A new Australian startup gives people the chance to permanently protect high-quality wildlife conservation per square meter at a time.
Wilderlands is the brainchild of sixth-generation farmer and conservationist Paul Dettmann, CEO Ash Knop and CMO Heath Evans, who have developed what they have called Biological Diversity Units, which provide a simple way to protect local biodiversity.
It’s not an investment plan – more of a gesture in environmental philanthropy.
The prices of the units are based on the perpetual maintenance obligations and costs of 20 years of management for each project. They will initially be available as bundle packs starting at $30 for 10sqm, with individual units ranging from $2-7 each.
Each unit is geotagged, so people can zoom in and see exactly where they’re lending their support, as well as receive regular updates from on-site ecologists and see how nature is thriving.
The timing of the idea is good, as the new federal government commits to protecting 30% of nature by 2030, in line with the goals of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Dettmann has over 20 years of experience delivering conservation projects and believes that tangible solutions like Wilderlands are key to connecting people to the problem and empowering them to take action.
“We empower people to protect vulnerable Australian land for biodiversity and engage leading conservation organizations to help you conserve it forever; that’s what we enable when people buy these units,” he said.
“We take the complexities of conservation covenants, management and ongoing protection of biodiversity and unify the impact to make it simple, easy and affordable for everyone to proactively protect nature today.”
A 4,500-acre forest that is home to 4 endangered bird species, in the NSW Riverina, Allesa is one of the wilderness areas it offers to protect.
Wilderlands works with Dettmann’s conservation organization, Cassinia Environmental. To be Coorong Lakes Projectin collaboration with the Ngarrindjeri People, will be one of the first four projects that people can support.
Wilderlands CEO Ash Knop said they will pool the impact across an initial 5 million square feet of Cassinia’s biodiversity protection projects, allowing supporters to choose from tall forests, wetlands, woodlands and grasslands in Victoria, NSW and South America. Australia.
“Clearly there will be a lot of opportunities for us to work together as we really see Wilderlands as a platform that will support projects from other landowners and conservation organizations over time,” he said.
“Right now, we’re looking to connect with people and partners who are passionate about protecting the planet and it’s clear that there are more individuals and organizations that fit this profile every day.”
The startup has released a white paper titled The Wilderlands Way, detailing the science-based methodology behind the company. It says the biological diversity units are not designed to compensate for biodiversity or habitat loss elsewhere, but rather as a mechanism to support new biodiversity gains and contribute to the 30% target by 2030.
Since its launch this week, Wilderlands has made commitments to protect more than 12,000 sq ft of fragile ecosystems and generated more than $30,000 in revenue from a range of major organizations, as well as philanthropists Alison & John Cameron of The Cameron Foundation, and several environmental advisory groups.