Bryan Havemann, National Director of Conservation
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When the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) was formed over 80 years ago, two large South African mammals, the Bluebuck and the Quagga, were extinct and several others were threatened. At this time the threat was from uncontrolled hunting, mostly by the early settlers. The beginning of the Society was thus as a wild animal protection body. Today WESSA has moved from away from "protection" of wildlife into a more holistic approach to sustainable and integrated environmental action.

Over the years, WESSA has been a motivating force behind many of South Africa's most significant environmental decisions including:

• The drafting of the National Parks Act and the formation of the Kruger National Park.
• Successfully campaigning against mining at Lake St Lucia and for the incorporation of the eastern shores of Lake St Lucia into the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.
• Publishing a National Conservation Strategy for South Africa in 1981, shortly after the global version was produced by the IUCN; a world first for a non-governmental organisation.
• Winning a High Court battle to have the rezoning and environmental approvals for the Paradyskloof development in Stellenbosch overturned.
• Helping to uncover corruption and highlighting the importance of a good Environmental Impact Assessment process around the Roodefontein Golf and Equestrian Estate proposal.

Through their role as environmental watchdogs, WESSA's professional environmentalists are constantly seeking to prevent further degradation of our environment. Innumerable environmentally irresponsible practices and activities have been prevented and their impacts mitigated by this team of experts. They have also played and continue to play a significant role in influencing policy and planning in the environment and development arena in South Africa.