General FAQs
If your question is not answered here, please contact us.
- Who is WWF?
- What are WWF-Australia's areas of focus?
- Are there any job vacancies at WWF?
- Who does WWF-Australia work with?
- How does WWF-Australia help our threatened plant and animal species?
- What kinds of activities is WWF-Australia involved in?
- What is the story behind the panda logo of WWF?
Q. Who is WWF?
WWF is the world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organisation, with close to five million supporters and a global network active more than 100 countries.
Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by:
- conserving the world's biological diversity;
- ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and
- promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
The WWF International Network is global, independent, multicultural and non-party political. WWF-Australia's head office is located in Sydney, with regional offices in Darwin, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth. Contact details for all offices are listed on the contact page.
Q. What are WWF-Australia's areas of focus?
With over 80,000 supporters, and active projects in Australia and the Oceania region, WWF works to conserve Australia's plants and animals, by ending land clearing, addressing climate change, and preserving and protecting our fresh water, marine and land environments.
We focus our work on seven conservation areas which include:
- Northern Landscapes
- Antarctica
- Australia's Eco-footprint
- Tropical Seas
- Ecosystem Resilience
- National Biodiversity Initiatives
- International Programs
Q. Are there any job vacancies at WWF?
All job opportunities at WWF-Australia are listed on the jobs page. To find out more about jobs in other WWF offices around the world, visit our job listing on panda.org.
Q. Who does WWF-Australia work with?
WWF-Australia builds partnerships with local, state and federal governments, indigenous communities, farmers, business and industry, and other NGOs. We also work with scientists, economists and other conservation groups in order to create solutions to Australia's environmental problems.
WWF-Australia involves local communities and indigenous peoples in the planning and execution of our field programs, respecting their cultural as well as economic needs.
Q. How does WWF-Australia help our threatened plant and animal species?
WWF's species work focuses on three areas:
- Community action supports individuals and groups so they can build skills and take responsibility for promoting and participating in the recovery of local threatened species;
- Advocacy looks at policy and legislation and helps us ensure that public decision making as well as national, state and local actions help conserve our threatened species;
- Scientific research helps us understand and educate communities and governments about species, their habitat, the threats they face and what we must do to save them.
We also have the Threatened Species Network (TSN), a community partnership between WWF and the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust. TSN has people on the ground right across Australia working with community groups and other conservation partners to help stop the declining numbers of our native plants and animals, particularly those listed by Australia's state and federal governments as threatened.
Q. What kinds of activities is WWF-Australia involved in?
WWF works to conserve Australia's plants and animals, by ending land clearing, addressing climate change, and preserving and protecting our fresh water, marine and land environments. We achieve this by working on the ground with local communities, and in partnership with government and industry, using the best possible science to advocate change and effective conservation policy.
Our current programs include the PowerSwitch! campaign to reduce impacts of climate change and encourage the adoption of cleaner energy sources - an ongoing Save the Bush campaign to reduce land clearing in all states - an Australia-wide initiative to reduce the import and spread of invasive weeds and feral animals - and direct input into national water policy, including the National Water Initiative. WWF also regularly advocates for increased protection of our oceans and coasts, particularly reef areas and Southern Ocean regions.
On-ground projects include Woodland Watch, Wetland Watch, turtle monitoring, our Shorebirds program and the tracking of marine debris. WWF also have a Threatened Species Network (TSN) - in partnership with the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust - which funds more than 200 community conservation projects annually. These projects include habitat restoration, weed and feral animal control, monitoring and surveying species populations, fencing, and fire management.
Q. What is the story behind the panda logo of WWF?
The inspiration for the panda in WWF's world-recognised logo came from Chi-Chi, a giant panda that had arrived at the London Zoo in the year 1961 when WWF was being created. Aware of the need for a strong, recognisable symbol that would overcome all language barriers, WWF's founders agreed that the large, furry animal with her appealing, black-patched eyes would make an excellent logo.
The first sketches were done by the British environmentalist and artist Gerald Watterson in 1961. Based on these, Sir Peter Scott, one of WWF's founders, drew the first logo, and said at the time:
"We wanted an animal that is beautiful, is endangered, and one loved by people around the world. We also wanted an animal that symbolised all that was disappearing in the natural world."
The black-and-white panda has since come to stand as a symbol for conservation world-wide.
