is a new coalition between groups working to save bushland and forests from the bulldozer. After 200 years of almost indiscriminate land clearing in WA, we have little native vegetation left.  With a renewed push by a pro-development government and a strong economy, the last remaining natural areas are now coming under threat.  In turn, this loss of habitat is placing pressure on our native species such as the endangered black cockatoo. Unique to WA, these characteristic birds need our help to preserve their last remaining habitat before they are driven to extinction. Please log on to http://cockatoosneedyou.org.au/ to get more information about this campaign and to send a message to our political leaders asking them to prevent the extinction of our black cockatoos.   

Another important conservation community-building initiative that we are currently working on is Conservation Week 2010. Every year we hold a week of events and activities run by groups or individuals active around environmental issues in their local community. This is a great way to get to know your local environment group, find out how you can get involved, or even run an event to demonstrate to others what you are already doing and build more support in your local area. Why not be part of the action and organise a bushwalk, a movie night or set up an information stall in your local community during Conservation Week!   This year Conservation Week will be held from October 23-30 and you can find out all about the events planned, or register your own event on the Conservation Council website.

 Support the Conservation Council to build a conservation community in WA  by making a tax-deductable donation here

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