WESSA Annual Report 2023 - 2024 DP

Membership

O Our members and supporters are a fundamental component of WESSA’s history and current support structure. At least half of WESSA’s actions are initiated, arranged and implemented by our members and supporters; led by a team of committed and dedicated Regional Representatives, Regional and Branch committee members, youth and events coordinators, Friends Group committees and conservancy members.

The focus of our members is at the local level. It is truly remarkable to see the impact that the myriad local membership activities are contributing towards biodiversity protection, environmental education and environmental management. Clearly WESSA’s membership actions reflect a culture of Ubuntu!

our 700 supporters to transition into paying members and to encourage more youth to become active members or supporters. The Task Force is also considering how to support and fund coordinators in every region, who could lead more opportunities for local actions that will inspire additional youth enrolment and involvement. We are actively encouraging our membership to participate in citizen science events; and have seen growth in participation in water quality monitoring, bioblitzes and iNaturalist activities.

Stemming from the WESSA Strategy 2022-2027 to draw WESSA staff and members closer together, we have advanced the objectives of aligning and creating synergies between activities. Morgan Griffiths was appointed to a new role of Membership Manager, to foster and coordinate this alignment. A key task was updating of the national register of all branch and regional activities and leaders; and how they align to WESSA’s three focus areas: biodiversity conservation, pollution reduction and climate action. The Membership Task Force is working at how to refine our membership categories and fees, to encourage

Gary Koekemoer & Tim Douglas-Jones at an Algoa Bay Beach clean-up

#We Are OneWESSA

WESSA ANNUAL REPORT 2023 – 2024

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