World Wilderness Congress
Encyclopedia
The World Wilderness Congress is the longest-running, public international environmental forum and is the flagship project of The WILD Foundation.
The 1st WWC was held in South Africa
in 1977 and has had a total of 8 meetings. It was founded by South African conservationist Dr Ian Player
and Laurens van der Post
. Addressing the important relationship between wild nature and people, the WWC is a conservation project which determines conservation objectives and then organizes collaboration partnerships to achieve the objectives. When it meets during each project cycle (approximately every 4 years), it is a high profile, public, international event attracting delegates from around the world, often from non-developed countries, and includes many heads of state as well as business, community, cultural and scientific leaders. The focus is on environmental issues with a global perspective. It is one of the most prestigious international environmental forums.
, South Africa
.
2,500 delegates from 27 countries.
Proceedings: Voices of the Wilderness, edited by Ian Player and published by Jonathan Ball, 1978.
Introduced the idea of wilderness conservation as a global issue and not just something done in western cultures. Presented programs to bring races and nations around the world together in the name of nature conservation. Looked at banking and economics for the first time as an important element in conservation efforts. Presented the largest exhibit of conservation art in Africa up to that time. Inspired production of a BBC
film, Zululand Wilderness: The Black Umfolozi Rediscovered.
, Australia.
1,000 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Wilderness, edited by Vance Martin and published by Findhorn Press, 1981.
Great Barrier Reef
recommend for inclusion in the World Heritage List. Areas of virgin rainforest in Queensland
were protected under park status. International attention brought for the first time to the issue of wilderness conservation in Tasmania
. The employment of Aboriginal
people in the Australian park service. The first global overview of wilderness definitions was created, including a country by country survey of the legal and cultural status of the concept.
and Findhorn
, Scotland
600 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Wilderness: The Way Ahead, edited by Martin and Inglis, published by Findhorn & Lorian Press, 1984.
Formal announcement of Great Britain's ratification of the World Heritage Convention. Formation of the Italian Wilderness Association, which created wilderness legislation for the first time in Italy. Establishment of the Wilderness Action Group in South Africa to advocate for wilderness legislation.
, United States
2,000 delegates from 64 countries.
Proceedings: For the Conservation of Earth, edited by Vance G. Martin, published by Fulcrum, Inc., 1988.
Proposed the establishment of a World Conservation Bank, which eventually led to the $1.1 billion Global Environment Facility
. Advocation of wilderness areas under the IUCN Categories of Protected Areas, which was accepted in 1990. Proposal to accept the Cairngorm Plateau for listing as a World Heritage Site
. Proposal for a World Conservation Corps, or Service, as an outlet for public environmental action.
, Norway
600 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Arctic Wilderness, edited by Vance G. Martin and Nicholas Tyler, published by North American Press, 1995.
Advocated wilderness issues in the polar regions. Introduced the concept of sustainable living
as a logical extension of sustainable development
. Announced over 30 resolutions dealing with global issues of wildlands and wildlife, sustainable benefits for local people, and numerous scientific and policy matters. Presented the first inventory of Wild Rivers of the North. Presented a number of arctic guidelines for the Northern Forum.
, India
700 delegates from 30 nations.
Proceedings: Wilderness and Humanity: The Global Issue, Vance Martin and Partha Sarathy, eds., Fulcrum Press, Golden, Colorado, 2001.
Introduced the concept of wilderness areas in Asia, where before no such wilderness protected areas existed. Produced a comprehensive survey of the worlds rivers. Reintroduction of the Cheetah
in India. Discussion of marine wilderness protected areas.
700 delegates from over 44 nations
Proceedings Wilderness and Human Communities, The Spirit of the 21st Century, Vance Martin and Andrew Muir eds., Fulcrum Press, Golden CO, 2004.
Andrian Gardiner, owner of Shamwari Game Reserve, announces the first legal wilderness area on private property in Africa. New national wilderness legislation and plans for new wilderness designations in Namimbia announced. The Global Environmental Facility announces two new grants to assist wilderness and wildlands conservation - Baviaanskloof, SA and Angola's Kissma National Park.
1,200 delegates from 60 nations
Wilderness is announced as an official category within Mexico's protected areas framework and the El Carmen Wilderness Area is designated. Other accomplishments include the inception of the Native Lands and Wilderness Council and the International League of Conservation Photographers
and the launch of Umzi Wethu Training Academy for Displaced Youth in SA, addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
, Mexico with 1800 delegates from 50 countries and over 12,000 online participants from 130 countries. Opened by President Felipe Calderon, WILD9 conveyed an extraordinary atmosphere of hope and enthusiasm. With the central theme of wilderness, people and climate change, the WILD9 process addressed the most imperative environmental issues, resulting in many specific outcomes, available online.
The 1st WWC was held in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1977 and has had a total of 8 meetings. It was founded by South African conservationist Dr Ian Player
Ian Player
Dr. Ian Player DMS , is an international conservationist.-Biography:Player was educated at St. John’s College, Johannesburg, South Africa and served in the 6th South African Armoured Division attached to the American 5th Army in Italy 1944–46.His conservation career started with the Natal Parks...
and Laurens van der Post
Laurens van der Post
Sir Laurens Jan van der Post, CBE was a 20th century Afrikaner author of many books, farmer, war hero, political adviser to British heads of government, close friend of Prince Charles, godfather of Prince William, educator, journalist, humanitarian, philosopher, explorer, and...
. Addressing the important relationship between wild nature and people, the WWC is a conservation project which determines conservation objectives and then organizes collaboration partnerships to achieve the objectives. When it meets during each project cycle (approximately every 4 years), it is a high profile, public, international event attracting delegates from around the world, often from non-developed countries, and includes many heads of state as well as business, community, cultural and scientific leaders. The focus is on environmental issues with a global perspective. It is one of the most prestigious international environmental forums.
1st World Wilderness Congress
October, 1977 in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
2,500 delegates from 27 countries.
Proceedings: Voices of the Wilderness, edited by Ian Player and published by Jonathan Ball, 1978.
Introduced the idea of wilderness conservation as a global issue and not just something done in western cultures. Presented programs to bring races and nations around the world together in the name of nature conservation. Looked at banking and economics for the first time as an important element in conservation efforts. Presented the largest exhibit of conservation art in Africa up to that time. Inspired production of a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
film, Zululand Wilderness: The Black Umfolozi Rediscovered.
2nd World Wilderness Congress
June, 1980, in QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia.
1,000 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Wilderness, edited by Vance Martin and published by Findhorn Press, 1981.
Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
recommend for inclusion in the World Heritage List. Areas of virgin rainforest in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
were protected under park status. International attention brought for the first time to the issue of wilderness conservation in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. The employment of Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people in the Australian park service. The first global overview of wilderness definitions was created, including a country by country survey of the legal and cultural status of the concept.
3rd World Wilderness Congress
October, 1983 in InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and Findhorn
Findhorn
Findhorn is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located on the eastern shore of Findhorn Bay and immediately south of the Moray Firth. Findhorn is 3 miles northwest of Kinloss, and about 5 miles by road from Forres....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
600 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Wilderness: The Way Ahead, edited by Martin and Inglis, published by Findhorn & Lorian Press, 1984.
Formal announcement of Great Britain's ratification of the World Heritage Convention. Formation of the Italian Wilderness Association, which created wilderness legislation for the first time in Italy. Establishment of the Wilderness Action Group in South Africa to advocate for wilderness legislation.
4th World Wilderness Congress
September, 1987 in Denver and Estes Park, ColoradoEstes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...
, United States
2,000 delegates from 64 countries.
Proceedings: For the Conservation of Earth, edited by Vance G. Martin, published by Fulcrum, Inc., 1988.
Proposed the establishment of a World Conservation Bank, which eventually led to the $1.1 billion Global Environment Facility
Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues....
. Advocation of wilderness areas under the IUCN Categories of Protected Areas, which was accepted in 1990. Proposal to accept the Cairngorm Plateau for listing as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Proposal for a World Conservation Corps, or Service, as an outlet for public environmental action.
5th World Wilderness Congress
September 1993, in TromsøTromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, Norway
600 delegates from 25 countries.
Proceedings: Arctic Wilderness, edited by Vance G. Martin and Nicholas Tyler, published by North American Press, 1995.
Advocated wilderness issues in the polar regions. Introduced the concept of sustainable living
Sustainable living
Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources and his/her own resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprint by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet...
as a logical extension of sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
. Announced over 30 resolutions dealing with global issues of wildlands and wildlife, sustainable benefits for local people, and numerous scientific and policy matters. Presented the first inventory of Wild Rivers of the North. Presented a number of arctic guidelines for the Northern Forum.
6th World Wilderness Congress
October, 1998, in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India
700 delegates from 30 nations.
Proceedings: Wilderness and Humanity: The Global Issue, Vance Martin and Partha Sarathy, eds., Fulcrum Press, Golden, Colorado, 2001.
Introduced the concept of wilderness areas in Asia, where before no such wilderness protected areas existed. Produced a comprehensive survey of the worlds rivers. Reintroduction of the Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
in India. Discussion of marine wilderness protected areas.
7th World Wilderness Congress
November, 2001, Port Elizabeth, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
700 delegates from over 44 nations
Proceedings Wilderness and Human Communities, The Spirit of the 21st Century, Vance Martin and Andrew Muir eds., Fulcrum Press, Golden CO, 2004.
Andrian Gardiner, owner of Shamwari Game Reserve, announces the first legal wilderness area on private property in Africa. New national wilderness legislation and plans for new wilderness designations in Namimbia announced. The Global Environmental Facility announces two new grants to assist wilderness and wildlands conservation - Baviaanskloof, SA and Angola's Kissma National Park.
8th World Wilderness Congress
2005, Anchorage, Alaska, United States.1,200 delegates from 60 nations
Wilderness is announced as an official category within Mexico's protected areas framework and the El Carmen Wilderness Area is designated. Other accomplishments include the inception of the Native Lands and Wilderness Council and the International League of Conservation Photographers
International League of Conservation Photographers
The International League of Conservation Photographers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography...
and the launch of Umzi Wethu Training Academy for Displaced Youth in SA, addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
9th World Wilderness Congress
WILD9 convened from 6–13 November 2009 in MéridaMérida, Yucatán
Mérida is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Yucatán and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about from the Gulf of Mexico coast...
, Mexico with 1800 delegates from 50 countries and over 12,000 online participants from 130 countries. Opened by President Felipe Calderon, WILD9 conveyed an extraordinary atmosphere of hope and enthusiasm. With the central theme of wilderness, people and climate change, the WILD9 process addressed the most imperative environmental issues, resulting in many specific outcomes, available online.
Further reading
- Martin, G. Vance (2001) "The World Wilderness Congress" International Journal of Wilderness. Vol 7. No. 1. Pgs 4-9 Accessed 4 November 2009
- Martin, G. Vance (2009) "The 9th World Wilderness Congress" International Journal of Wilderness. Vol 16. No 1. Pgs 37-42.