The bushfire crisis that took place in Australia was devastating to people, wildlife, and their habitat. If you, like us, are driven to help, please consider supporting Science for Wildlife in their work to recover the Blue Mountain World Heritage Area and the koala populations impacted by the bushfires.
Learn MoreWCN Australia
Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) established WCN Australia in 2018 with an initial focus on providing funding to preserve the Great Barrier Reef. WCN Australia will issue grants to vetted Australian-based projects that promise the best return on investment. This granting program, supported by donations from Tiffany & Co., builds off of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation’s longtime history of support for coral conservation and preserving the health of marine ecosystems and WCN’s leadership in conservation philanthropy and investing in impactful conservation solutions. WCN Australia was developed using the principles of WCN’s Wildlife Funds model.
Saving the Great Barrier Reef
Located off the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on Earth and the only living thing on the planet that is visible from space.
The Great Barrier Reef is a natural treasure, but human-induced causes—including climate change, poor water quality, coastal development, and fishing—have resulted in a 50% decline in coral cover in the Great Barrier Reef between 1985-2012. The cumulative effect of these threats weakens not only the resiliency of the Great Barrier Reef, but wider reef ecosystems around the world and the vast marine wildlife species that depend on healthy corals for their survival.
The Great Barrier Reef
One of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Board of Directors
WCN Australia has a three-member Board of Directors. All directors are independent voting members of the governing body.
Les Kaufman
DirectorLes Kaufman
Les retired from the law after 25 years practicing as a barrister, specializing in labor law, and 15 years on the bench of federal and state industrial tribunals. He is a keen skier which has led to his appreciation of the environment and the necessity to preserve it. Les met Charles Knowles, president and co-founder of WCN, in the 1980’s and has followed the growth of WCN with interest. He is delighted to have been appointed to the board of the Australian affiliate and is excited at the prospect of developing it. He has served on committees and boards of several organizations.
Charles Knowles
DirectorCharles Knowles
Charlie is the President and Co-Founder of the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN), which has advanced a powerful new model of wildlife conservation. Charlie retired early as a successful Stanford-educated entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. He founded software company Rubicon Technology in 1989 and sold it in 1994. His retirement lasted six days, until he launched full-time into applying his business acumen and experience to wildlife conservation. In the 1990s, Charlie helped the Cheetah Conservation Fund and the Snow Leopard Conservancy grow into world-class conservation programs, which led to the formation of the Wildlife Conservation Network in 2002. The synthesis of creativity and practicality in Charlie’s’ approach has inspired thousands of passionate donors, as well as a rising generation of conservation pioneers.
Kirra Stutchbury
DirectorKirra Stutchbury
Growing up on Sydney’s iconic northern beaches, Kirra grew up appreciating the fragility of her natural surroundings. Kirra’s connection to nature drives her passion to communicate the necessity for collaborative change and adaption to make the world a better place to live. Her passion to generate positive change drove her to help establish a mental health charity, batyr, in Sydney before heading overseas to work at Ceres, a leader in corporate sustainability. Working in the start-up space in both San Francisco and Sydney, Kirra uses her marketing background to harness entrepreneurial energy in order to help build a better future for generations to come.
Les Kaufman
Les Kaufman
Les retired from the law after 25 years practicing as a barrister, specializing in labor law, and 15 years on the bench of federal and state industrial tribunals. He is...
Charles Knowles
Charles Knowles
Charlie is the President and Co-Founder of the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN), which has advanced a powerful new model of wildlife conservation. Charlie retired early as a successful Stanford-educated entrepreneur...
Kirra Stutchbury
Kirra Stutchbury
Growing up on Sydney’s iconic northern beaches, Kirra grew up appreciating the fragility of her natural surroundings. Kirra’s connection to nature drives her passion to communicate the necessity for collaborative...
Governing Principles of WCN's Wildlife Funds
- One Goal. Funds focus all resources on one conservation goal—such as preserving the Great Barrier Reef.
- 100%. Every cent of every dollar raised goes to the most effective partners and projects that can achieve the goal, with zero overhead taken.
- Ideas, Not Institutions. Funds seek the best return on investment for the goal, regardless of who presents them and no matter if delivered by the world’s largest institutions or a tiny grassroots operation, thereby democratizing philanthropy.
- Collaboration. We believe no single organization can achieve the Funds’ goal, so we unite the efforts and investments of multiple funders and diverse actors.
- Data-Driven. Investments are made and evaluated based on the best available science.
- Pioneering. Funds support conservation innovation, and share and scale successful concepts with other partners and projects.
- Range-Wide. Investment are made across the species’ distribution and are concerned about the conservation of small extinction-prone populations as well as large ones.
- Maximum Efficiency. We use unparalleled knowledge and advisors to find the best partners to support. We rely on field-based due diligence to solicit vetted, targeted projects.
- Minimal Bureaucracy. Early, strategic, and careful engagement of vetted partners helps minimize operational procedures and ensure paperwork is streamlined so that conservationists can do what they do best: conserve endangered wildlife.
DONATE IN AUSTRALIA VIA CHEQUE
To make a donation please send a cheque to PO Box 293, Avalon Beach, NSW Australia 2107. Cheques should be made out to Wildlife Conservation Network.
DONATE ONLINE
If you would like to donate to save coral reefs and Australia's biodiversity, you can donate online here. WCN is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization (#30-0108469). Please note that donations on our website are all listed in USD.
Donate
For inquiries about WCN Australia please contact kirra@wildnet.org.au.
Rachel Graham, Kyle Taylor, Saeed Khan