The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA; previously known as the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa and still earlier as Wild Life Protection and Conservation Society) is a

non-government A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

environmental organisation An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environme ...

(NGO) of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, established in 1926, although its origins go back to the 1890s.

Relation to other conservation bodies

The organisation in 1926, largely through the efforts and support of Sydney Skaife in 1929, helped establish the Wild Life Protection and Conservation Society, which helped to establish the National Parks Board of South Africa, and led to the (official) proclamation of the

Kruger National Park Kruger National Park () is a national park in South Africa covering an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the country's northeast. It extends from north to south and from east to west. The administrative headquarters are i ...

Activities

WESSA produces two magazines: * ''Environment – People and Conservation in Africa'' (which replaced ''African Wildlife'') * ''EnviroKids'', which started as an insert in ''African Wildlife'' in 1972 and became ''Toktokkie'' magazine in 1976, changing its name to ''EnviroKids'' in 1998. The intent is to promote environmental awareness in children. In addition, each region produces its own monthly or bi-monthly newsletter. WESSA participates in the activities of the international

Foundation for Environmental Education The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a non-governmental organization, non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education. FEE is active through five programmes; Blue Flag be ...

(FEE) and has earned several of its

Blue Flag beach The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator meets its standards. The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE, which is a Not-for-profit organi ...

certifications. It supports the international Eco-Schools programme of the FEE. The South African effort was launched in 2003.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wessa Nature conservation in South Africa Environmental organisations based in South Africa