Local and International Partners
Over the years the South African Wilderness network has expanded to become a force both locally and globally, establishing wilderness foundations in USA, and UK. Each organization is an independent legal entity working together for the common cause of wilderness, wildlife and people.
SOUTH AFRICA:
The Wilderness Leadership School is a non-governmental organisation whose principles and experience have been shaped over five decades of guiding exclusive trails in wilderness areas of South Africa. Trailists will explore the African bush, may encounter wild game at close quarters, hear lions roar and experience camaraderie around a campfire.
USA:
The WILD Foundation was established by in the United States in 1974 by Dr Ian Player, under the legal name International Wilderness Leadership Foundation, with the help of Dan Galbreath (then owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates), Ed Gott ( US Steel), Harry Tennison (Gamecoin), Bob Cleaves and Virginia Kraft. Initially the focus of the organisation was South Africa. The focus then became more international when WILD organised the 1977 and 1980 World Wilderness Congresses in Johannesburg, South Africa and Cairns, Australia.
Vance Martin, WILDs President, starting working with Dr Player in 1980 at the 2nd WWC, assumed responsibility for the organization shortly therefafter, and in 1985 re-branded it to The WILD Foundation. Its flagship project is the World Wilderness Congress, now the world's longest-running, public environmental forum, having convened eight times around the world. Its projects integrate wilderness conservation with the needs of human communities, and are in three program areas: Wilderness Policy and Management; Wilderness Communications and Media; and Local Action Projects.
UK:
The Wilderness Foundation in the UK was established in 1976 with the help of Laurens van der Post (writer, explorer and philosopher) and Edmund de Rothschild (philanthropist).
The Gaia Foundation has been working for over 20 years to protect and enhance biological and cultural diversity. We believe in local and indigenous solutions to enhancing biodiversity and livelihood options, through strengthening community ecological governance. We understand this as the basis to better adapt to climate change and overcome increasing poverty.
GERMANY:
The Wilderness Foundation (Germany):
The Wilderness Foundation in Germany was launched in 2003 with an international outreach, especially central and eastern European Wildlands. Its programme focuses on environmental advocacy for wild areas, the return and re-introduction of formerly eradicated wildlife (e.g. wolf, bear, bison, lynx) and the protection and rehabilitation of wilderness areas and wildlands.
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