Tasmanian Wilderness Society

The Tasmanian Wilderness Society was formed as an umbrella organization of protesters opposing the planned construction of dams in Tasmania in the early 1970s. The newly established society worked closely with the United Tasmanian Group, the world’s first “green” party. In 1976, the groups contributed to blocking the construction of the Franklin Dam on the Gordon River in southwest Tasmania. Widely visible in the media, this success facilitated the expansion of the Wilderness Society.

Now known as “The Wilderness Society” (TWS), the organization supports projects in Australia concerning environmental protection, the restoration of the wilderness, sustainability, biodiversity, and environmental education.