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About Us

Our Vision and Mission and What We Value

Our Vision

To play a significant role in nature conservation as South Australia's pre-eminent wildlife charity.

Our Mission

To be an apolitical, not-for-profit, wildlife charity which works with and inspires others to conserve restore and sustainably manage South Australia's natural heritage.

The Foundation's Values:

  • its commitment and experience as a credible supporter of nature and the natural environment over the period since its inauguration in 1981;
  • its many achievements in providing financial support to a variety of areas of successful scientific research;
  • its position as an incorporated, independent, not-for-profit organisation with no political affiliations;
  • its credibility with its strong membership and supporting donors as an organisation that can achieve real outcomes for the natural environment;
  • its status as a Deductible Gift Recipient by which it is able to provide taxation benefits to those who donate money or property;
  • its commitment to sound science;
  • its understanding of the need to strike the right balance between community development, economic growth, social and cultural wellbeing, environmental protection and the sustainable use of resources;
  • its relationship with but independence from government whereby it can offer supporters the opportunity to act remotely from government but where the organisation can benefit from government's sophisticated technical assistance;
  • the depth and breadth of the professional skills brought to the organisation by the calibre of its Council members;
  • its commitment to high standards of business ethics and probity;
  • its strategic partners and supporters.

Founding Member and Fellow of Nature Foundation SA, Barbara Hardy AO, begins the story

"In October 1981, a small group of Adelaide business personalities, a well-known medical man and a highly respected conservationist gathered together to discuss ways in which they could assist national parks in South Australia. They were all aware of the work done by the National Parks & Wildlife Service but they wanted to help give the community the opportunity to financially support the natural environment."

In that original group were Mr Warren Bonython AO, Mr Mark Bonnin, Dr Barbara Hardy AO and Mr David Cleland. Also involved in those early days were Mr Jack Gitsham, Mr Donald Jellis, Mr Ron Johnson AM, Mr Neville McNeill, Mrs Elizabeth Manley, Mr Charles Schmidt and Mr John Branson.

They formed what was then called 'The National Parks Foundation' and, over the next decade and more, its volunteers raised funds for conservation through public appeals.

As it grew, it extended its reach and changed its name to Nature Foundation SA. In all sorts of ways, from funding research to supporting on-the-ground projects, we seek to protect the natural environment, save native wildlife and enhance the parks and reserves system.

We now have a small, mainly part-time staff and operate from historic premises at Hindmarsh.

Barbara Hardy AO

Barbara Hardy AO helped found the Foundation in 1981 and is still an active member. She was a Nature Foundation SA Councillor from 1982 to 2008 but her association goes back to the first meeting of the Foundation's founding steering committee in October 1981.

Barbara has been working in the environment field in a voluntary capacity since the early 1970s – locally, nationally and internationally. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Flinders University and was 1996 South Australian Citizen of the Year. Barbara has received a number of prestigious awards, including Advance Australia Award, an SA Great Award, an Institution of Engineers Medal and an ABC Eureka Award for the Advancement of Science. She was also a founding Trustee of SA Business Vision 2010 and is the Australian member for the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development.

Barbara was appointed an Officer of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1987.  She has been a Commissioner of the Australian Heritage Commission, President of the National Parks Foundation of South Australia (now the Nature Foundation SA), Founding President of the Investigator Science and Technology Centre, Chairman of the South Australian Landcare Committee and a member of the Bookmark Biosphere Trust amongst a number of other roles. She is now a Companion of the Institution of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy.

From October 2001 until the end of 2006, she was the Member from Australia in the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED), a major international project initiated and funded by the Japanese Ministry for Environment.