African Wildlife & Environment Issue 82

GENERAL

MESSAGE FROMOUR CEO Someone recently asked me if I believe there is still value in people joining societies and in civil society acting in small organized local groups. I could without a doubt answer yes – now more than ever. It is what makes me so proud to be the newly appointed CEO of WESSA. WESSA has long been the place for people who care about the environment to get together and take action around local conservation issues. It is in fact our origin story as well.

take WESSA to our 100-year celebration and beyond and have a significant impact on the climate crisis, biodiversity conservation and pollution of our water and land. We also looked at what makes WESSA unique. It is apparent that it is our history of and current citizen action, our access to a network of young people, and WESSA being a trusted voice and an excellent project implementer. We want to once again become visible as a critical partner of government, willing to offer support and encouragement but also ready to criticise where necessary. Our driving principle is advocacy, helping influence high-level environmental policy-making, followed up with close monitoring and compliance work, fitting for the troubled times and environmental crises we are in the midst of. All WESSA programmes, projects and involvements are guided by this thinking. Our core goals include the ability to plan environmental interventions on an impactful scale in conjunction with partners where necessary, overcoming the constraints of short-term project scope and funding. Programmes will be clearly defined so that mission drift does not distract us from our objectives. We will have the ability to bid for high-value, long-term global grants based on our experience and good standing. We will build our fundraising competency with a well-resourced strategy to unlock funding for key issues as per our focus areas. We will look to create opportunities for membership volunteer projects that will amplify the voice and impact of our supporter groups on the ground. We now have a new, yet practicable model for value creation – ‘a roadmap to the healthy, sustainably managed planet we want and need; and the WESSA that will get us there’. Finally, we will have practical strategies for operationalising the model and constantly monitoring and evaluating progress. WESSA will stay steadfast in its convictions about where our focus needs to be. We need to avoid being pushed by funders into simply implementing their agenda. We will have to be innovative around where our funding comes from and realise that a substantial investment to kick-start this will be necessary. We need to chase less and attract more. We will have a renewed focus on an advocacy model of ‘Educate, Advocate and Act’. We need to continue working towards solving the problems associated with the climate crisis, reducing the speed at which we are losing habitat and biodiversity and holding accountable those that pollute our water and terrestrial systems. We are the last generation that can turn it around. We must proceed with care, self reflection, and an openness to learning and change, as the foundations for offering solutions that take wildlife, human and broader environmental needs into account.

When WESSA has its centenary celebration in 2026, we will look back on how we have stood the test of time because of our history and the work that has been done over the last 100 years, but also because when we needed to, we adapted to the changing world around us. The number of people who signed up and paid for membership have dwindled in the last few years. This of course always sparks conversation at WESSA about whether we should try and revive the numbers of people signing up for membership. With our centenary celebration coming up, we have reflected deeply on theWESSA we currently are and the WESSA we need to become. Over the last 20 months we have taken stock, consulted with stakeholders and strategy experts and crafted a strategy that will

Helena Atkinson CEO | WESSA

2 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 82 (2022)